I found "the" smelting pot ...

[Digger]

I know I should have put this in the equipment forum but thought everyone might get a kick out of this one ....
I finally found the "ultimate" smelting pot ........;)

(just have to find a big enough burner !) This is out in front of a gentleman's house we were working in front of .... Placed my hard hat in front of it for size ratio ..... solid iron !!
106700

[Archey]

I wish that I had enough lead to need a smelting pot that big.

[starmac]

As hard as those are to find without a crack in it, i would sure hate to see anyone smelting lead in one.

[Hamish]

Last weekend we had our annual crawfish boil at one of the BIL's in Tenn. That looks pretty close to the size of his pot. Man do they work nice,,,,,,,,too many times in this part of the country there is a chunk out of the bottom from letting it freeze. :groner:

[DLCTEX]

We had one like that in the "wash house". It was used for rendering lard, scalding chickens, and heating water for washing clothes in the ringer washer. When the building burned the pot was broken. I wonder what one would cost today?

[William Yanda]

Are they even made anymore? Forges are nasty evil polluters don't you know. Besides, steel has replaced a lot of cast iron in the last century. Progress of technology before silicon chips and such.

[blademasterii]

When I was a kid I remember them using cauldrons big enough to use the steel swingset frame as the hanger over a fire to make applebutter. That was probably 30 years ago. I know the big ones intact can be worth thousands.

[Hamish]

Southwest Tenn. its worth about two bills, Southern Illinois, two to four hundred for non descript with no makers mark,,,,but, as said, the right brand goes a tad higher,,,,

[Pb2au]

Are they even made anymore? Forges are nasty evil polluters don't you know. Besides, steel has replaced a lot of cast iron in the last century. Progress of technology before silicon chips and such.

Between 500$ and 3500$.
https://www.lehmans.com/p-28-sugaring-kettles.aspx

[flint45]

I have only seen cracked ones around here they still want a lot for um.

[country gent]

Those pots were also used for scalding hogs during butchering. Tere are severl in front yards bieng used for flower pots / decorations. all have had 1/2" ho;le drilled in bottom to drain water.

[Dale in Louisiana]

Those pots were also used for scalding hogs during butchering. Tere are severl in front yards bieng used for flower pots / decorations. all have had 1/2" ho;le drilled in bottom to drain water.

A nut, bolt and washer will fix those holes.

We used to have a pot like that in the family. Used it at butchering time: boil water to scald the hog, then clean it out and use it to render lard. The much-anticipated byproduct of lard production was cracklins, something I never developed a taste for.

dale in Louisiana
(who prefers his cholesterol in more subtle forms)

[MrWolf]

That is one big pot. Never saw one like it.

[chambers]

We still use one just like that for butchering and heating water, yes you do have to remove the water so they don't freeze and break.

[oneokie]

http://www.agrisupply.com/cooking-supplies-utensils-kitchen-accessories/c/5400000/

[aspangler]

I have a 35 gallon one that is in great shape. Handed down in the family. Last time it was used was to render the lard from a 600 lb hog.

[Digger]

http://www.agrisupply.com/cooking-supplies-utensils-kitchen-accessories/c/5400000/

Think you have linked to anyone's request on where to look for smelting odds and ends there oneokie ! , looks to me to be a standard go to place .

[Frank46]

Also used for boiling sugar cane the old fashioned way. My neighbor has a huge one they use for a planter. And yes they are expensive when you do find one without cracks. Frank

[starmac]

Dale, I never cared for cracklins either, but dad loved them. He liked cracklin cornbread, and I always figured it was a good way to bust a tooth. lol

[Alvarez Kelly]

I have 2 of those giant pots. Both cracked. :-(

[jsizemore]

I go to Agrisupply for my smelting stuff.

[Lefthandshooter]

Between 500$ and 3500$.
https://www.lehmans.com/p-28-sugaring-kettles.aspx

That is a fun store to shop in. A tad expensive, but good quality in most cases.

[Mausermeister]

My local Ruritan club has a cast iron pot that will hold 120 gallons. They use it to cook stew for fundraisers. I wish I had a pic to show. It is awesome, about 6 ft across.

[Jailer]

I remember one of those at friends house when we were kids. We used it as a swimming pool. :redneck:

[rondog]

I look at that pot, and I see a hernia waiting to happen.....I can't even imagine how heavy that is.

[KYCaster]

Never tease a barn cat with fresh cracklins!

Jerry

[FredBuddy]

I have an old lard rendering cast iron pot used by my wife's family many years ago. Its in perfect shape, and takes up a lot of space in my shop.

A couple of years ago I saw a new one just like it at the Amish hardware store in Kidron, Ohio; Lehmans.

Eleven hundred bucks.

Ours won't ever be no stinkin' planter !

[starmac]

Making planters out of them is the reason a lot of them are cracked. Every farmstead used to have one or more, and when things changed and they quit using them, they made cool planters, but they eventually freeze and crack.

[mold maker]

I'd be afraid to fill that sucker with lead. It sure wasn't intended for that much weight.

[Mausermeister]

I don't remember the name, but there is a place I think in Mississippi that still makes them. A friend of mine bought a new 20 gallon pot from them a couple of years ago.