• dripping lead pot and evaporust

    From Snag@Snag_one@msn.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sat Oct 25 20:12:22 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    My $30 yard sale bottom pour lead pot drips . A lot . I've cleaned up
    the stopper rod with no noticeable slowing . The bottom of the hole has
    some crusty rust That I haven't been successful at removing . I see 2
    options - try to match the taper of the bottom of the hole (drill bit
    isn't the same) with a dowel and lap it clean or try using Evaporust to
    clean it up .
    If anybody has other options I'd like to hear 'em . I'd really like
    to use this over the dipper and pot , I've started casting balls and
    bullets for some of my neighbors and this is faster and less spillage .
    --
    Snag
    I appreciated foreign cultures more
    when they stayed foreign ...
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  • From Bob La Londe@none@none.com99 to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sat Oct 25 18:38:50 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/25/2025 6:12 PM, Snag wrote:
    -a My $30 yard sale bottom pour lead pot drips . A lot . I've cleaned up the stopper rod with no noticeable slowing . The bottom of the hole has
    some crusty rust That I haven't been successful at removing . I see 2 options - try to match the taper of the bottom of the hole (drill bit
    isn't the same) with a dowel and lap it clean or try using Evaporust to clean it up .
    -a If anybody has other options I'd like to hear 'em . I'd really like
    to use this over the dipper and pot , I've started casting balls and
    bullets for some of my neighbors and this is faster and less spillage .


    Buy more molds and go so fast it doesn't matter?


    There are a lot of people that just put a catch pan under the spout.
    Its a never ending battle.
    --
    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff

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  • From Snag@Snag_one@msn.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sat Oct 25 21:25:01 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/25/2025 8:38 PM, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 10/25/2025 6:12 PM, Snag wrote:
    -a-a My $30 yard sale bottom pour lead pot drips . A lot . I've cleaned
    up the stopper rod with no noticeable slowing . The bottom of the hole
    has some crusty rust That I haven't been successful at removing . I
    see 2 options - try to match the taper of the bottom of the hole
    (drill bit isn't the same) with a dowel and lap it clean or try using
    Evaporust to clean it up .
    -a-a If anybody has other options I'd like to hear 'em . I'd really like
    to use this over the dipper and pot , I've started casting balls and
    bullets for some of my neighbors and this is faster and less spillage .


    Buy more molds and go so fast it doesn't matter?


    There are a lot of people that just put a catch pan under the spout. Its
    a never ending battle.


    Yeah , well this one is dumping 4 bullets/balls worth in the time it
    takes me to dump the mold . Gotta do something about it . If it was a
    drop every 3 or 4 seconds I wouldn't be trying to fix it .
    --
    Snag
    I appreciated foreign cultures more
    when they stayed foreign ...
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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sun Oct 26 07:10:22 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    "Snag" wrote in message news:10djshq$6v3d$1@dont-email.me...

    My $30 yard sale bottom pour lead pot drips . A lot . I've cleaned up
    the stopper rod with no noticeable slowing . The bottom of the hole has
    some crusty rust That I haven't been successful at removing . I see 2
    options - try to match the taper of the bottom of the hole (drill bit
    isn't the same) with a dowel and lap it clean or try using Evaporust to
    clean it up .
    If anybody has other options I'd like to hear 'em . I'd really like
    to use this over the dipper and pot , I've started casting balls and
    bullets for some of my neighbors and this is faster and less spillage .
    Snag
    ----------------------------------------------
    Hydrochloric / Muriatic / pool cleaning acid dissolves non-oily rust very quickly, vinegar, Naval Jelly or battery acid more slowly. Baking or washing soda will stop the action when you see bare metal.

    The stopper could have a similar or the same taper as the hole, perhaps you could copy it to a D bit? One way is to chuck it on the lathe and match the compound to the taper angle. For a tapered recess I molded it in polymer
    clay, baked it hard and measured the angle, then turned and hardened a D bit to match.

    I mentioned using a bronze gun bore brush to reduce bolt thread rust through
    a hole in the car frame because it worked better than I expected. I haven't found a source of small straight fine wire bristled brushes to customize and clean rusty recesses, it was the closest. Another that helped on my 91
    truck's electrical contacts was pipe cleaners with stiffer bristles,
    Dill's -Bristle- Premium Pipe Cleaners in a red sleeve.

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  • From Bob La Londe@none@none.com99 to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sun Oct 26 11:43:11 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/26/2025 4:10 AM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Snag"-a wrote in message news:10djshq$6v3d$1@dont-email.me...

    -a My $30 yard sale bottom pour lead pot drips . A lot . I've cleaned up
    the stopper rod with no noticeable slowing . The bottom of the hole has
    some crusty rust That I haven't been successful at removing . I see 2
    options - try to match the taper of the bottom of the hole (drill bit
    isn't the same) with a dowel and lap it clean or try using Evaporust to
    clean it up .
    -a If anybody has other options I'd like to hear 'em . I'd really like
    to use this over the dipper and pot , I've started casting balls and
    bullets for some of my neighbors and this is faster and less spillage .
    Snag
    ----------------------------------------------
    Hydrochloric / Muriatic / pool cleaning acid dissolves non-oily rust
    very quickly, vinegar, Naval Jelly or battery acid more slowly. Baking
    or washing soda will stop the action when you see bare metal.

    The stopper could have a similar or the same taper as the hole, perhaps
    you could copy it to a D bit? One way is to chuck it on the lathe and
    match the compound to the taper angle. For a tapered recess I molded it
    in polymer clay, baked it hard and measured the angle, then turned and hardened a D bit to match.

    I mentioned using a bronze gun bore brush to reduce bolt thread rust
    through a hole in the car frame because it worked better than I
    expected. I haven't found a source of small straight fine wire bristled brushes to customize and clean rusty recesses, it was the closest.
    Another that helped on my 91 truck's electrical contacts was pipe
    cleaners with stiffer bristles, Dill's -Bristle- Premium Pipe Cleaners
    in a red sleeve.



    I'll have to go look, but I thought the stopper on the Lee bottom pour
    pt had a ball nose plunger and tapered cone nozzle.
    --
    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff

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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sun Oct 26 14:48:00 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10dlq3u$6se4$1@dont-email.me...

    I'll have to go look, but I thought the stopper on the Lee bottom pour
    pt had a ball nose plunger and tapered cone nozzle. -----------------------------

    Will a chainsaw file fit through the hole?

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  • From Snag@Snag_one@msn.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sun Oct 26 14:58:23 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/26/2025 1:48 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Bob La Londe"-a wrote in message news:10dlq3u$6se4$1@dont-email.me...
    I'll have to go look, but I thought the stopper on the Lee bottom pour
    pt had a ball nose plunger and tapered cone nozzle. -----------------------------

    Will a chainsaw file fit through the hole?

    The top half of the hole yes . The actual nozzle where the lead
    comes out no . Won't quite pass a 6d box nail . Got a dandy new pin vise
    and #60 and finer bits here somewhere ... somewhere I can't quite recall
    . Some of the aspects of living a long time are
    oh shit , I forgot what I was going to say .

    Bob's right about the ball nose rod . I don't know yet about the
    nozzle because of the rust . I did polish the rod tip earlier today to
    make sure there are no pits . Right now the pot has about an inch of Evap-O-Rust soaking . All I know for sure about the nozzle is that the
    bottom has what looks like maybe a 90-# included angle like maybe a countersink . All my countersinks are too large diameter and have short
    shafts .
    I like Jim's d-bit idea , I have suitable stock but need to find the
    angle . Maybe a dowel spun in the hole will grind to conformity ...
    --
    Snag
    I appreciated foreign cultures more
    when they stayed foreign ...
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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sun Oct 26 19:15:14 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    "Snag" wrote in message news:10dlugu$8b2f$1@dont-email.me...

    On 10/26/2025 1:48 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Bob La Londe" wrote in message news:10dlq3u$6se4$1@dont-email.me...
    I'll have to go look, but I thought the stopper on the Lee bottom pour pt had a ball nose plunger and tapered cone nozzle. -----------------------------

    Will a chainsaw file fit through the hole?

    The top half of the hole yes . The actual nozzle where the lead
    comes out no . Won't quite pass a 6d box nail . Got a dandy new pin vise
    and #60 and finer bits here somewhere ... somewhere I can't quite recall
    . Some of the aspects of living a long time are
    oh shit , I forgot what I was going to say .

    Bob's right about the ball nose rod . I don't know yet about the
    nozzle because of the rust . I did polish the rod tip earlier today to
    make sure there are no pits . Right now the pot has about an inch of Evap-O-Rust soaking . All I know for sure about the nozzle is that the
    bottom has what looks like maybe a 90-# included angle like maybe a
    countersink . All my countersinks are too large diameter and have short
    shafts .
    I like Jim's d-bit idea , I have suitable stock but need to find the
    angle . Maybe a dowel spun in the hole will grind to conformity ...
    --
    Snag
    I appreciated foreign cultures more
    when they stayed foreign ...

    ------------------------------
    I spent the day on rust projects, the second trying to remove 1991 Ranger cabin trim screws that hold down the carpet edge, so I can check and spray
    for rust under it. LPS-3 kept the screws intact and only moderately rusted where they protrude below the floor behind the front tires, but not on top where salty slush from my boots wicked into the carpet, froze the screw
    heads and threads and corroded the aluminum trim strip. The self-drilling screws are hard enough to dull an HSS bit in seconds and Vise-Grips just slipped off the short threaded end below so I drilled the heads with a
    masonry bit that still had to be reground once or twice for each screw. Fortunately I recently acquired a 6" carbide grinder for which I had a
    partly used diamond plate wheel. The no-name grinder is of unimpressive Enco quality, good enough for a hobby shop.

    At first the 1/8" masonry bit wouldn't cut, magnifier inspection showed that the silver colored braze metal had flowed onto the carbide insert faces and needed to be ground off with a Dremel to expose the hard edges.

    Success with LPS-3 is the reason I didn't try Extend or other opaque
    coatings that winter salty water might work its way under unobserved. I'm on my second 5 gallon drum of it. It also protects galvanized steel roofing pretty well, but apparently not aluminum.

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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sun Oct 26 19:47:38 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    "Snag" wrote in message news:10dlugu$8b2f$1@dont-email.me...

    On 10/26/2025 1:48 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    Will a chainsaw file fit through the hole?

    The top half of the hole yes . The actual nozzle where the lead
    comes out no . Won't quite pass a 6d box nail .
    -------------------------
    I assumed you wouldn't have a set of jewelers' needle files or rifflers, the chainsaw file is similar and common.

    Maybe you could chisel out the crud with a pin punch ground flat with sharp edges, which doesn't ruin it as a punch. A broken tap with the end ground at an angle and held in the pin vise might work as a gouge chisel. The
    half-round shape is useful enough to be commercially produced. https://www.amazon.com/Mayhew-10502MAY-4-Inch-Round-Chisel/dp/B0015S8S00?

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  • From Snag@Snag_one@msn.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Sun Oct 26 20:29:17 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/26/2025 6:47 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    "Snag"-a wrote in message news:10dlugu$8b2f$1@dont-email.me...

    On 10/26/2025 1:48 PM, Jim Wilkins wrote:
    Will a chainsaw file fit through the hole?

    -a-a The top half of the hole yes . The actual nozzle where the lead
    comes out no . Won't quite pass a 6d box nail .
    -------------------------
    I assumed you wouldn't have a set of jewelers' needle files or rifflers,
    the chainsaw file is similar and common.

    Maybe you could chisel out the crud with a pin punch ground flat with
    sharp edges, which doesn't ruin it as a punch. A broken tap with the end ground at an angle and held in the pin vise might work as a gouge
    chisel. The half-round shape is useful enough to be commercially produced. https://www.amazon.com/Mayhew-10502MAY-4-Inch-Round-Chisel/dp/B0015S8S00?


