Lee Pro Pot IV Electric Melter--Refurb and Evaluation...and the lead (leed) up.
I fix my own home appliances when possible. We have older units pre-Nobama efficiency standards that don't utilize the circuit boards of newer units so they can last decades with a part here or there. I have a scrapper guy Mike, that always has the washer and dryer parts I need. And other interesting items I've purchased from him over the years. His "compound" is about 7min from me. I texted him a picture of a dryer door switch I needed, he texted back "I got one, come get it, no charge". I text back "OMW".
It all started with a smaller gun safe for $10 at one of his bi-annual yard sales. It was locked closed but a casual shaking determined there was nothing valuable (heavy) like bars of gold, guns or ammo in it. I had a lock w/keys in my resource library, drilled the old brass lock out and installed new. Didn't really need it so sold for a quick $100 to get it out of the way. Looked like this:
I also got a '70 'vette painted ceramic decanter for $1--I thought it was cool. Gave it to my son for Christmas. Not his only gift, he was surprised and would never have guessed what it was.
Another time I texted Mike about a pump to pump out our pool which I do every 5yrs or so if needed. I used to use an old pool pump with a PVC downtube but that was a pain in the ass and required priming. And the motor went bad so it was time for a replacement. He had a couple pumps, "come on over". I ended up with a very nice sump pump for $25. Worked like a charm! We are high and dry so no chance of the pool "popping". Plumbed with 1-1/2 PVC out into the large back yard. The tree and grass loved what didn't quickly soak into the sandy soil.
Anyhow, when I picked up the switch, I asked him about if he had any lead (led) for a project I'm contemptating. "No, I just scrapped all of it. But I got the melter." We walked back into the compound to some random shed, he pulled it out and said "make me an offer", I happened to have a $10 bill in my pocket and he said "sold!"
This is what it looked like when I got it. Even had some unmelted sinkers in it.
Back home, I took about 5min to give the melter a quick detail and dump and blow the pot. Couldn't tell what was in the pot so I took another 5min and scraped the crud off the top and there was what appeared to be lead in the pot.
Plugged it in and it quickly started smoking/fuming from the pot
and I figured it would be very prudent to move the operation outside. I let it warmup and smoke for 20min or so. Pulled an oddball spoon out of the silverware drawer that a kid's friend had left over a decade ago. Had an old muffin pan to dump the dross into.
Scraping the inside beneath the lead it feels "crusty" and to get a better look I need to pull or drain the lead out. Unfortunately I couldn't unclog the bottom spout with a paper clip as suggested. I'll try again later maybe use a pin drill... (to be cont.)
PS: the way it works is you lift the counterweight and it pulls the rod up off the bottom where it uncovers a hole for the bottom spout, where lead goes into a bullet (or other) mold. Instructions attached.
View: https://vimeo.com/939555286?fl=pl&fe=sh
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