HELP IM DOING IT >>>FINALY

siebler_custom_baits · #1 (**permalink**) January 15th, 2004

OK im trying to pour lead for the first time

and have a lee pot (like the plastic pot) Have any suggestions...PLEASE

Rob Olling · #2 (**permalink**) January 15th, 2004

I have never done it but from what I have read. You want the mold to be as warm as you can get it to start, smoke it, pour 1 or 2 false pours with no hooks to get the mold heated up and the slightly tip the mold on to its side and try to pour in half of the sprue hols so air can escope through the other half. I'm envoius, I dont have the tools or molds yet. What heads are you pouring? Pouring is best done naked with lots of bandaids around ;^) .

siebler_custom_baits · #3 (**permalink**) January 15th, 2004

I pot a pot on ebay that was for plastic put i found out it is for lead. O well i was looking for a lead pot anyways. Im poutind stand-up heads w/o weedguards.

jigmaster · #4 (**permalink**) January 16th, 2004

I pour alot of lead, and my suggestion to you would be MAKE IT SAFE. Wear eye protection ALWAYS>..............keep all mositure away from the molten lead.........it will splatter all over you if you mix water and molten lead.

GEt your mold hot. Lead will flow better, and you will have less incomplete shots.

If still having problems with complete shots, "smoke" the cavity with a candle..........get the cavity full of carbon.......will assist in lead flow.

Take your time, and BE CAREFUL. My hands show burn scars from trying to hurry things along.

Let us know how you do!

Gr8flyz · #5 (**permalink**) January 16th, 2004

Great advice already, especially Safety First! I usually lay the mold that I'll be using across the top of my pot while it heats up, and flip it over a few times as the lead gets hot. The rising heat warms up the mold, and after a few pours without hooks or wire forms, it's usually ready to go!

I'll also lay the mold across the top of the pot if I have to stop pouring for whatever reason, if I plan to continue. The heat keeps the mold warmed up.

I have a wide stainless scraper & a small brass wire brush that I keep handy in case I need to clean stray lead off the mold. I also keep a large stainless spoon & a large metal can handy, which I use to remove the sludge from the top of the molten lead in my melter pot. The crap that's spooned off is placed in the can to cool & be disposed of. If you use an old can that has a paper label, remove it first, I learned this the hard way when I set fire to one! Again, be safe!

Big Splash · #6 (**permalink**) January 16th, 2004

Good advice so far. I would add, each mold seems to have a 'way' in which to pour into it to get fewer half filled pours. Some of my molds prefer a stream poured in at the edge of the sprue, and some seem to work best with the spout inserted right into the sprue hole. Keep a pan handy to catch drips from the spout in case junk gets caught in there and a stream of hot lead pours out!
Keep your lead as clean as you can. Pre-melt lead wheel wheights and pour into ingots to use in the lee pot. Do this outdoors if you can as this is a smokey job. I have an indoor wood stove to use as a forge, all the smoke goes up the chimney, works great!