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William Yanda
08-12-2012, 02:12 PM
I have been using a Coleman stove for my smelting, assisted with a propane torch or two, and contemplating an upgrade. Haven't found a used turkey smelter for a reasonable price but I did pick up a discarded gas grill with a side burner. Previous experience led me to believe the side burner would be short of btu's. It's location would not lead to stability, a definite requirement for molten lead. I recycled the aluminum grill body and relocated the side burner to the center of the frame. I drilled the orifice with a 1/16 drill and tried it. The flame had a lot of yellow. I dissassembled and enlarged the air holes in the tube leading to the burner. This time when I tried it, it worked fine. Got to try out a new mold.
The only expense was a barbed connector for the propane hose.
Bill

zuke
08-12-2012, 10:00 PM
As long as it work's, it can be ugly!
Good job!

Gliden07
08-12-2012, 10:15 PM
I thought about doing something similer!! I have a 6" diamiter piece of steel pipe about 14" long. I was gonna lay on it side, cap the ends and cut off the top of the now horizontal cylinder. Then use a high BTU oval gas burner, and maybe run a valve out of the bottem (thru the flame no clogs) to pour ingots. Leave the top on and put a chimney on it to try and direct the smoke.

Did you leave the top on the grill??

shadowcaster
08-13-2012, 11:01 PM
I have been using a Coleman stove for my smelting, assisted with a propane torch or two, and contemplating an upgrade. Haven't found a used turkey smelter for a reasonable price but I did pick up a discarded gas grill with a side burner.

Any heat source with an open flame can be used for smelting & casting as long as there is enough BTU's to get the job done. A Turkey fryer is really hard to beat as it will do both large and small batches. I picked mine up for $50 brand new. You didn't say what you are using for a pot. A turkey fryer will also handle the weight of a large batch.

Shad

Steel185
08-15-2012, 08:58 PM
I'm not sure what your budget is, but i already had a turkey fryer (for turkey frying) and just bought a cheap iron dutch oven http://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-cast-iron-dutch-oven-44705.html( from harbor freight $20, it was on sale or you can use one of several coupons).

My fryer was only 10psi regulator and a cast iron burner, it did the job, but sometimes took a while to heat up. I looked at up grading the regulator to a 20PSI unit and they cost around $30-$35 each. I found the below link for a complete set up with a 20PSI burner and they delivered to my store (at the time) but it looks like if you can find something you want at home depot for another $10 you get free shipping. I bought the cooker from below link and a 2nd dutch over from Harbor freight and i have two set ups, this one below is about twice as fast. I thought i didn't need that much heat, but after you get the first load melted, cleaned and poured into your ingot mold, you are again waiting and waiting for the next batch of lead to melt again. This is worth the money and total (including the dutch oven) its $55-$65. not too bad in my book. I knocked out 500lbs the first day in a few hours.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25ecodZ5yc1v/R-100164633/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=fryer&storeId=10051#.UCxDLj2PV2A

William Yanda
09-12-2012, 09:00 PM
Sorry for the delay. The top went to the scrap yard for $.40/lb. My pot is a tag sale find, Stainless Steel, 5 qt. dutch oven, that I have $3 invested in.

Sasquatch-1
09-13-2012, 07:32 AM
I just bought this recently and used it for the first time yesterday. Compared to the little electric Procter Sylex hot plate I was using, the new one is a dream.

http://www.amazon.com/Brinkmann-815-4010-S-Outdoor-Cooker-10-Quart/dp/B005CSTI8U/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1347535497&sr=8-9&keywords=fish+fryer

The ad claims it is 100,000 BTU's but I have no way of knowing if that is true. The thermometer is no good for casting, it does not register high enough heat, and the pot is aluminum. As many would tell you here, Aluminum pot filled with hot lead is a recipe for disaster.

I tried the side burner on my grill and believe me, you will be much happier with the turkey fryer.