Heat source for smelting?

[IROCZ]

Hi, I'm still kinda new to this... What heat source do you use for smelting? I was going to use my propane turkey fryer but the grate on the top is too open to hold my small 10lb. Lyman smelting pot safely. So I am looking for a heat source, I kinda want to stay with propane as it is portable. How many BTU's would I need for smelting? Any thoughts on where to find this tool? I am also on the lookout for a larger cast iron pot at local yard sales as I have many WW's to render down. Any thoughts are appreciated! Thanks.

[btroj]

Get a bigger smelting pot. I want to smelt 40 pounds or so at a minimum. With that little pot you will go nuts!

I use a propane fired turkey fryer. Works fine. Have done literally a ton so far and it just works.

[jmort]

^ +1 Dedicated smelting equipment is inexpensive and way more efficient. Get a large cast iron or steel pot. Thrift store, swap-meet, Goodwill, Ebay, wherever.

[IROCZ]

Thanks for the quick replies! That was my initial plan. The pot looked bigger in the pictures! Unfortunately every one in Pgh thinks a cast iron pot (yard sales) is worth the same as one made from gold. I have my guy at the scrap yard looking for a bigger pot. I did buy a bunch of plumbers lead from him yesterday for 50 cents a pound. But I have a bucket of wheel weights and range pickup I want t o smelt into ingots.

[randyrat]

Better setup is a 10PSI or high output regulator on your turkey burner..Most turkey fryers are 2-5 PSI (aprox) and they take forever to heat things up.. You only have to change out your regulator, everything else stays the same. You'll notice the difference just in the sound when you crank that 10psi up. I also have an inline flow adjuster valve so I can fine tune the flame if needed, frying fish or cooking outside.

[nanuk]

I've got a 35gal drum that I'm going to cut a "V" into both sides, one lower than the other, and slide in a piece of 4x4x0.188 angle iron... the upper one will have the insides removed so the clips can be pushed out, and the lead will pour out the lower one.

load it up with wood, and lay in the WWs

a couple handfulls at a time, and learn how many to fill an ingot mould.

great way to burn tree scraps also.

[alfloyd]

This one is not expensive.
http://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-cast-iron-dutch-oven-44705.html

Lafaun

[bgreed]

Coleman stove and a thrift store castiron pot that hold about 30lbs

[blackthorn]

Cut the top off a 20 pound propane tank. Fill it with water and use a zip cut to remove part of the top, dump the water and cut around the tank at the top curve of the shoulder. It will hold a lot of scrap or wheel weights. Dump in your scrap lead, add a couple of handfulls of DRY sawdust and maybe a half cup or so of diesel or stove oil and fire her up. The heat from the bottom from the turkey frier plus the heat from the burning diesel/sawdust gets the scrap melting pretty quick! Welcome to the best forum going!!

[runfiverun]

put an old saw blade down and put your pot on top of that it'll get you going until you find the 20 dollar pot at walmart.