Melting Pot Issues, Slow Flow

Fired up my melting pot for the second time today and ran into some issues I'm hoping y'all can help with. I have a Lee Production Pot IV, one that has the spout underneath. After I got done using it the first time I still had a little over half the pot still filled with lead so I just left it in there.

Today I let the lead heat up on high for about 30 minutes until it was kinda bubbling then I cut it back to 8.

I was getting some dripping at first, but mainly I just wasn't getting the same flow that I got first time I poured. I could barely get much better than a drip when I lifted the handle so lots of times the lead would cool and clog the mold before it got down into the cavity.

I thought something might have been clogging the spout so I jiggled the handle some and nearly had a disaster. I couldn't get the lead to stop coming out! It did finally stop after emptying nearly half the pot and I managed to pour some heads but I had to hold the mold right up to the spout so it wouldn't drip and keep a continuous flow.

The first run I did the lead was FLYING out - now it's barely a trickle.

Is this normal? Should I be doing something differently?

Retake you a flat blade screwdriver. There is a slot in the stem you lift with the handle. Let pot get hot give 30 to 45 minutes to get good and hot. Then take screwdriver and twist that stem back and forth several times without lifting handle. You can turn it back and forth and you will feel kinda of a sweet spot where it wants to center on that wire. Then try lifting and see how it pours. Sometime that stem will get turned and hang on lift wire not letting it close. And if that still doesn’t help the pour take a paper clip and straighten it out and bend a 90 in one end about a inch and a half, holding with a pair of needle nose get it started into pour spout and while lifting handle slide it in and out to knock any debris loose and out of the way. Also remember as lead gets low the flow will also be reduced because of the lack of weight to push it out. And be careful that hot lead can do some serious damage to your hands and face.

Awesome - will give that a try. Really appreciate it!!

As an alternative to a paper clip sacrifice a hook by cutting off the rounded portion so all you have is the eye and the straight part. Rub it on a block of paraffin wax. Using pliers (not hemostats) run the hook shank up into the pour spout and give it a light scraping. Get more wax and repeat a few times. Then do as mentioned by twisting the plunger on top back and forth a few times. This should get it flowing.

Remember to keep some kind of small metal container near by in case it takes off on you. Something like a small pan or skillet. As for leaving led in the pot until next pour that won’t hurt anything. It helps keep rust from forming in the bottom.

Had my pot for ten years and ran into the drip, drip, drip flow issue. Tried the paper clip, no better. Painstakingly drained all the lead and barely got it done without overheating the element. The inside of the pot was turning cherry red so I put on some heavy welders gloves and poured it out. Lots of dirt accumulated on the sides of the pot was no doubt the cause of my problem. I use roofing standpipe covers for my pure so I must not have cleaned it well enough. Disassembled the rod and lift bar and couldn’t get any daylight through the hole. Found a tiny drill (this is not recommended) and slowly, by hand, began to remove the schmutz from the port. Almost got it all done and hit what I believe was a wad of dirt or sand. Removed the base and put the drill bit in a small drill and slowly took tiny advancements to open the port. Didn’t take much and it went through. Cleaned once it was cool enough, reassembled and plugged it in and waited. Having the pot for so long I figured if I killed it and had to replace it, it owed me nothing. First pours seemed a bit strong, but second one and it was acting like it’s old self. I pour small jigs so there isn’t lots of room for error. Glad to say that I don’t have to replace it yet, but all good things come to an end. Parts are available but with shipping I think a replacement would be my path. So far, so good. Thinking back, had I tried to push a wire through when the drop rod was removed and the pot was full temp, I might not have had to resort to the drill. Wish me luck for the future........

Yikes! Hopefully I don't have to got through that much to get mine working. I pour mostly small jigs too - 64ths and 32nds and some 16ths.

You can get all the parts for FREE the first time you rebuild the pot... You just have to call them and tell them what all you want to replace on your pot... You just have to pay the shipping...

Didn’t know that, and it’s good to know. So far, so good, but there’s tomorrow. Thanks for the info.