How do you clean your melting pot?
 

Guys, I've got a gravity flow type"Lee Production Pot IV" electric melter.
I melted some lead down a guy gave me and pured up into ingots.
I got the lead it self pretty clean, but when the pot was empty there
was a crud of sortsleft in the bottom of the pot. When I try to cast this
crud clogs the nozzle and I spend more time clearing the nozzle than
casting.So I was wandering if you guys could give me some tips on
how to cleaning the pot, nozzle, and flow control valve.

Thanks

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

You know this is the one reason, I have not got into casting. Everybody I know who does it, shows me how messy a job it can be. Sorry, I can't help you. Just came across your post. I was always interested in casting.

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

First off, i don't have the same pot as you do but i NEVER empty the pot completely. Leaveing lead in the pot helps the next batch to come up to heat faster. I believe leaveing the pot at least half full makes the heating element last longer too....

Also, i NEVER make ingots out of my pot. It's only for "clean" ingots or lead to go into! That's what old cast iron frypans are for, turning dirty lead into clean ingots! Dutch ovens are even better for this, and this is about all those newJUNK castiron ones from china are good for anyway!!

Whenmy casting pot is half full, i use a long HD spoon to stir the pot real well. The impurities are lighter than lead, and come to the top to be skimmed off... Do this untill you get them all out of the pot. I do this quite often, so i never have a lot of junk in the pot to clog it up in the first place....

Don't let BC discourage you, "if" you never learn how to do something the "right" way, you will never know how to teach the next guy to do it the "right"way either!

I hope this helps you some,

Drilling Man

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

You know I got to know. DM, what is your beef with me? I didn't say a word to discourage, just had some dialogue with the guy on lead pots. Just making conversation. Do you really believe that me saying, "this is the reason I never got into casting", is going to discourage someone thats already doing it? I admire him for taking the time doing it.

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

DM, You helped alot and I am very grateful to ya. ;)
Think I got my potcleaning problemfigured outthis afternoon.
I took an air die-grinder with a brass brush attached to it and
it cleaned the potup all but the nozzle, whichshould flush out.
Using your method aboveshould prevent any future problems.

BC,I wouldn'tlet a little mess hold you back if your interested in casting.
It's really not that bad if you can find a good supply ofqualitylead. It's a
great past time, and the reward is awesome whether it shows up on
paper or on the supper table. :D

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

Isn't wheel wieght good lead? Or do you just order it?

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

Wheel weights are ok for some loadingapplications, but I mainly cast
projectiles for my blackpowder rifles. I've read that wheel weights
contain tin, and the tin will cut upthe riflingin yourriflebarrel eventually.
Theyshould beok for roundballs and saboted bullets though.

No, I don't order it. What I have on hand now came from a factory that
that used it as heat shield panelson their molds. Roofing lead and
plumber's lead are a few good sources. If you candent it with a finger
nail, it's good lead.

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

Wheel weights ARE a good source for lead, i cast 1,600 pounds of 20 pound bars of wheel weights material last winter. They have tin and antimony in them as well as ???.

Tin will NOT hurt the bbl in a rifle, but for a muzzleloader anything but pure lead will be VERY hard to push down a bbl... Also, anything but pure lead won't expand well and seal the gass' behind it when you fire the weapon.

For my 44 bullets, i use wheel weight lead, and add pure tin to it to get the alloy i want... I mix it up in a dutch oven, and then pour it into 2 pounds ingots, that are ready for the melting pot.

Drilling Man

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

Yea, DM, I would avoid the question too.

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

It seems several folks in here have a problem with you. The only thing i'm "avoiding" is, joining them.

Perhaps if you read more, instead of trying to see how high you can get your post count number up to, you'd get along better in here???

DM

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

That wasn't the question. Your still avoiding it. But like I said, I guess I wouldn't blame ya. The question was " I didn't say a word to discourage, just had some dialogue with the guy on lead pots. Just making conversation. Do you really believe that me saying, "this is the reason I never got into casting", is going to discourage someone thats already doing it? I admire him for taking the time doing it."

I don't know DM, I have seen a real good share of posts where folks had problems with you and your authority how much a expert you are on everything. I mean, the grand ole "DM" wouldn't dare take advice from anyone. Let me ask, how many times have you learned from these pages? Or is it a transmit thing only where you talk and people listen. I admit, your very experienced. Been on alot of hunts I havn't. That doesn't mean, you have to talk down to everyone you meet.

I have went to several peoples house to help them get started reloading over the past 10 years I have met on the internet. Instead of looking down on them and tellin them how good I am all the time, we get together and work it out. Lets hear how many people on here you have done that for. Give us a member name. I have at least 10 friends are here, that I hunt/fish with.

Just be a man about it, and if you got a problem with me, PM me or say what you feel. Don't sit there and take pop shots at me with "don't let BC discourage you". From where I am from I am not used to men acting like that. You and I both know what you were doing. Lets work it out if you got a problem.

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

First off, telling you that "i'm trying not to have a problem with you" WAS an answer.... SO, what part of "i'm trying not to have a problem with you" don't you understand?

Secondly, i don't feel the need to compare myself and my experences with you and your experences.... You've done your thing, and i've done mine.... You may want me to sit and argue with you and go back and forth putting eachother down, but i choose not to play that game!

Now, if it makesYOU feel better to do so to me, have at it as i assure there's nothing you will say that will offend me.

DM

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

Back in the day, we used mercury to help de-lead barrels. I doubt you could find enough now to clean a pot.

RE: How do you clean your melting pot?
 

I've had the same problem with my PP IV. It worked perfectly well until I emptied it all the way while rendering wheelweights. As long as you keep an inch or so of lead in the pot so that the slag doesn't get in the valve you'll be OK. To correct the problem, empty the pot, let it cool. Take out the valvestem and chuck it up in a drill, using a bit of valve grinding compound, gently lap the stem back into the bottom of the pot, (it might work as well without grit as well). I use a wire brush chucked in a drill to clean the rest of the pot (I once had a pot contaminated with something, possibly zinc, that was yellow and crusty and making it difficult to get good fillout on my bullets. Do this outside and wear a dustmask, the metals and contaminants are very toxic in a dust form. I finish the cleaning with soapy water, then run the pot hot an empty for 1/2 hour to make sure its perfectly dry before adding lead (probably unnecessary, but I've been splattered with lead once, and am paranoid about moisture because of it.)

If you can't get the drip to stop, you can always screw a sheet metal screw into the spout, remove the valvestem and use a ladle for casting.

Tin won't hurt your muzzleloader, wheelweight metal that hasn't been quenched should work fine- its really soft, I use it wor making .490" roundballs with no problems.


Good luck.