    Actually I have 2 sets of needle files , 3 if you include the diamond
    grit set . This is a hole just under .375 diameter , at the bottom it
    necks down (like a shouldered cartridge inside) to less than an eighth .
    If I can match that shoulder angle I can clean it up . If it's pitted
    I'll have to use your d-bit option - but I gotta figure out the angle
    first because I don't know how much meat there is and I don't want to
    cut too much and ruin the unit . It's not really a high priority task
    but I just can't resist a challenge .
    --
    Snag
    I appreciated foreign cultures more
    when they stayed foreign ...
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  • From Jim Wilkins@muratlanne@gmail.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Oct 27 07:33:21 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    "Snag" wrote in message news:10dmhte$dpuf$1@dont-email.me...

    Actually I have 2 sets of needle files , 3 if you include the diamond
    grit set . This is a hole just under .375 diameter , at the bottom it
    necks down (like a shouldered cartridge inside) to less than an eighth .
    If I can match that shoulder angle I can clean it up . If it's pitted
    I'll have to use your d-bit option - but I gotta figure out the angle
    first because I don't know how much meat there is and I don't want to
    cut too much and ruin the unit . It's not really a high priority task
    but I just can't resist a challenge .
    --
    Snag
    ------------------------------

    The files (or punch) could cut out to solid metal on two opposing sides to give an angle you could copy with a soft template. An old method was
    pressing thin sheet lead (flattened plumbing solder) against the unknown angle. Your dowel may work well if most of the rust/crud has been knocked
    off.

    A D bit made of unhardened mild steel should dull before cutting much cast iron, which will show as metal chips or a ring. Watching for metal vs rust
    vs no chips is how I knew when to regrind the masonry bit cutting (or not)
    the hardened self-drilling screws. My replacement screws are stainless, like much of the rusted-out hardware I've replaced.

    I bought some scrap yard 0.030" aluminum sheet that I mistook for stainless, the price per pound was the same so no loss. It will become the new
    uncorroded trim strip. That thickness is a good balance between strength and workability for small electronics enclosures etc, and doesn't stress the CM 3-in-1 machine as much as 0.050" or especially 0.062" Al. These or cheaper copies press in to attach screws that may need to be removed several times. https://www.amazon.com/CLS-0420-2-Engineering-SELF-CLINCHING-PEM-Quantity/dp/B06XTXGWPJ/ref=sr_1_1?

    The masonry bit point angle matched a Drill Doctor setting and I used it for the first grind, since the bit wasn't originally sharp enough to cut steel. Then I realized more carbide and braze would have to come off and switched
    to the 6" diamond wheel, which was worn at an angle from apparently freehand grinding and needs dressing anyway to run true on the cheaply made carbide grinder. This job doesn't need a precisely centered grind and I don't want
    to wear the Drill Doctor diamond wheel with roughing cuts.

    The grinder's lamp was missing. A clamp base ring lamp from Walmart is a
    good substitute that attaches to the table where needed and lights the bit evenly from all sides. I need good light and a magnifier to cut to a scribed line or hand sharpen a drill bit.

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  • From Snag@Snag_one@msn.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Oct 27 09:55:39 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking


    "Snag"-a wrote in message news:10dmhte$dpuf$1@dont-email.me...

    -a Actually I have 2 sets of needle files , 3 if you include the diamond grit set . This is a hole just under .375 diameter , at the bottom it
    necks down (like a shouldered cartridge inside) to less than an eighth .
    If I can match that shoulder angle I can clean it up . If it's pitted
    I'll have to use your d-bit option - but I gotta figure out the angle
    first because I don't know how much meat there is and I don't want to
    cut too much and ruin the unit . It's not really a high priority task
    but I just can't resist a challenge .

    The derusting helped a lot . I was able to remove most of the crusty
    rust and clean up the seat . Got it down to a drip every 5-10 seconds
    which is good enough for me . Setting the rod in the hole and tapping on
    it with a light hammed also helped a lot .
    --
    Snag
    I appreciated foreign cultures more
    when they stayed foreign ...
    --- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2
  • From Bob La Londe@none@none.com99 to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Oct 27 09:21:11 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/26/2025 6:29 PM, Snag wrote:
    but I gotta figure out the angle first because I don't know how much
    meat there is and I don't want to cut too much and ruin the unit .


