Should a LEE Pot leak? Need some guidance

[plateboater]

I had a Lee Pot that went haywire!!!! Now I have a new pot and all the way closed still leaks. I do not like leaks.....this can be dangerous. The adjustments is a threaded rod.....should not be hard. I tried the paperclip up the pour spot but still leaking. New pot......getting into the fishing season hard core and last issue I need in the jig shop!!!! Thoughts.

 

[Fatman]

Sorry buddy but haven't seen one yet that didn't - I use an old bass jig bent into an L shape that I use to push up into the spout to clear it. Just keep a drip can under it in case, and stay safe.

 

[LedHed]

Are you using clean soft lead? Which pot do you have? Sounds like the 4-20, you might have something plugging up the spout - not letting the plunger seat. Dump it and check both. Found a hook one time.....

 

[plateboater]

Thank FM! I use little cat food cans from a tip on here the other day!

Led....good soft lead. Yes to the 4-20. Dumped it this afternoon. Very frustrated today. I think it was because I have been up since 3am to get to my fishing spot early!

 

[slammingjack]

If this is a new pot. Turn the heat knob down to 4 and fill the pot 3/4 full of lead. May help

 

[Kdog]

My 10# always dripped a bit until I lapped the valve rod and adjusted the lever

My 20# will sometime have 1 drip at end of pour. I did add weight to top of valve rod because the movement was a bit rough IMO I tried lubing the guide rod and no luck, added weight and no leaks since. Clean metal is critical

 

[AllenOK]

My pot drips as well. I cleaned it out a couple years ago, disassembled the plunger, cleaned out all the stuff that was in there (made the mistake of dropping some dirty lead into the pot), reassembled, and it still drips.

Kdog, when you say you "lapped the valve rod", what exactly is that? I'm not really the "shop guy type", so a lot of that is something I'm not familiar with.

 

[plateboater]

I will try turning the heat down.....usually on the dial is high till melted then 7 to pour.....will try lower

 

[Kdog]

Lapping the valve seat is simple. Empty the pot and clean. Remove valve rod and clean sandpaper steel wool etc. Now chuck the threaded end into a cordless drill. apply a small amount of lapping compound to the small end of the valve rod, Locate it into the pour hole just like it is held by the lifting mechanism. Turn drill on 10 seconds or so with light pressure, reverse drill and repeat, alternate directions 4-5 times. add more compund as needed, you should feel resistance and the gritty texture of the compound. Clean the pour hole and check, the seat should be obvious and clearly defined. If not repeat the lapping process.

Clean everything again, polish valve rod rod. I use steel wool at this point just to make sure its clean, Reassemble pot and refill with lead. Hopefully no more leaks for a while.

 

[AllenOK]

Thank you!

 

[Streetwalker]

I gave up on the new Lee pots. Bought a RCBS Pro Melt and it's the best money I've ever spent. I've run close to 200 lbs of lead through it in the past couple of months and it's been perfect.

 

[Kdog]

BTW, answering your question. No they should not leak. But they usually do!

 

[bucktail]

I Watched videos and talked to guys who pour...I was told to melt lead down then turn dial on my lee pot down to around 7...after just two times using it I've played with the heat and have noticed mine works great at just above 5...maybe because the element is new idk...mine drips already but does less once I turned it down some...also after about three or four times filling my mold I stir and clean off all junk ...I think keeping the pot 3/4 full also helps keep most junk at the top...lower you let the pot get with melted lead the more junk gets close to the spout making it easier to have inconsistant pour or partial clog creating a leak..a lock pick is a great tool to have close by...they make them with a 90 degree and it fits perfect...quick and easy way to get things back in order with a lee pot ?

 

[Badgerloader]

Mine only leaks when the lead inside is melted...

 

[hookup]

kdog posted a nice thread on cleaning his Lee pot

Mine started leaking bad, so tried drilling out MISTAKE

Bought a new Lee's pouring pot but haven't used it.

Contacted Lee & got a new pot for around $8 plus shipping. Lapped the plunger, replaced the pot I drilled with the new one, and after a few pours it stopped leaking

Now it drips occasionally, but run a paper clip through the hole, stir the lead good, and it usually stops

Want a RCBS, but since pouring's just a hobby can't justify the expense

 

[Jay Wirth]

Most often the case with drips during pouring is solved with an occasional wiggle of the plunger with a screwdriver. The top of the plunger has a screw slot. Stir you lead often, wax or flux powder to clean, scoop your slag. I use the same Lee pot for a few years and trade it in for a new one (at a reduced price).

 

[Jig Man]

Do ya'll store your pots with lead in them, or do you empty it and clean it out?

 

[AllenOK]

I think most folks leave the lead in. This keeps the pot from rusting. I know my pot has some lead in it.

 

[goodtimesfishing]

I keep mine full as I can while storing or using. Got going the other day and before I knew it the pot had less then half.....loaded it back up and fluxed(I always start and end by fluxing along with fluxing with any addition of lead). Next thing I know the pot is dripping. Pot use to drip prior to a full cleaning but since then I normally don't let the pot level get below about 3/4 of a pot and I flux before during and after, and have no drips. Point is keep your pots full and fluxed and the majority of the problems go away. Once you start getting drips, take it apart and deep clean, keep full and flux. Just my 2 cents but it has saved me a bunch of aggravation.

 

[hookup]

Mine stopped pouring and made me wonder why? I took it apart and the heating element broke in 1/2. I use it allot - but never dropped it or damaged it.

After this thread I bought a new insert pot from DoIt and when the element broke, took it out. I also had another Lee's 10# a buddy left outside that I use to melt down lead & clean. So I took it apart, PIA with it welded to the heating element, but finally got it done. Put the pot from the Lee with the broken heater element into the rusted Lee pot and just finished pouring. Still have the new one in the box, but I'm such a cheap SOB I decided to see if I can make this work.

I can go buy another element from Lee - but this was such a PIA, I'm just going to use the rusted one until it dies, then start a fresh with the old one.

Yeah, I know, I can mail the one w/ the broken heater to DoIt and they'll fix it for 1/2 the price of a new one, but since I got so many years out of the pot with the broken heating element, and I got another brand new spare, I'll consider that money well spent.