Aluminum pot for smelting?

[BobW.]

I've been looking for a cast iron dutch oven pot for several months. I have visited yard sales and second hand shops, to no avail. However, I did come across several aluminum pots that look suitable. It goes without saying any plastic "handles " will be removed, one way or another! My question...will I have any problems using an aluminum pot to "prepare " wheel weights? I have several aluminum muffin pans to cast ingots........Thanks, Bob

[Calamity Jake]

Aluminum muffin pan for ingots is fine but NOT for a smelting pot, the high heat makes it soft.
The melting point of alum. is about 1200°, I know you will never get the lead that hot but the pot bottom could get close.
I use an 8gt. stainless steel pressure cooker.

[badgeredd]

I've been looking for a cast iron dutch oven pot for several months. I have visited yard sales and second hand shops, to no avail. However, I did come across several aluminum pots that look suitable. It goes without saying any plastic "handles " will be removed, one way or another! My question...will I have any problems using an aluminum pot to "prepare " wheel weights? I have several aluminum muffin pans to cast ingots........Thanks, Bob

If you do a search on here for an answer, you'll find one over-whelming answer. Aluminum is NOT suitable for smelting. It tends to fail from the extreme heat of melting lead. Actually I've been seeing a fair number of posts advising that cast iron cook ware fails also. When one is dealing with hot lead, I feel that one should error in the direction of safety and caution.

I've found several old steel pots at yard/garage sales that were heavy enough and cheap enough for smelting, but most weren't very large. Some were heavy stainless steel with teflon coating that was getting bad. I'd guess the teflon would disappear quite rapidly.A lot of the guys use home made pipe/plate steel pots.

Edd

[zomby woof]

I found this very large heavy duty Aluminum pot. It's working so far. It is very thick. The cover has a rib to seal nice. I use very low heat and take my time .

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/100_24791.JPG
http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/medium/100_2478.JPG

[montana_charlie]

I use an aluminum vessel, but not for either smelting or casting. I use it solely for mixing lead/tin alloys.

It is a heavy-walled two-quart saucepan, and I only mix up twenty pounds (or less) at any one time.
Then I pour the ingots directly from the pan, rather than using a ladle.

I control the temperature even more carefully, when making alloy, than when casting. I heat the pure lead to 650 degrees and hold it there until it is thoroughly liquidfied...then add the tin and flux well with beeswax.

I like how clean aluminum can be kept, and it has not failed under a twenty pound load...so far.
CM

[Springfield]

I used a very thick aluminum pot for smelting for a couple years with no problem. It held about 150 lbs. I finally found a couple steel pots of the same size and have switched. I decided I didn't want to push my luck any more. Yes, it will work, but the safety factor is less.

[TAWILDCATT]

lyman made an alum melting pot 20 lb after the original 10 lb was no longer available. it melted and dumped the contents.I know as I got their new pot at cost
to replace the bad one.
You can find cast iron pots at hardware stores look up LODGE,AGRI,and harbor freight.
:coffee: [smilie=1:

[bgokk]

Check out Sportsmans' Guide Item #WX2-132846 8 - qt. Dutch Oven $27.97 Compare at 45.00 Club Price $25.17

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/pre-seasoned-cast-iron-cookware.aspx?a=421739

Here is the link don't know how to make it live so cut and paste.

Looks like it's live when entered, whoda thought it?

[Dale53]

bgokk;
All of the bullet casters must have bought them as they are sold out of the Dutch Ovens and corn pone pans.

However, Harbor Freight has a 12" one for $19.99:

http://search.harborfreight.com/cpisearch/web/search.do?keyword=dutch+oven&Submit=Go

That's the one I am using. Cast iron works fine and is RELATIVELY safe to use. However, YOU DO NOT BANG ON IT as it can crack and dump hot lead all over things. Take care of it and it will give you years of good service. Mistreat it, and it is like a woman who is mistreated, it may turn on you (remember the "Burning Bed"?). We had an abused local woman who's husband came home drunk, beat the living daylights out of her then passed out. She put a LARGE aluminum pot of boiling water on the stove. He died... (I told you aluminum was dangerous.)

Dale53

[Sixgun Symphony]

Get on ebay and look for lead melting pots under "blacksmithing", there are several vintage lead melting pots there for sale and they sell cheap. I got mine for $15.

[DLCTEX]

Even 20# of molten lead is way more than I want to deal with if the pot broke. I've had hot lead stuck to me before, it doesn't wipe or shake off, just sticks there and burns. It will find the tiniest crevices to run into and hide.What a blessed relief to finally stick it in water! The chances of having a failure may be small but one occasion is enough for me. Heavy cast iron or steel for me.

[hammerhead357]

Well after reading some posts from Texasflyboy I am even considering getting rid of the cast iron dutch oven that I use for smaller melts. He reports failures of cast iron and uses welded steel.
I wouldn't even start to think about using an aluminum pot.

I have been thinking maybe I need to weld one up my self. Just haven't put it on the to do list yet but I guess it needs to go towards the top of the list....Wes

[madman]

Army Navy stores, Cabalas, Harbor Freight, Second hand stores all have them. Where do you live. Mike&Barb great guy great welder. Give him a PM he has made pots and modifies burners. They are all over in town here PM me and I'll help ya find the one you want and purchase it and send it to ya. No payment for my time just for the pot and shipping. I will even give you the purchase invoice to prove that I am not making a cent off of it or the shipping.

[flinter62]

Me and a friend have cast bullets for years using thick 2Qt. pot using hot plate for heat.Flinter 62

[imashooter2]

Doing something dangerous many times without incident does not make it less dangerous.

[jcwit]

When aluminum fails it not a tinsel FAIRY you're dealing with anymore. I might call it the metal devil. And you might be screaming like a banshee.

[captain-03]

Has anyone here had an Aluminum pot fail them while melting down raw lead material?

[imashooter2]

Has anyone here had an Aluminum pot fail them while melting down raw lead material?

There have been several first hand accounts posted on this board.

[David2011]

I've been using a 4 qt. cast iron Dutch oven on a Cajun cooker to smelt wheelweights for a few years. A gallon of lead weighs about 94.5 lb. I see no reason to risk using aluminum when a new 6 qt from Harbor Freight is about $20. You might find one for less at a resale store like Goodwill.

David