Turkey fryer burner

[bbs70]

Today I latched onto a turkey fryer burner at the local salvage yard for 5 bucks.
Gotta wait till this weekend to get a regulator and tank.

In the mean time I was wondering.
If you moved the burner unit closer to the bottom of the lead pot, would that be a more efficent way of smelting lead?
It seems to me that the burner is 6 to 8 inches from the bottom of the supports and heat would be lost, therefore more fuel to heat the lead.

I'm not going to hack it up till I hear from the more experienced people here.

[MT Gianni]

You will get sooting if your burner is like mine. You should have at least 1" from the top of your flame cone to the bottom of your burner.

[HBAR2989]

I use a burner with a old cast iron pot, for my lead pot. It works great on top the burner with out any modification.

[bbs70]

I will be using my cast iron pot on the burner, so I guess I will leave it the way it is.

Now all I need is a pointy hat and a cape and I'll look like a witch stirring my cauldron cackling the whole time.:-D

And believe me, I'd make for one ugly woman.

[snaggdit]

C heck out Recluse's post on this link, then revise your outfit into a Wizards (or Alchemist's) outfit! http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=44914

[johnly]

I use a Harbor Freight "Dutch Oven" for my melting pot. The cover helps to prevent heat loss and speed up the melt as a result.

John

[MoldyJoe]

The turkey fryer worked just great for smelting with a large Dutch Oven 12-14" but for actual casting I used a plumbers pot on my gas stove inside (with the range hood vent going full blast), not much smell or smoke as I fluxed during smelting and added a couple of old birthday cake candles just to make sure. My wife was gone and when she came back she didn't say anything about the smell, so I guess I'm safe. Joe

[docone31]

A watched pot never boils!
An old adage, but the principle of it applies. Adding an insulative layer to anything heated speeds the effect of the heat. I add covers when I can. It works.