Question about burners

[94Doug]

I am looking at setting up a smelter.... I got some lead from a plumber, about 4 - 5gallon buckets this week. I have the cast iron kettle, and now need a burner. My question is just how much is enough? I see some of the Cajun fryers put out 210,000 BTU's... is that really usable? Is 35,000 to 55,000 enough? Has anyone had any experience with the "alpha" burner that is sold on a certain auction site? The other concern I have is some of the legs look a bit on the week side for supporting a cast iron pot full of lead. The Alpha looks pretty much like a burner that has some 1" feet on it. I think it could sit on some fire bricks and work fine, less of a wind issue, maybe? I think it is only about 15,000 BTU's though.

[deltaenterprizes]

The more heat the faster you will be done!

[454PB]

I've been using a 3000 watt stove element to do my smelting. 1000 watts equals 3412 BTU, so my element produces roughly 10,200 BTU. I have used it to melt 40 pound chunks of lead into ingots, it takes about 20 minutes to melt that much from cold.

It seems to me that 35,000 BTU would work fine if you make an effort to contain the heat around the pot. In other words, put some shielding around it to keep the wind off and the heat concentrated on the pot.

[MT Gianni]

15,000 btu will get it done but it will take quite a while. I feel that 35-50,000 is probably what you need for smelting ingots allowing from 40-100 lbs in a melt. 15,000 would keep a 20 lb pot in a melt state to cast with but recovery would be slower. The average kitchen range burner is 9,000 btu, 11,500 for a large burner if that gives you a reference.

[94Doug]

Thank you guys. I think I have settled on the Bayou Clasic Burner SP10... they actually have FREE SHIPPING on this item on Amazon. $44.95 185,000 BTU's.

[mikenbarb]

I run a 1,000,000 btu propane burner and their pretty cheap and get the job done fast with a 500 pound load. I run it with a seperate weedburner to burn the top crap off and keep the smoke down.:-D

[Avery Arms]

94doug,

Have you tried your burner yet? After reading this thread I'm looking at the same one:)


PP

[boommer]

Just get about any turkey burner and it will work fine. They can be found used purdy easy! just ask around you would be surprised how many are laying around. Goodwill stores ,second hand stores garage sales you can come up with most everything you need (burner,cast iron pot ,muffin pan ,spoons) and such

[94Doug]

I ordered the SP10, and have not received it yet, I'll post the results. Our local "surplus" store had some cast iron dutch ovens at 35$, so when it comes in, I'll be ready to fire it up.

[Dale53]

A question was asked but not yet answered:

Some "burners" appear to be on the weak side (structurally)?

Yes, some of them are entirely too weak for lead smelting. A simple test is if it will support you it should be good enough for lead smelting. If it won't, look for another burner.

When I bought my turkey fryer, that was the second thing I looked for (the first was adequate BTU's).

Dale53

[94Doug]

I actually had a bid on ebay on a Bayou fryer of some kind that practically sat on the ground, which I figured would be the strongest. Of course, after sitting at something like 26 bucks for 5 days, the 3 of them sold for more than retail...... So I went with the SP10. I figured, I could change the leg structure if I had to.

[imashooter2]

I bought this Bayou Classic fryer kit on seasonal closeout at Home Depot for a song. The burner will hold 300 pounds of weighed lead plus me leaning on it. I deemed this acceptable since my pot has about 200 pounds capacity and 150 pounds working weight. I also liked the short legs made of simple angle over the bent strap steel legs I've seen on some others.

http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/3066a_turkey_fryer_kit.htm

ETA: Don't even think of using the thin aluminum pot that comes with this kit for a smelting vessel. Iron or steel only to melt lead in!

[hedgehorn]

I got one of these http://www.campchef.com/includes/image.php?image=sh140l.jpg&dir=/sites/campchef/images/products/&width=185&height=185 and converted it to natural gas so I can plug it in where my BB-Q does and a 14" dutch oven. Makes short work of a bunch of wheel weights.

[wheelgunner]

I bought a very basic (ie cheap, like me) turkey fryer from Dicks and after an hour of waiting for it to melt the first layer of wheel weights I gave up. I bought another at Kmart on sale, got it home and it had the exact same burner in a different style frame, brought it back without even trying it. I went online and found this http://www.turkey-fryers-online.com/bg14-turkey-fryer-burner.htm and the adjustable regulator. Mounted in the now modified original frame which was pretty substantial in strength. Holy Moses! does that thing put out heat! I have to be careful or the supporting structure (steel) begins to glow red! It melts a dutch oven full in no time, a full pot, adding lead and skimming dross as I go takes maybe a 1/2 hour. The place I got the burner from has other size burners, regulators, etc. Service from them was good, had the parts in about 3 days.

[runnin lead]

Wheelgunner
Nice link ,they also have a 14'' jambalya pot with a rounded bottom inside & flat bottom outside W/ lid about $ 65 shipped
Holds about 2 3/4 gal rounded bottom should be easier to get to the bottom of the pot w/ a laddle
http://www.jambalaya-iron-pots.com/7419_jambalaya_pots.htm

[mikenbarb]

I got a nice big 22" diameter pot thats 20 inches deep and it will hold approx 700+ pounds of melted lead(24 gallons). I made it myself and similar to the one I made for DUKE. Im installing a bottom pour on mine because its too hot to stand over it with a ladle.:-D I havnt totaly filled it up yet because im stockpiling to do it all at once in the spring. I figure 4 loads will last me the rest of my life with still some left for my kids to use.

[Avery Arms]

Well at the flea market I found a Bayou classic 50K BTU with the complete fry/boil/steam kit and an extra 10qt pot/insert for...$35:p

I avoided using the aluminum pans, however being the cheapskate I am I used an old .50 ammo can that had a broken handle on the lid:roll:

I've probably made better than 300lbs of ingots with that stupid ammo can and it's still going strong:razz:

PP

[94Doug]

I got a chance to try out my burner last night.... the temp outside was around 20, so it was done in the garage.....which was a bit too smokey. The problem was the slight amount of snow blowing around. Anyway, it worked great! I would recomend this set up to anyone. Total cost was under $100 for Burner, Cast Kettle, and Ladle.

[cajun shooter]

Two types of burners that is often overlooked by buyers. One is HP and the other is LP. Both look the same. Big difference in the amount of gas that feeds the burner.

[yodar]

The more heat the faster you will be done!

I have a bayou special (or sumpin') burner and I dont WANT to be FAST here. I heat slow, low flame and slow till I am able to harvest clips.

It might take 30 minutes to reach that stage but I have used a digital thermometer in the past and have determined THIS approach keeps temps at 600 dF or below and accordingly I remove some ZINC wheel-weights with the steel clips.

Then I flux with boric acid or 200 mule team borax WITHOUT stirring till a glassy crust forms. The crust allows all the particles to be trapped for easy removal and a clean batch of lead

I use Antimonyman's rowell ladle to fill my cornbread stick molds

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1229/6309647/12253703/349433775.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1229/6309647/12253703/349433786.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1229/6309647/12253703/349433798.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1229/6309647/12253703/349433806.jpg

yodar

[GLL]

I use a Camp Chef brand high pressure single burner stove for smelting (it appears member hedgehorn does as well). It is made in Utah and the burner is rated at 60,000BTUs. I have noticed that most of the cheap "Made in China" burners have outrageous BTU ratings.

The Camp Chef has heavy-duty construction . I piled 400 pound on top of it then stood on it...no problem. I recently welded on extra bracing since I do have 300+ pounds of liquid alloy on it sometimes.

Jerry

http://www.fototime.com/65B03EFCAFA674F/standard.jpg