    Lee has parts available for these I am pretty sure. I replaced the
    control and heating coil on mine some time back.

    Yes they do fail. If you think about what it is with a much lower
    production number than a cooking appliance, they are pretty cheap
    devices. I used to be a Lee dealer some years back, but I decided I
    only wanted to sell my own products. Sorry, I sold all my inventory a
    long time ago.

    Scheels may have the lowest retail price on them today. You can get
    parts direct from Lee.

    There is nothing complicated about them.
    --
    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff

    --
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  • From Bob La Londe@none@none.com99 to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Oct 27 09:22:35 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/27/2025 7:55 AM, Snag wrote:

    "Snag"-a wrote in message news:10dmhte$dpuf$1@dont-email.me...

    -a-a Actually I have 2 sets of needle files , 3 if you include the diamond >> grit set . This is a hole just under .375 diameter , at the bottom it
    necks down (like a shouldered cartridge inside) to less than an eighth .
    If I can match that shoulder angle I can clean it up . If it's pitted
    I'll have to use your d-bit option - but I gotta figure out the angle
    first because I don't know how much meat there is and I don't want to
    cut too much and ruin the unit . It's not really a high priority task
    but I just can't resist a challenge .

    The derusting helped a lot . I was able to remove most of the crusty
    rust and clean up the seat . Got it down to a drip every 5-10 seconds
    which is good enough for me . Setting the rod in the hole and tapping on
    it with a light hammed also helped a lot .


    That's pretty normal. A near continuous stream like you described
    before was not.
    --
    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff

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  • From Snag@Snag_one@msn.com to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Oct 27 15:42:47 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/27/2025 11:21 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 10/26/2025 6:29 PM, Snag wrote:
    but I gotta figure out the angle first because I don't know how much
    meat there is and I don't want to cut too much and ruin the unit .


    Lee has parts available for these I am pretty sure.-a I replaced the
    control and heating coil on mine some time back.

    Yes they do fail.-a If you think about what it is with a much lower production number than a cooking appliance, they are pretty cheap
    devices.-a I used to be a Lee dealer some years back, but I decided I
    only wanted to sell my own products.-a Sorry, I sold all my inventory a
    long time ago.

    Scheels may have the lowest retail price on them today.-a You can get
    parts direct from Lee.

    There is nothing complicated about them.


    It's a Lyman . And it's old enough that the base is cast iron instead
    of stamped sheet metal . I need to get the plug and socket for the cord cleaned up , I noticed today it's getting hot and that means a high
    resistance connection .
    --
    Snag
    I appreciated foreign cultures more
    when they stayed foreign ...
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  • From Bob La Londe@none@none.com99 to rec.crafts.metalworking on Mon Oct 27 14:13:11 2025
    From Newsgroup: rec.crafts.metalworking

    On 10/27/2025 1:42 PM, Snag wrote:
    On 10/27/2025 11:21 AM, Bob La Londe wrote:
    On 10/26/2025 6:29 PM, Snag wrote:
    but I gotta figure out the angle first because I don't know how much
    meat there is and I don't want to cut too much and ruin the unit .


    Lee has parts available for these I am pretty sure.-a I replaced the
    control and heating coil on mine some time back.

    Yes they do fail.-a If you think about what it is with a much lower
    production number than a cooking appliance, they are pretty cheap
    devices.-a I used to be a Lee dealer some years back, but I decided I
    only wanted to sell my own products.-a Sorry, I sold all my inventory a
    long time ago.

    Scheels may have the lowest retail price on them today.-a You can get
    parts direct from Lee.

    There is nothing complicated about them.


    -a It's a Lyman . And it's old enough that the base is cast iron instead
    of stamped sheet metal . I need to get the plug and socket for the cord cleaned up , I noticed today it's getting hot and that means a high resistance connection .


    My mistake. I do recall you said Lyman.
    --
    Bob La Londe
    CNC Molds N Stuff

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