Dutch Oven Melting Pot?

[FastFred]

I have a propane plumbers furnace and I currently use an iron pot that holds maybe 10-15 lbs of lead. I'd like to have a bigger pot. I was wondering if I could use a 5 quart cast iron dutch oven for melting lead. Would this work?

[Old Ironsights]

In a word - yes.

Many many here use dutch oves...

[looseprojectile]

That's what I use. Mine is a US made one. Holds about a hundred pounds.
However, some have said the Chinese cast iron ones do tend to crack or break if you pound on em. I would look for a good quality used one at a thrift store. One with a lid is good also.
Good luck.

Life is good

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Hullo Fast Fred, and welcome!!

Yes is the right answer, hard to beat a cast iron dutch oven, it's about as good as it gets for melting batches of alloy in what ever size you can provide the necessary heat for, and a stable surface that will stand the weight . Good Choice !!

[FastFred]

Next stupid question... What's the lid used for when melting lead?


That's what I use. Mine is a US made one. Holds about a hundred pounds.
However, some have said the Chinese cast iron ones do tend to crack or break if you pound on em. I would look for a good quality used one at a thrift store. One with a lid is good also.
Good luck.

Life is good

[jdgabbard]

Next stupid question... What's the lid used for when melting lead?

In the event you look up and notice storm clouds overhead. Don't ask me how I know... [smilie=1:

[FastFred]

Thanks for the warm welcome and the fast answers guys. Now I just need to find an inexpensive source for lead in my area (S.Jersey).

[Pat I.]

If you find a used Dutch oven at a garage sale or thrift store do a little checking on it before filling it full of lead, some of the older ones and certain brands bring a pretty hefty buck.

[FastFred]

I just won a Dutch Oven on ebay. No lid though. Do you think this one sounds like it has any other value besides being a lead pot?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=120412690774

[stubshaft]

I just won a Dutch Oven on ebay. No lid though. Do you think this one sounds like it has any other value besides being a lead pot?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&item=120412690774

Once used to process lead I would not want to use it for cooking.:kidding:

[putteral]

Got mine at a garage sale for $5. No lid though.
:drinks:

[1Shirt]

lid is good for the start of the melt just in case there is any moisture. Also helps to retain the heat for a faster melt early on.
1Shirt!:coffee:

[DLCTEX]

Another caution to make sure your burner/heat source will hold up the weight. If it won't hold up your weight, beef it up before trusting it with a large pot of molten lead.

[HeavyMetal]

This had already been mention, but just lightly, so I'll say it again: do not "smack" your ladle or other stirring device against the side of a cast iron pot!

Heated, the rumor is, they tend to crack real fast when hit hard. Having 90 Lbs of hot lead come after you is not something one wants!

I "clear" my ladle on a large soup can that I also put my dross in.

[FastFred]

Wow, lots of good thoughts and tips here. I'm glad I joined this site.

[snaggdit]

Wow, lots of good thoughts and tips here. I'm glad I joined this site.

Yeah? Well, welcome! Just don't hate us later when you are spending dough like it was monopoly moneybuying new molds and other equipment... :p

[Dale53]

>>>Just don't hate us later when you are spending dough like it was monopoly moneybuying new molds and other equipment..<<<

Who, ME?:groner:

On topic - I regularly use a 6 qt Dutch Oven (complete with lid) I got at Harbor Freight for $20.00.

http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/QWinter2009andleadsmelting-1768.jpg

Dale53

[Bret4207]

Dale, your garage looks like mine, only mines not so neat and uncluttered.

[Dale53]

Bret4207;
You didn't look close enough![smilie=1:

That's the next project for me - get the garage straightened up before the heat of summer.

Dale53

[SciFiJim]

I just won a Dutch Oven on ebay. No lid though. Do you think this one sounds like it has any other value besides being a lead pot?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...m=120412690774

That will work great! You will be getting it 2-3 times hotter than cooking temp, so the seasoning in it will all burn away. It will smoke and stink a LOT when you first melt lead in it.

