Jig Pouring

Hey Cadman,
Good to see you hanging out. Every pot I have drips and I just tap the rod and it stops.Just poured 100 corn stick ingots and ready for some fun. I had the big pot I was melting in blow out today like a volcano. Never had that happen before. Very dangerous I might say. Lead everywhere. Run if you ever here it sizzling . Scared the fire out of my Grandpa. I didn't know he could shag that fast. I think it had a little moisture in the old pipes. Messing with hot lead can be very dangerous so fellers be mighty careful. Off the soap box and what was we talking about.............Ifish

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Originally Posted by ifish

Hey Cadman,
Good to see you hanging out. Every pot I have drips and I just tap the rod and it stops.Just poured 100 corn stick ingots and ready for some fun. I had the big pot I was melting in blow out today like a volcano. Never had that happen before. Very dangerous I might say. Lead everywhere. Run if you ever here it sizzling . Scared the fire out of my Grandpa. I didn't know he could shag that fast. I think it had a little moisture in the old pipes. Messing with hot lead can be very dangerous so fellers be mighty careful. Off the soap box and what was we talking about.............Ifish

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Finally had some time to catch up on reading some threads. I'm glad you're OK. I am so paranoid about lead water pipes. That moisture in the pipe and then in the pot will scare the c&&p out of you. Seriously everyone who pours should always think safety, especially when you're working with lead.

Trick I found was to take a Drill Bit slightly larger than the pour spout and drill the hole slightly larger.........worked great for me and several others who tried it.

lightwirehooker

Okay, let's help everyone out here and tell us what pots you are all using that have the spouts.

I have looked at the smaller Lee Pot with the pour spot and it looks like it would be a pain in the arse to flux anything in there. The larger one looks like it would be more open and easier to skim and flux in but I could be wrong here.

One thing I have also never heard is do you leave the lead in the pot or pour it all out when done for the day?

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Originally Posted by fish_4_all

Okay, let's help everyone out here and tell us what pots you are all using that have the spouts.

I have looked at the smaller Lee Pot with the pour spot and it looks like it would be a pain in the arse to flux anything in there. The larger one looks like it would be more open and easier to skim and flux in but I could be wrong here.

One thing I have also never heard is do you leave the lead in the pot or pour it all out when done for the day?

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There are no secrets to anything all you have to do is ask. I have (3) Lee IV bottom pour pots. Always keep your lead full in the pot when you pour. Do not empty it when your done pouring. let it cool and put it away. When you start it again the next day watch the pot so when it warms up the lead doesn't start pouring from the spout. The reason this happens is when the pot cools the lead solidifies and shrinks. So when you start the pot the first time every time, it has a tendency to have lead pour out of the spout as it heats up. Just make sure you have a small clean can that will fit under the pot for the drips. Also when it starts warming up and when it starts to pour out, you can lightly keep tapping the plunger until it closes to keep the lead from pouring. Once it heats up enough you will have no problems except for some drips. Make sure you flux your lead in the pot with candle wax or beeswax. What you want to do is light the smoke. Mix it in the lead and you have fluxed the lead. Use clean lead and you will have no problems.

fish4all, I have a bottom pour 10 lb. capacity lee pot, and I think that is what ya need. I flux with no problem, stir with an old butter knife, and skim with an old spoon. after learning the ins and outs by doing it, I think this is the way to go. I wouldn't want to use a ladle because the lead cools very very fast, and I can't imagine the ladle giving you good pours. that bottom spout shoots the lead in there real fast, and I can hit 8 cavities in just a few seconds. off that subject, I let the mold sit for about 20 seconds before opening, and never grab the jig by the hook, I grab the excess lead with a pair of pliers . this has kept me from getting loose hooks in the heads. my only problem is that I have to set the pot on a peice of plywood instead of straight on my table saw, otherwise when I lean on the table I get a little electrical shock. I need to take the pot apart and put a new cord on it with three wires so I can ground it good. anybody else get this?

I think I remember seeing that candle wax was an accepted flux material, how about toilet bowl ring wax? Just a thought as candles are so cheap, I use the bowl wax for my dubbing anyway.

Thank you guys for all the tips and advice... Keep em coming!

fish_for_all
You will not be sorry if you buy a bottom pour pot. It is safer and more consistent than ladle pouring. I can even pour spinnerbaits if I want with the wire sticking out. On the wax toilet bowl ring that should work as well. Just make sure you put in a small piece in the pot, then drop a match stick in, it will ignite and flame up and then mix slowly while the flme is burning until it burns out. I will get you the rest of the info we talked about yesterday, tonight.

redear.........very good information for all beginners.

Get yourself a large cookie sheet with sides. Set your pot in this and cleanup is alot easier when your spout does the inevitable drip thing. The one my pot is in is non-stick and that makes it even easier!