LEE Smelter bottom pourer thingy.

[chewy]

I been castin' witha laddle instead of the bottom pourer thing due to it leaking. I don't mind using a hand laddle, but how does one stop the bottom from leaking and use it correctly? Will it really save me some time?

[jawjaboy]

When mine takes a notion to leak Chewy, usually by cranking up da temp a lil above 900 degrees and operating da pour knob 6 or 8 times fairly rapidly, and a lil forcefully, will solve da problem. Then I'll back off on da temp. Works most of da time for me. Other times, it will jes quit on it's own. :dunno:

Edit: Will definately save casting time...yessir.

[chewy]

Hmmmm. Thanks jawja. I'll give that a whirl this weekend. Would "fluxing" it when empty help get all the possible grit out?

[jawjaboy]

Don't know Chewy. I've never run mine down to empty since I've had it.

[myg30]

If you remove the rod and wipe it and the seat it should stopp the drop. Never tried jawja's idea, but its worth a try. Adj the screw so it opens alot, might self clean the crud.
Much faster than dip to me but im half crazy,blind and old !

Mike

[BigSlick]

If ya think the valve has some crap in it, run the pot down to as near empty as you can get it and run a #1 (I think - double check the ID to be sure) pilot drill in the valve and give it a couple twists by hand.

Don't go and blast it with a drill else you'll be buying another spout from our good friends at Leecision.

To keep it from leaking, it helps to only put smelted ingots in it, instead of ww's, but, you already knew that.

If it hangs open on ya when you're casting, take a pair of vise grips with a finish nail and poke it up in the spout, it'll usually clear it.

My Lee pots don't leak - at all, but they've never see a raw ww either. My old arse Saeco will leak now and again, so I go thru the drill above.

Don't use it much cause it gets to be a PITA. Sure does hold temps even though

[speedracer211]

I keep a flat head close by because it seems the more I use the lever the more loose it gets on its own. About every 10 drops I turn it in with the screwdriver.

[Pitmaster]

When mine takes a notion to leak Chewy, usually by cranking up da temp a lil above 900 degrees and operating da pour knob 6 or 8 times fairly rapidly, and a lil forcefully, will solve da problem. Then I'll back off on da temp. Works most of da time for me. Other times, it will jes quit on it's own. :dunno:

Edit: Will definately save casting time...yessir.

That's my technique too. I also keep an eye on the adjustment screw on the bottom of the pot. Sometimes that works loose and causes leaks.

Lots of times I'm casting fast enough not too much leaks out so I just brush it off to the side and fill the pot back up and Gore it (recycle)

[chewy]

Hmm. I'll give jackin' the temp up and see if it self cleans it. Then other tips after that if that don't cure it.

[fredj338]

I been castin' witha laddle instead of the bottom pourer thing due to it leaking. I don't mind using a hand laddle, but how does one stop the bottom from leaking and use it correctly? Will it really save me some time?
In a word YES. Even the cheap Lee 20# is a dream to cast w/ vs a ladle. Just don't smelt in it, or run it dry & it won't drip much, mine don't. I have an old 10# & newer 20#, they work great, best thing Lee makes IMO.

[Ledhore]

Mine had a lot of miles on it and I was alway tweaking it to get it to stop leaking. I finally replaced it cause I was keeping a small pair of needlenose vice grips clamped around the screw head on the rod and the head busted at the slot. Long story short - the replacement rod was cheap and it almost never leaks now.

[Fishman]

The stem that plugs the spout has a screwdriver slot in the top. Take a screwdriver and give it a few turns. It worked for mine. You might have to repeat that ever so often.

[chewy]

I think I'll have to get new rod or somethin'. Last Timecasted some 9mm up, I turned the rod and screw all the way open, all the way closed with no effect at all. I'll fiddle with it some more next time.