Lee bottom pour pots diameter

[larry7293]

Is the pot diameter the same on both the Lee Production Pot Four{10lb} and the Lee pro 20 pot{20lb}?
Which would you recommend for a first time caster? Will be casting win38-55 250gn.

 

[Rick H]

I would get the 20.
I ladle cast from a small cast iron pot on an old stove for a number of years. Multi projectile molds of larger bullets convinced me that size matters.

 

[Ian]

What Rick said. Plus the pintle is better on the 20.

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

I have had much less problems with my new model 4-20 than my older one.

 

[MW65]

I started with a used 10lb'er.... Worked well for a while. But honestly prefer the 20... Holds more, better handle, easier to flux/clean dross, less drip issues... Try both if you can.

 

[Dusty Bannister]

The 10 pound Lee casting furnace has a 3" diameter and the nozzle is about 1/2" from the front edge of the bottom rim of the crucible so the visibility of the pour is very convenient.

The 20 pound Lee casting furnace has a 4" diameter and the nozzle is about 1.3" from the front edge of the bottom rim of the crucible so the visibility of the pour is difficult to monitor at times.

During a casting session, some small bits of debris might build up in the nozzle area and the stream no longer flows straight down but might deflect in another direction. Guys may understand mis-directed flow a bit easier with age. You may find that having two casting furnaces of benefit as some like a different alloy depending upon the caliber one is casting. If you are considering casting with a ladle, the larger opening is desired.

 

[Matt]

Either will serve you well. My first electric furnace was the 10 pound Lee from the early eighties. Bought an RCBS and gave the 10 lb Lee to a friend who is still using it. The RCBS was not worth four times the cost of a Lee. Not even close. I bought the Lee 20 pound pot about 5 years ago and use it a lot. You’ll probably need to build a riser because they place the outlet too far back to see the stream clearly. I also empty the pot at the end of every session so I can run a 1/16 “ drill bit in the spout to keep it cleared and prevent the “crooked stream”. The system to control the volume of the stream is superior. L
My riser.

 

[larry7293]

thanks. Not sure why Lee put the spout so far back on the pot on the 20lber?

 

[Dusty Bannister]

The crucible wall is thicker in the 20 pound furnace. The valve rod is vertical to allow clearance to dip from the pot. The rod is a little over 1/2 inch from the inside of the wall for clearance. And the 10 pound pot has the valve rod at an angle from the back to the front so the crucible thickness is not as much of a factor. And dipping from the 10 pound pot is difficult due to the presence of the rod.

If the 20 pound furnace was the same style as the 10 pound furnace, but just larger in diameter, the rod will still be in the way when dipping as the level of the melt lowers.

 

[Mitty38]

I just stand one of those old school round makeup mirrors beside and slightly behind the 20lb pot so I can look at the pour. Without stretching my neck, or having it way in the air. Done that from the start, just seamed to be the thing to do. Works well for me.

 

[Elfego Baca]

For the money you can not beat the Lee 20 pound pot