Smelting, Cheap Thermometer, and probably more questions/concerns

[brockj]

Well, after taking the advice of getting a cast iron pot to do my smelting, I gave it a shot last night. I thought I had read somewhere that someone used a thermometer from a turkey fryer, so I gave it a shot. Here is basically what went down:

1. Sorted through wheel weights to try and pick out any zinc ones.
2. Loaded up pot with weights, started turkey fryer
3. Place cheap thermometer in pot
4. Watch as weights started melting, checked thermometer (only goes to 550F), noticed molten lead at 500F
5. Went about normal process

So, to start off, is 500F an appropriate temp for WW to be melting? I am very paranoid about zinc getting in there, so I wanted to be at low of a temp as possible to avoid zinc contamination.

Second question, possibly tied to first, was my thermometer off, or should I not even worry about it? I did notice I could keep it molten with the temp just under 550F, I could adjust the heat and watch it go up and down, so it seemed to be working....

Enough for now...I am sure more to come :mrgreen:

[Blackhawk Convertable]

Zinc melts at like 850° F so it will float long before it's melt temp. Just skim them off with the clips. I might be mistaken, but I think WW's will start to melt at around 600° F. If it was me, I think I'd retire the turkey thermometer until you get one that goes to around 1000° F.

[American]

....someone used a thermometer from a turkey fryer, so I gave it a shot.

Yeah, I eyeballed my wife's kitchen thermo for about 2 seconds before I knew I'd better break down and spend the $39. Can't wait to try the new thermo in some of this next batch of WW as I think I probably melted zinc in my first batch - which was only about 10 pounds just to give it a try. It was fun! Smelting, casting, shootin - all of it.

[JIMinPHX]

Turkey fryer thermometers are usually very long. If only a small part of the dip stick is in the lead, then it will read low.

You're not planning to use that same thermometer for food again are you? I wouldn't

[brockj]

Turkey fryer thermometers are usually very long. If only a small part of the dip stick is in the lead, then it will read low.

You're not planning to use that same thermometer for food again are you? I wouldn't

No not at all. I recently picked up a turkey fryer pot for a spare brew pot/water pot, and the thermometer was there so I thought I would give it a try.

I would say about 1.5" were in the lead, maybe a little more. I had it at an angle through the lead.

[454PB]

I doubt that a 500 degree thermometer will last long for smelting use. You'll be running it at the upper end all the time, which produces a very short life span. Zinc melts at 787 degrees. You need 650 degrees to smelt wheel weights. Either forget the thermometer, or buy one that goes to 1000 degrees.

[JIMinPHX]

With only 1.5" dipped in the lead, you didn't have an accurate temperature reading.

[mooman76]

Those thermometers(Turkey) are not all that accurate to start with especially at 500 degrees!

[bobthewelder]

http://surpluscenter.com/sort.asp?numrec=20&lastrec=120&sort=1&search=thermometer&UID=2008021322484091

[DLCTEX]

I just watch the melt and pick out any weights that float when the majority have melted there will be a couple of minutes between ww melting and zinc unless you are using a weed burner on top to speed things up as some do. Dale

[Ghugly]

http://surpluscenter.com/sort.asp?numrec=20&lastrec=120&sort=1&search=thermometer&UID=2008021322484091

I got one with a 6" stem from these guys a couple of weeks ago. The quality seems to be really good and the price was great. I've used it a few times for smelting and twice for casting. Time will tell.

[compass will]

I got one with a 6" stem from these guys a couple of weeks ago. The quality seems to be really good and the price was great. I've used it a few times for smelting and twice for casting. Time will tell.

Which one did you buy? Should I mount it on my dutch oven so it don't fall in?

I hate to use my CC number at places I don't know, guess everything went OK with purchase?

[compass will]

I just received mine. Very impressive looking and heavy duty. I got the 3" dial 1000 deg.
thanks for the tip!