Would this be enough for melting?

[brnomauser]

I just got this old pressure stove going. Would it be enough to melt lead for casting? Not a huge smelting put, only a few pounds say? I was planning on using the forge, but it would be awkward and I'd have to be careful not to overheat. This old stove puts out heat like a small gas burner.

Sorry about the really **** photo - the phone's had a beating recently. It's a Burmos (like a Primus) for anyone that knows about them...
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee33/harrygrey382/Image0052.jpg

[StrawHat]

That looks like an old camping stove I used to have. It would probably get the smelt hot enough but you would need to support your pot on something other than those wire legs. A brick wall around the stove to hold the pot and contain the heat comes to mind.

[Harter66]

I tried an old Colman gasoline stove with poor results with my 10# pot . It might have worked if i'd been able to have it and the pot completely "skirted",otherwise it was just barely not enough . I just couldn't keep everything hot enough to make more than 5-6 pours at a time then wait 5 minutes for the pot to catch up.

[sqlbullet]

I used a coleman white gas stove to fine effect until I bought a propane burner. As mentioned, support is an issue. Camp stoves are meant to support 3-5 lbs, not 30-50.

[Screwbolts]

Did you by any chance consider doing a Google search of "burmos stove" ? There is only 4490 hits for it and tons of info.

Looks like a great little stove.

[badbob454]

PLEASE, sell your stove and buy a lead pot , i would hate to have a small pan of lead fall off of that 3 wire stove and spill on me and my loading bench .... coleman 2 burners work great for smaller jobs ,... i use a turkey fry cooker, and a 12" cast iron skillet ( devoted only to casting) for my small ingot jobs , a old propane tank cut in half , for my large wheel weight melting smoking and cleaning jobs ,, and an ol drippy lee 20 pound pot for actual bullet casting which works great for me, by the way i just turn the screw once in a while keeps it running fine

[brnomauser]

ok, thanks for the replies guys. And the health warning badbob. However, I'm not planning on selling the stove - I like it and it doesn't owe me anything. I was planning on beefing up the supports anyway - firebricks would be a good idea. Or maybe combined with a heavy duty steel frame I'd weld up. I'm aware of how heavy lead is, but wasn't planning on doing a big melt anyway. I'm going to try smelting later on and for the moment will be doing say 8 lbs, and even then may not use it all up in one. I'll be trying slow production rifle bullets so it's not a high volume go...

I was just thinking this would be neat if it worked. If not it's the forge. I've got no surplus cash at all so going out and buying even a cheap gas burner let alone a dedicated lead pot is out of the question. I was planning on making the pot out of a small gas bottle - fairly heavy gauge and about the right size. And of course free

Screwbolts - yes it is a nice stove. I did google it when I first got given it and found it's basically a british made Primus no 1. I'm restoring 6 pressure lamps (vapalux/bialladin) for our upcoming wedding and this stove came along at the time when I was making all the seals so fettled it up too

[jhalcott]

Believe me when I say "You never plan on a big melt" then you get started and wham! The melt seems to grow real fast. Plan on a BIG melt and go with the small one. I used a camp stove for a 5 pound pot for some years with no problems. BUT the thing did show signs of warping. It also had to be shielded from the wind to be effective.

[Hickory]

Looks like a bomb, just weighting to explode!

[Skipper488]

Might I reccomend craig's list I stumbled on an unused turkey fryer kit for $35. It's built well enough to support my 6 quart cast iron dutch oven and about #50 of lead. I bet you could find a few used Turkey fryers for less than that.

[SkookumJeff]

That's an old Svea backpacking stove. You could probably get a pretty good price for it on ebay or craigslist and buy a more suitable stove for what you need...just a thought...

[Wayne Smith]

Guys, he's in England - may not have all the resources available to him that we do. Craig's list specifically.

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding!

[blackthorn]

+1 on using a cut-off "gas bottle"! I use a cut down 20lb propane tank. For a heat source, do you have access to a "tiger torch"? If you do---build a suport structure for you pot out of bricks, leaving a hole in the middle. Get a 2" or 3" iron or steel pipe elbow and wedge it in the hole between the bricks. Put the tiger torch into the lower end of the elbow and you will have a (at least somewhat) adjustable heat source that will produce more heat than you will need! Have a great day!

[brnomauser]

Guys, he's in England - may not have all the resources available to him that we do. Craig's list specifically.

Congratulations on the upcoming wedding!
Thank you very much! Yeah we don't have craigslist here - or anything like it. Sucks I know because I see the sort of deals you guys get


+1 on using a cut-off "gas bottle"! I use a cut down 20lb propane tank. For a heat source, do you have access to a "tiger torch"? If you do---build a suport structure for you pot out of bricks, leaving a hole in the middle. Get a 2" or 3" iron or steel pipe elbow and wedge it in the hole between the bricks. Put the tiger torch into the lower end of the elbow and you will have a (at least somewhat) adjustable heat source that will produce more heat than you will need! Have a great day!

Yeah I love gas bottles - so many uses. Just build a great case tumbler with one...

What's a tiger torch? Like a small gas torch? Sounds like a good setup thought might try it. Better than a forge do you think? I was thinking of varying heat output from the forge by turning the blower motor on or off. Not sure if it will be too awkward though

[leftiye]

I'm guessing it's a weedburner torch (from the size of elbow he called for).

[whisler]

"I was thinking of varying heat output from the forge by turning the blower motor on or off. Not sure if it will be too awkward "

Could you possibly slow the blower motor down with a differnt pulley/gear?

[Echo]

"I was thinking of varying heat output from the forge by turning the blower motor on or off. Not sure if it will be too awkward "

Could you possibly slow the blower motor down with a differnt pulley/gear?

Or put a light dimmer in series with the fan motor. Should work like a champ, for very few bucks, check that, Euros.

[brnomauser]

yeah that's a really good idea I should have done before! Nice one guys I reckon that's the go

[steg]

+1 on the rheostat........steg