Improving smelting pot

[trixter]

I have been thinking about putting a spout on my cast dutch oven. will drilling and threading it harm the structural integrity?

[D Crockett]

from what I know about mettle I would not do that I had a cast iron pot once and hit it on the side and it cracked I also tried to wield a cast iron ingot mold and it did not work for me so my best answer would be not to pm to follow D Crockett

[NineInchNails]

I drilled and tapped threads in a cast iron burner before. I welded my own steel stand and installed the burner. Worked fine and is still holding just fine. If you can get a dutch oven for cheap ... worth a shot in my opinion. I would just go easy with the thread tap, use lube and do not drill the pilot hole too small.

Manufacturers cast a lot of of pieces then machine them afterwards. I highly highly doubt they cast threads in their end product. For instance cast iron burners ... they cast, drill holes then thread them where needed. If they do anything special, I wouldn't know, but I can't imagine it would take anything special.

This might be my next little project. If I screw up the pot then I'll just pick up another because I get them cheap at flea markets, rummage stores, etc...

[bangerjim]

Cast iron is very machinable. It crumbles/powders rather than making stringy chips. It can be drilled and tapped. Use cutting/tapping fluid......NOT WD40 or standard oil.

When a casting is meant to have drilled & tapped holes, there is always a "boss" cast in where the hole will be to provide thicker material to go into. Be carful you are not getting only 1 or 2 threads tapped in there! You will have no strength and will have to put nuts on the screws to secure anything to it. CI is very brittle!

Malleable iron is far better but all the cheep crapola from over the pond you find will not be that.

bangerjim

[Dales66Ford]

Curious as to what you would use as a valve to regulate the flow?

[shadowcaster]

Curious as to what you would use as a valve to regulate the flow?

I personally would not mess with trying to modify a cast iron pot. Too many things to go wrong. What you need is a steel pot with the "Shad Style Bottom Pour Valve" It is simple, efficient, easy to use and make for just pennies. If you would like the fine details, let me know.

Here is a link to my valve installed on my pot.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?146065-New-bottom-pour-smelting-pot!&highlight=bottom+pour+smelting+pot

Shad