How I cast/smelt without a dedicated area

[Animal]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]99885[/ATTAhttp://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=99885&d=1395170995&thumb=1&stc=1CH]


Just finished several pounds of COWW. All of my casting equipment is on this cart except for bullet molds. I love this cart because it fits just right under my reloading table and I can roll it outside when I'm ready to cast without having to run in and out of the house gathering supplies and setting up. I got the cart from my sons school. Its one of those big metal carts that teachers use to mount and roll a tv and vcr around campus. I just had to cut the top half off to get it to work for my needs.

I use a turkey fryer, ladles and a dutch oven/RCBS pot for all of my cast work. Not for any reason other than the fact that I only have so much room and money to have multiple heat sources.

I figured I'd post this because it may help some folks like me who have a limited amount of space. Oh, I don't use the cart to support my heavy pot while working, but I'm completely confident it would work just fine for that as well.

[Cherokee]

Good solution.....

[tazman]

I like it. Anything to save room and lifting.

[NavyVet1959]

I prefer to smelt on concrete so that when I spill some molten lead, it doesn't burn anything. At worst, it just sticks to the concrete and I can remove it with a pressure washer. If I'm lucky, I can even recover the lead that stuck to the concrete after loosening it with the pressure washer. Considering some of the spills that I've had, if I had been doing it on a wooden deck, I would have quite a bit of extensive charring. :)

[jeepyj]

I think I seen my summer camp solution! Nice idea thanks for sharing.
Jeepyj

[Animal]

Considering some of the spills that I've had, if I had been doing it on a wooden deck, I would have quite a bit of extensive charring. :)

Yeah, the whole wooden deck thing hasn't made me feel too warm and fuzzy, but it works for now. I have concrete blocks on one end of the deck that I try to set up for a support for the fryer, and disposable cooking tins in all the areas where I get drips and spills.

[lightman]

Thats a good idea! I use one of those carts to roll material in and out of a few of the places that I work. Lightman

[JASON4X4]

every to lie I own is on casters. My reloading bench is mounted on a large medicine cart like the hospitals use

[sidecarmike]

Yeah, the whole wooden deck thing hasn't made me feel too warm and fuzzy, but it works for now. I have concrete blocks on one end of the deck that I try to set up for a support for the fryer, and disposable cooking tins in all the areas where I get drips and spills.
With the popularity of pellet stoves, there is now a lot of asbestos pads available. A friend has a 36 by 36 inch one he uses on his porch when he casts.

[NavyVet1959]

With the popularity of pellet stoves, there is now a lot of asbestos pads available. A friend has a 36 by 36 inch one he uses on his porch when he casts.

You don't need to go that extreme. Just using some sheet metal would work as a heat sink so that if you spill a ladle of lead, the heat will not be as localized. I use something similar for my casting area even though it is over a wood table top.

[Octaron1]

You guys are too sloppy.

[mdi]

Oh, Man! Way too neat and organized.:veryconfu

Seriously, looks good...

[Smoke4320]

looks good to me .. I was going to suggest concrete blocks or a sheet metal tray in the actual smelting area .. but it looks like you have that covered :)

[mold maker]

A metal pan used to catch oil drips under a car, works great to catch minor spills and splatters. I move my smelting supplies on a HF 16X30" two shelf cart. The drip pan is hung on screw eyes on the side. My fish fryer is moved (cold) on a HF dolly. Even the milk crate of ingots is riding on a HF dolly
I'm to old to carry much, and smart enough to know it.

[Walter Laich]

as long I keep the spill off my legs and feet I really don't care what it falls on.

[NavyVet1959]

You guys are too sloppy.

And you have NEVER had a visit from the tinsel fairie? :)

Sometimes accidents happen and it's better to be prepared for them.

[David2011]

You can get a galvanized garage floor drip tray at most big box and auto parts stores. Mine came from Wal-Mart for about $12.00.

David

[NavyVet1959]

You can get a galvanized garage floor drip tray at most big box and auto parts stores. Mine came from Wal-Mart for about $12.00.


The one from Wal-Mart if 47"x25"x0.5". Most countertops are around 24-25" deep, so this gives you nearly a 4' wide working area. Autozone has a similar one for $10 that is 36"x25"x0.75".

A gallon is defined as exactly 231 cu-in. As such, the first once can hold 587.5 cu-in or 2.54 gallons of liquid. The second one is smaller, but deeper, and it can hold 675 cu-in or 2.92 gallons of liquid.

So, regardless of which one you choose, it would easily contain the amount that your casting pot might contain if it completely dumped its load on you. You would need something a bit larger if you were trying to protect against a catastrophic failure of your smelting pot, but for a normal spill of a ladle or and ingot that was dumped before it had completely solidified, it would work great.

I used to use a cookie sheet under my casting pot. I quit that after having a leaking spout that resulted in me soldering the cookie sheet to the casting pot stand after I turned the pot off and walked away from it for awhile.

[Animal]

Wow, this was a nice little conversation starter. I wonder how many little things we incorporate into our casting/reloading that we never think to discuss? I bet we probably have some habits that we think are mundane to speak of, but could be considered "a great idea" to others... hmmmmm

[RBDAVE]

I smelt in the garage in wintertime. l load up cast pot with carefully sorted coww. Build fire in wood stove and insert pot. Drink a beer and skim clips. Flux 2 times and ladle into lee ingot molds. Nasties go up the chimney. Most casting done outside in summertime

[mdi]

Wow, this was a nice little conversation starter. I wonder how many little things we incorporate into our casting/reloading that we never think to discuss? I bet we probably have some habits that we think are mundane to speak of, but could be considered "a great idea" to others... hmmmmm

Yep, and a lot of folks just overthink everything. Most of the replies are good ideas, but the connection is common sense.:bigsmyl2:

[WILCO]

You guys are too sloppy.

Welcome aboard Octaron1!!

[waltherboy4040]

I use a old propane grill with the grates covered in aluminum foil. They always seem to be free and on wheels. The best part is no one seems to use the side burner so you can smelt or ladle pour in one station. Tools go on upper folding racks.