Need a better way

[TedH]

I am in need of a better way to melt down wheel weights into ingots. I've been using a little electric pot, but it only holds about 3 pounds. I was thinking about an old cast iron pot of some sort and a propane camp burner. What would you suggest for a cheap setup? Emphasis on cheap.

[TC66]

I use exactly what you were mentioning. A cast iron pot and a 2 burner camp stove. Does about 30 lbs at a time.

[rusty marlin]

colman stove and old iron pot.
I can do about 50 punds a t a wack. Much more than that and there aren't enough BTU's to keep it all liquid.

[44man]

I bought on of those propane turkey cookers on sale, about 200,000 btu's, for $35. Get a cast iron dutch oven and go to town.

[Dutch4122]

I use a 115,00 BTU venturi burner that came with a Turkey Fryer kit. Mounted the burner in the "ring" that came with the kit and took the legs off the setup. I set the ring on top of concrete blocks stacked 2 high. A 20 quart Dutch oven fits tightly on top of and into the ring. I can melt down a whole 5 gallon bucket + of wheelweights in about 45 minutes with this setup. Only need to smelt the wheelweights down once or twice a year to keep me and Dad supplied and he is retired, so you can imagine how much time he spends at the range.

Hope this helps,

P.S. Don't use the pot that comes with the turkey fryer kit. Get a cast iron dutch oven.

[Goatlips]

TedH,

Well, here's my site that might give you a few tips. Hope the folks don't mind my reposting it, but it does have photos that many novices find useful. :mrgreen:

http://goatlipstips.cas-town.com/smelting.html

Goatlips

[Dale53]

Goatlips;
That's a great site. It is only helpful. If anyone complains suggest that they just
ignore your post or pass up the link.

Dale53

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Goatlips,

I read your site a couple times now and I agree 100% with Dale's assessment.

Regards,

Dave

[BruceB]

My heat source for smelting WWs is a propane weed-burner, bought at Harbor Freight for the grand sum of $11.00. Seems like the regular price was all of $19.00, but they were on sale when I dropped in.

I have an old table out back which is dedicated to this smelting. I cut a 6" hole in the top, and fabricated a 1/8" steel plate which covers the hole. With a slot cut right to the middle of the plate for the weedburner's tube, and just wide enough to accept the tube, the "head" of the burner rests securely on the top of the plate and throws its flame straight up at the bottom of the steel smelting pot. The pot can sit on bricks or whatever above the flame.

With some sort of rudimentary windscreen, this setup will melt WW faster than I can make ingots, so I keep it throttled down pretty low.

[TedH]

TedH,

Well, here's my site that might give you a few tips. Hope the folks don't mind my reposting it, but it does have photos that many novices find useful. :mrgreen:

http://goatlipstips.cas-town.com/smelting.html

Goatlips
Great information! Thanks

[PGBsuperior]

In my casting operation I use 2 fish cookers from Bass Pro. $55 each and they can melt down a ton of 55 lb. ingots in a day which I pour into 10 lb. ingots for feeding to my casting machine. I get 300 lbs. of melt going at a time.

Amy
PGB Superior Cast Bullets
Ranger Texas

[S.R.Custom]

Cheap? Doesn't get any cheaper than free... keep your eye out for one of those old, avocado or harvest gold electric stoves that people put out by the street with "free" signs on them. Set a couple of cast iron pots on the top, turn the burners to high...

With any luck the oven will still work, too. Good for heat treating bullets.

[TedH]

Well, I found a turkey cooker setup at WalMart for $37.00 and a 5 or 7 qt. dutch oven at Bass Pro for about $30.00. This ought to do the trick. With any luck I will need the Turkey Cooker in a couple weeks anyway.:-D

[Scrounger]

Well, I found a turkey cooker setup at WalMart for $37.00 and a 5 or 7 qt. dutch oven at Bass Pro for about $30.00. This ought to do the trick. With any luck I will need the Turkey Cooker in a couple weeks anyway.:-D

Harbor Greight has a big Dutch Oven for $20.

[Lloyd Smale]

there ya go!!
I bought on of those propane turkey cookers on sale, about 200,000 btu's, for $35. Get a cast iron dutch oven and go to town.