Cleaning Out My Melting Pot

[Rivers Edge]

I have a Lee Production Pot IV lead melting pot the opening at the bottom keeps getting plugged up. What is the best way to keep them clean and also the best way to clean them out?

Thanks

R E

[cadman]

First of all what number do you keep your pot at when you are pouring?

 

To clean your pot this is what I do:

 

#1 Heat pot until lead is melted. Remove all lead.

#2 Remove plunger ass'y.

#3 While the pot cools, put on some cotton gloves, and then take some steel wool and clean the entire inside tub. If pot is too hot wait a bit. Dump out all debris from tub. Clean until tub has no lead along sides and bottom.

#4 Take some steel wool on a screwdriver and gently clean the spout area, along with the spout pouring hole. Do not force anything, as the spout is made out of brass, and you will damage it.

#5 Once all clean put in clean lead fill to about 1/2" below top. Flux your lead thoroughly and remove floating debris.

#6 You're good to go.

 

To keep from having problems with your pot clogging, Melt all of your lead in a separate pot. Flux thoroughly and pour in a mini-muffin pan. This will make it easy to put it in your Lee IV pot when you need.

[smalljaw67]

I do the same as Cadman, and 1 think I can tell you is you use scrap lead, the best investment is the 4lb precision pot from LEE. I learned the hard way, I decided I didn't want to waste time making ingots so I had some wheel weights that had to be melted so I threw them in and fluxed it but it didn't help, the wheel weights I melted were the new ones made with a lot of zinc, I ruined not only a pot of lead but it came close to ruining the pot. Anymore I buy cleaned and twice fluxed ingots from Roto Metals and when I have scrap (anything other than wheel weights) I melt it in my 4lb pot, clean it and then flux, scrape of the slag and flux it again and when the last of the slag is off I use my LEE ingot mold and make ingots and ever since I started doing this I stopped having my bottom pour clogging up.

[Rivers Edge]

Thanks guys. Where can I get flux?

Cadman I usually have my pot set on 7.

[smalljaw67]

Thanks guys. Where can I get flux?

Cadman I usually have my pot set on 7.

 

All you need for flux is ordinary candle wax, plain unscented candle wax works fine. In a 10lb pot I put a chunk in about the size of a dime around and maybe twice as thick, be prepared as you will have significant flame up. Once the flame subsides you can take a wooden dowel and stir the lead around to get the wax through it and then skim off the slag on top, I usually do this twice and you shoud be good to go then every time you add lead, flux it, you aren't going to hurt the lead and you'll find it pours better also.

[Jig Man]

The only other thing that I do is take a drill bit the same size as the spout hole and (by hand only) gently clean the walls of the spout.

[cadman]

On flux, I used to use beeswax, but since my wife is a big Yankee Candle fan, I take all the stuff that doesn't burn off the bottom and use that to flux my lead. So it seems like any candle wax works fine. The only benefit I get from using Yankee Candles, is that my work area smells really nice when I melt a chunk of wax. Other than that all candles work.

[Rivers Edge]

The pot is cleaned out and ready for the next batch of jigs

Thank for all the help.

[bigbill]

Please be careful of the fumes when melting lead. Make sure it's a well ventilated area. Safety first

[odinohi]

I do the same. Empty pot and disassemble valve. While still hot I take a piece of wire and poke through the whole of the spout to get all the lead out. Then I cleaned off all the lead on the rod. I use a gun cleaning brush bigger than the whole of the spout to clean up the sides of the spout. Then use the same wire and poke through the whole of the spout to get the debris out. Then I take the rod dip it in the valve grinding compound and stick back into the spout and twist by hand just make a better seat. After that I use a pipe cleaner with the bristles, poke through the whole and grab one end with each side and pull in and out all around the whole to get out the valve grinding compound. The key is to get out all of the valve grinding compound before you reassemble. I did forget to add that I use a small wire brush to clean the sides of the pot. This is how I clean my old Saeco pot, my RC BS pro melt, and both of my Lyman 61s. I've never used a Lee but I imagine it would be the same way.

I have just had problems with my Saco and my Pro-Melt dripping like crazy. It wasn't until I got out all of the valve grinding compound that they stopped dripping. I hope this helps and good luck.

[Brendan Smith]

I need a little help guys i just bought a lee 10 lbs melting pot tonight used it once and now i have a very labored pour i believe the spout is jamed upbwith ledcwhat is the best waybto go about cleaning this and preventing it from happening again any help will be greatly appreciated 

[Bluebasser86]

4 hours ago, Brendan Smith said:

I need a little help guys i just bought a lee 10 lbs melting pot tonight used it once and now i have a very labored pour i believe the spout is jamed upbwith ledcwhat is the best waybto go about cleaning this and preventing it from happening again any help will be greatly appreciated 

Cadman's post (second post on this thread) gives good instructions on how to clean your style pot out well. 

 

To help keep it from happening, make sure you're using good lead, that it's properly heated, and that you flux your lead to remove debris that can clog your pour spout.