stainless or cast

[bryonbush]

i need a bigger pot to melt down the wheel weights now that i got myself a big ol cooker. anyone use stainless steel pots or is everyone using cast? i can get two stainless for the price of one cast so im wondering what the benefits are of one over the other.

[Swede44mag]

Stainless is lighter but would cool down faster than Cast Iron.

What ever you do don't use an aluminum pot even if it is a
thick cast mine melted and lead run out all over my drive.
I did manage to catch most of it in a cast iron dutch oven.

[Doby45]

Half of a propane tank works great too.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b327/Doby45/489fce30.jpg

[Longwood]

i need a bigger pot to melt down the wheel weights now that i got myself a big ol cooker. anyone use stainless steel pots or is everyone using cast? i can get two stainless for the price of one cast so im wondering what the benefits are of one over the other.
I wouldn't even think of trying a cast iron pot. Most of them are now made in Taiwan or China and it is downright amazing how thin they can make them. I saw that my neighbor broke and the bottom was barely thicker than a sheet of paper.
I have a nice looking three legged pot that is a copy of the old Dutch ovens but from the weight of it, I can tell it is really thin on the bottom.
If you want it, I will sell it real cheap but I am keeping the 12" stainless pot I got at a garage sale for a buck because the handles were broken.

[Longwood]

Half of a propane tank works great too.

http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b327/Doby45/489fce30.jpg
I would never get brave enough to cut it open with anything I have.

But then,,, If you are not living on the edge, you are taking up too much room!

[Calamity Jake]

I'm using an 8qt SS pressure cooker, holds about 100# with fluxing room.

[L1A1Rocker]

I would never get brave enough to cut it open with anything I have.



Just take the valve off and fill it with water. No problemo.

[Doby45]

Thats what I did.. :)

[bryonbush]

well i bought a stainless pot from biglots. hopefully it goes well.

[Longwood]

You did good. But,,, Don't you have a thrift store or garage sales.
Mine, that I think I paid a dollar, for has worked "Well" for over 20 years. I used an old Coleman camp stove with the teeny bottles for years then found a hose that fit the big bottles. I eventually lost the hose and now use a turkey fryer that I also bought at a Garage sale.

[Longwood]

I have tried to take the valves out of those tanks. Never did figure out a easy way to hold the bottle. I suspect that One could fill it using one of those little driveway sweeper nozzles after taking out the little air relief valve.
I did witness to a barrel explosion once when a old welder - that knew better - cut into with a torch.

[mongo]

I use an old stainless pot and an old coleman camp stove, The kind that uses white gas. Works good, Just have to find better ingot molds, Used some of the muffin trays from walmart and had a tough time getting the lead out of them.

[RP]

Some SS is a lot thinner then others but all will work. I have been using a SS tray out of a deli cart it will hold two 5 gal buckets full of WWs. I have two of them One gave up on me with a crack I found it when I was fixing to smelting so no lead lost.

[Fugowii]

Here's my pot. Works pretty good!

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=970126&postcount=25

[ia1727]

Here's my pot. Works pretty good!

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=970126&postcount=25

Fugowii--

Very well done--I'm wondering if it isn't to large or to deep to be able to ladle out of the bottom 1/4 of the tank--How's that worked for you ?

I'm a welder by trade and have all the tools and a welder so I plan on making one very similar. Out in the field, during the winter, we usually build our own little shanties to weld in, keep warm and dry and stay out of the wind. We usually build propane heaters out of pipe, plate, angle, whatever we can find. The one caution I'd like to make to you and others ( speaking from experience here) is be very careful of using a rig like this in any enclosed space. When you concentrate the airflow to the bottom of the pot the way you have the Co2 levels will skyrocket and it only takes a few minutes.

If you feel dizzy or get an upset stomach get out of there immediately ( again from experience) and get some fresh air and get windows , doors etc. open to the bldg. you are in.

Looks great and I'm planning on building one very similar--thanks for sharing.

Steve:coffee:

[Cowboy T]

I use a "Made in USA" cast iron Dutch Oven. This thing is heavy and easily holds lots of WW.

[Fugowii]

Fugowii--

Very well done--I'm wondering if it isn't to large or to deep to be able to ladle out of the bottom 1/4 of the tank--How's that worked for you ?

Looks great and I'm planning on building one very similar--thanks for sharing.

Steve:coffee:

Not too bad, If your ladle is short it could be a problem. I usually leave some lead in the pot when I'm done anyway so if I can't get it all, no biggie. If I modified the Rowell ladle, or if I shortened the sides, I could do better. The amount left in the pot is not a lot with the setup I have, maybe a few pounds. I still have the cast iron pot for doing smaller amounts though, or if I wanted to get all the bigger pot "leftovers" at once. :mrgreen:

[a.squibload]

I pretty much copied Fugowii's. OK, it's an exact replica!

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=1043328&postcount=15

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=110941&highlight=propane

[MBTcustom]

I definitely use ss exclusively. Especially since I found out how nice it is to cook on cast iron, and then I go to salvation army and see these cast iron skillets and wonder "gosh I'd love to buy one of those to cook on but what if some idiot used it to melt lead?" Anything cast iron is expensive and could be an heir loom, give it away to somebody likes that old stuff and use a cheap ss pot.

[Fishman]

I definitely use ss exclusively. Especially since I found out how nice it is to cook on cast iron, and then I go to salvation army and see these cast iron skillets and wonder "gosh I'd love to buy one of those to cook on but what if some idiot used it to melt lead?" Anything cast iron is expensive and could be an heir loom, give it away to somebody likes that old stuff and use a cheap ss pot.

I couldn't agree more except "idiot" is a little harsh. Some folks just don't have an appreciation for cast iron. Seems odd, given the type of folks on this site, but true anyway

Edit: on second thought, in the context of someone melting lead in cast iron pans and then donating them to goodwill then, yes, idiot would apply. I think the chances are very low for this occuring though. If there is a good black coating then it would be ok because at lead melting temperatures I'm sure that would burn off.

[WHITETAIL]

Good job on that pot!
I am going to use a steel pot
that I bought at a estate sale.
It even came with a steel screen
that lifts out.:castmine: