Aluminum pot for smelting?

[Kraschenbirn]

In the past, I haven't really smelted any really large quantities of recovered boolits, scrap, or ww's and, when necessary, have gotten by with a 12# plumbers pot and a Coleman stove. Recently, though, I came into a couple hundred pounds of assorted scrap lead...about 1/3 pure lead (mixed roof flashing and glazier's wire) and the remainder range scrap...and want to "upgrade" my process a bit.

Now, I'm not ready to go the turkey fryer/weed-burner route (yet) but I'd like to be able to work with 20-25# at a time. Yesterday a picked up an old (heavy-duty!) cast aluminum saucepan (2-qt) off a yard sale for a buck. Pot sides measure a little over 1/8" thick and the bottom 3/16." Will this pot work for rough smelting over either a coleman burner or an old-fashioned "gas ring"? If it will, I plan to add a bail and drill/tap opposite the existing handle for a short brass pipe nipple to serve as a pour spout. Opinions please?

Bill

[billyb]

Not a good idea, aluminum gets soft at the temps of molten lead.They have a tendency to give up and dump hot lead every where not a good thing.And there is aluminum contamination. Bill

[Quality NUt]

Personally, I wouldn't recommend the aluminum. If my 2 brain cells are working correctly, the melting point of the alum pot would be between 1100 & 1200F depending on alloy. The aluminum will no doubt reach "plastic" state at 750 to 800F where it will loose most of it's mechanical integrity. (can we say flimsy?)
A better choice might be a severed 20 lb propane bottle. (you probably have one laying around) I used one of these before my last upgrade. Once the top is removed, purged with water and emptied, an abrasive blade in a skillsaw does nicely.
You might query the site for additional info. Lot's of it here.

[Springfield]

For what it's worth, I melted down about 2000 lbs in an aluminum pot a couple years ago. It held about 100 lbs, but the sides were 1/4" thick. Never had any problems, but I replaced it with an even bigger steel pot just to be safe. If you are only doing small amounts just go to any thrift store and get an old steel pot.

[Sig shooter]

We ran 400 lbs of wheel weights in an aluminum 3/16 wall commercial kitchen 2- 3 gallon pot. It worked fine on the high pressure burner - single burner iron camp stove.

[HeavyMetal]

Thrift store's are a good source of cast iron cookery! I have found several of the corn bread molds I like so well at these and only paid a few bucks for them.

Same with the cast iron Dutch oven I use for blending alloy's 5 buck's.

Mind you this has been a few years ago but "go and see that's free" has long been a motto I've lived by in casting gear.

Aluminum is just not safe, yes you may get away it for awhile but it will fail on you in the end.

So here's a question for you: What's your foot worth to you?

I garontee 25#'s of hot lead in your shoe is going to ruin your day!

Trust me on this: when you get back from the E-room the wife will take a shot at you!

[montana_charlie]

I have a 2-quart saucepan that seems to closely resemble yours.
I use it to blend twenty pounds of lead/tin alloy...and for no other purpose.
It's handle is too flimsy for lifting twenty pounds but, with a pair of vise-grips on the opposite side, it does a fair job for pouring out ingots straight from the pot's lip.

Your bail and spout sounds like a better idea than mine.

I have read the warnings. I have chosen my path. I take full responsibility for my actions.

My next post will be my 2000th. I hope to make it memorable...
CM