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09-16-2017, 01:50 PM
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US Veteran
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Augusta, GA
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Leaky RCBS Melting Pot
Because of pleasant weather after Irma, I melted down a 5 gallon bucket of range berm mined bullets. While the scrap was melting on the turkey burner (steel wok), I filled my melting pot with the last of the ingots. The RCBS melting pot is 25 years old, has been cleaned regularly, and I cleaned the pour spout and shut off stem multiple times. Spout still leaks. Cleaned stem and hole, used valve grinding compound to lap the stem and hole, still a slow drip.
Well, after an hour of drips casting with a Lee 6 cavity mold I simply got mad about the drip. I wacked the top of the stem with my 6" vice grips (holds my table spoon for fluxing the pot). There was a spurt of lead out of the spout and THE DRIP STOPPED. An hour later it dripped again, another wack and it was drip free for 3 hours. Finally ended up with 38# of shiny 158 grain SWC and a supply of casting ingots.
Simple things work best. No draining, no cleaning, no polishing, no lapping, just hit the damn stem with a small hammer.
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09-16-2017, 02:55 PM
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I have sometimes had to do this to seat oil pump check valve balls, using an alum. rod and a small hammer.
I was going to suggest using lapping compound, but you already did that.
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09-16-2017, 04:08 PM
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Reminds me of an old lamp TV my Dad had;when the thing strated to show weird distorted image,no control buttons could bring it back on like a good whack with my fist on its top.
Too bad it doesn't work with nowadays electronics!
Qc
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09-16-2017, 05:24 PM
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It does. Instead of your fist, use a sledgehammer.
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09-16-2017, 05:27 PM
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I had an RCBS that did the same. I brazed the spout shut, removed the stem and used a dipper.
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09-16-2017, 08:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SMSgt
It does. Instead of your fist, use a sledgehammer.
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I've tried it but them new tv is too thin;I missed it and the sledgehammer made a big dent on the walnut floor.My wife went 2 weeks without speaking to me....all in all it was well worth it!LOL
Qc
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09-16-2017, 08:30 PM
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Hammer!
The first tool I reach for to address mechanical problems.
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09-16-2017, 10:37 PM
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Earlier, about the same time PC Pistolero made his post, I was going to tell you to firmly tap the end of the valve spindle with a hammer, but you had figured it out by yourself.
Dipping does tend to produce better quality bullets than a bottom-draw pot however. I gave up on my Saeco bottom-draw pot about 35 years ago.
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Gunsmithing since 1961
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09-16-2017, 11:01 PM
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Many complain about leaking Lee pots. I found never drain it, never mekt scrap in it, mine dont drip.
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09-17-2017, 07:46 AM
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Sir, you are a genius! I retired my Lyman pot about 20 years ago following the the same exercise in frustration you described in your first paragraph. After reading your post this morning in the pre-dawn hours I rushed to the basement, dug out the old Lyman, fired it up and gave it a few whacks. IT WORKED!
Thanks,
Ed
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