+1 on making sure that your burner will hold the weight of the pot full of lead!

[Green Frog]

That's the next project for me - get the garage straightened up before the heat of summer.
Dale53

Just be sure we can get the canoe-yaks out by Memorial Day, bro. It'll be here before you know it!! :drinks:

Froggie

[trooperdan]

Also, be careful when you first lift the lid on a smelt with a lot of "trash".. it can flash into flame and remove eyebrows, nose hairs, etc! :)

[snuffy]

This turkey fryer is re-enforced with 4- 3/8 rods welded to the existing supports. That's a 6 quart dutch oven melting range lead.

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/arrow/websize/P4110009.JPG

Soon, you'll get a stack of ingots like this!

http://photos.imageevent.com/jptowns/arrow/websize/P4110001.JPG

[Wayne Smith]

I think the question was would his propane plumber's furnace hold the weight? Maybe I read it wrong, but that is what I read.

[Oldtimer]

Bought a cast iron pot from Buffalo Arms Co. last month that is made especially for melting lead. It has a 50 lb. capacity. It is like the old plumbers pot. Tall bail so it does'nt get too hot, and a pouring spout. Use vice grips on the back of the pot to tilt it, and it works great. Fill it full of WW, and after skimming, I get about 20-23 1 lb. ingots. Only cost about 25 dollars, best I remember. Use it on a fish cooker burner. Ordered it off the internet. It is not as big around as a dutch oven, but it's taller. Very easy to handle. Bob

[FastFred]

Good tips guys! I think I may have to modify the plumbers furnace to help stabilize the larger pot.

My reason for the increase in pot size is a direct result of my recent purchase of 300# of WW. There were so many clips, and I thought if I could spread them out on a larger suface area, they'd be easier to skim.

Second reason was that much of the soft lead I was getting from the scrap yard was bigger than my pot could handle. Chopping it apart with a sledge and chisle gets real old, real quick. I figured it would be less work if I could melt bigger pieces.

Still looking for an inexpensive source of lead in S.Jersey, if anyone can help.

[ghh3rd]

I use a 5 quart Dutch Oven that I bought new. I can fill it up with WW, turn the 186000 BTU turkey fryer on and have about 60 lbs of melted lead in short order. Weight was a concern, but I stood (briefly) on my frier, so I'm comfortable that it will hold a pot full of lead.

If you use a dutch oven, PLEASE CONSIDER permanently marking it and it's lid to identify it somehow as unsuitable for food. I figure that otherwise, someday, somehow, it would probably find it's way into the food chain, with invisible but potentially harmful effects for the consumer. (I wonder how many are actually used for food after being used for lead?)

Randy

[superior]

I found an oval shaped cast iron pot. Good for ladle work.

[JIMinPHX]

A cast iron dutch oven & a turkey fryer (like in Dale's picture) are pretty much the standard smelting rig for most people here on the board.

Some of the turkey fryers are a little bit wobbly with a full pot of lead, since they were only designed to hold the weight of a pot full of oil & bird. The wobbly ones may need a little structural support added in the way of some steel framework.

If the dutch oven fits well on your plumber's burner rig, then you are in business. If not, then you may need to build some framework of some sort to hold the pot. The cheap dutch ovens from Harbor Freight usually have flat bottoms, so they are pretty easy to work with compared to the round bottom ones that I have sometimes seen.

The lid on a dutch oven is not needed for lead smelting. It is for when you use a dutch oven as an oven. The basic idea of a dutch oven is that you put something to be baked inside it & bury the entire contraption in hot coals from a fire. It heats the food inside evenly from all sides, top & bottom, just like an oven. I used to do that when I went camping, back when I was willing to drag along that much extra equipment. Now I just bring simpler foods.

For smelting, a good iron or steel pot with or without a lid is as good as a dutch oven. Dutch ovens are only popular for smelting because they are easy to find cheap.