How much lead can a LEE 4-20 pot hold?

[Carcassonne]

Yes, this is a serious question. How much lead can a Lee 20# hold?

My 10# pot could hold 10# of wheel weights, but I can't seem to get 18# of wheel weights in my 20# pot.



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[TKM]

You can probably get 20 lbs of lead, less if it's an alloy. Why not fill it to the point where you are happy and don't worry about the minutia?

[rsrocket1]

You can get 20# if you slowly add lead until the molten lead is near the brim, but it won't be very useful. I typically load it up and keep it between 15 and 1-2 before refilling it. You can drain it until there is just a small puddle at the bottom, but the lead just trickles out at that point and it's time to refill.

[sghart]

Why are you putting wheel weights in your Lee pot?

[Carcassonne]

Why are you putting wheel weights in your Lee pot?

I am not putting wheel weights in my pot. I am putting lead ingots I got from wheel weights in my pot (i.e. lead alloy). I should have written it differently in the original question.

[Carcassonne]

You can probably get 20 lbs of lead, less if it's an alloy. Why not fill it to the point where you are happy and don't worry about the minutia?

It is a brand new pot. I sold my 10# pot and got this one. I needed to create a special blend using wheel weights and pure lead. I calculated everything out for a total of 18 pounds which should have given me some room left. I added the pure lead first but now can't get all the wheel weight ingots in the pot to get the correct blend. I will use less next time, but now I need to figure something out. I sold off my large smelting pot and propane burner, so I can't blend it all outside the pot.

I will probably do the "drop one add one" a dozen times, and then just go from there.

[pacrat]

Back in the 70s when I started casting. I bought a 3 qt cast iron pot at the swap meet for alloying in. I'm sure it holds more than 20# but never measured it.

Either that or cut your recipe in half and go through the process twice for the same 20# net product.

Sorry not much help.

[stilly]

Yes, this is a serious question. How much lead can a Lee 20# hold?

My 10# pot could hold 10# of wheel weights, but I can't seem to get 18# of wheel weights in my 20# pot.



.

Have you tried 19 lb or 20 lb instead of 18? :O

**** man, I was gonna guess 20, but I never weighed my lead pot. Why does it matter so much to you? And honestly, I do not think it should be so full up to the top anyways.

[sargenv]

You really should alloy your casting metal in a pot other than your bottom pour pot.. Most people alloy up several hundred pounds so they have consistency for some time. Mixing the alloy every time will make for batch to batch inconsistencies..

[wbunning]

I never seem to fit 20# in mine. If I did..the level would be so near the brim that I couldn't stir it without spilling. I usually go for 15# and call it good.

[jericho89]

it says in the manual that it can hold up to #20 depending on your alloy mix, but it also says that it will fill it to the top and that it is not advised to do so. As stated you should alloy in a separate pot so you can truly mix your lead and get more consistency through out your entire project. It would also give you more consistency through out the #20.

[wbunning]

You really should alloy your casting metal in a pot other than your bottom pour pot.. Most people alloy up several hundred pounds so they have consistency for some time. Mixing the alloy every time will make for batch to batch inconsistencies..

Unless you have a really big pot in which to mix your alloy batches, I don't think that using a separate pot offers any advantage over alloying in your 20#-er, as long as you keep the mix fluxed and stirred. That said, having a big pot that will hold 50 lbs or so, and ladle-pouring into 5# ingots IS a good idea. But don't run out and buy another Lee 4-20 just for alloying.

[TKM]

I'm very happy I alloy in my 4-20.



Damn zinc!!!

I'd rather have a little oatmeal than a lot of oatmeal.

[stilly]

This is a place and time where Satan's Little Smelter would come in handy...

[sargenv]

Unless you have a really big pot in which to mix your alloy batches, I don't think that using a separate pot offers any advantage over alloying in your 20#-er, as long as you keep the mix fluxed and stirred. That said, having a big pot that will hold 50 lbs or so, and ladle-pouring into 5# ingots IS a good idea. But don't run out and buy another Lee 4-20 just for alloying.

A 5 qt dutch oven is what I use.. I batch my lead about 70# at a time from known alloys.. usually Wheel weights, Monotype, 63/37 Solder, and range lead.. I batch it by weight and known hardness (I use a lead hardness tester from LBT). The last time I mixed alloy I made up four batches that all came out at the same hardness since I alloyed all from the same sources. You can do it with a larger pot or do what a friend of mine did and made up several batches, then blended each batch in a 1-1-1-1 ratio to get an even consistency.

It's not rocket science, but there is some alchemy involved..