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View Full Version : Dilema on my smelting setup



machinisttx
09-29-2009, 10:32 PM
I'm just about finished building a new burner stand and only lack installing the burner and a windscreen. I bought a cheap fish cooker/turkey fryer that claimed to have a 150K BTU burner and plan to rob the burner from it. It looks exactly like this one, link (http://bayouclassicdepot.com/bg10_cast_iron_burner.htm) but is on a ten pound regulator. We did light it and it puts off quite a bit of heat. I'm going to be using a 16 quart dutch oven and I'm not sure if I should just go ahead and buy a banjo burner + 20 pound regulator. Alternatively, it appears that I may be able to order just an orifice and regulator kit.

Thoughts?

Echo
09-30-2009, 12:51 PM
Use what you have - it will put out plenty of heat. It will help if you make a wind break of some kind to keep the wind from blowing the heat away. And remember to use the least heat you can, to do the job. Using too much heat will possibly melt the occasional zincie into the alloy, and also increase the rate of oxidation.

machinisttx
09-30-2009, 01:38 PM
I plan on adding a sheet metal windbreak around the pot, and funneling the burner windscreen to direct the heat to the pot and not the metal frame of my stand. I need to weld in a couple more small pieces to cut down on heat loss, but hopefully I'll be finished and posting pics of it tonight....maybe with a load of melted wheelweights in it. :)

evan price
10-01-2009, 02:23 AM
My turkey fryer setup came with exactly that burner and 10# regulator. I use a stainless steel stock pot (12 quart) and I have no problems AT ALL melting wheel weights quickly. When cold I run it about half way on the regulator to get things melted, then taper it down a lot less to keep it liquid. As a matter of fact it gets hot enough on full blast to melt aluminum with no trouble at all- my stock pot turned out to have a 1/4" aluminum plate in the bottom between two layers of stainless steel and when I turned it up all the way it melted the aluminum plate.
You only need so many BTU's and anything more is really a waste and can lead to overheating the lead. Too hot will overoxidize the lead and you get a LOT of wasteage due to dross formation.

NavyRedneck
10-01-2009, 08:37 AM
My zinc solution:

hand sort beforehand and throw away any riveted wheelweights

buy a lead thermometer and keep the temps low, I think I remember keeping 700F as my maximum. I adjusted the gas flow based on that temp.

machinisttx
10-01-2009, 11:20 AM
Evan: thanks for the info. I was hoping to use it today, but it decided to rain.

Navy: I've got two buckets that are already sorted. going to buy more today I guess and sort them since I can't do any melting.

evan price
10-01-2009, 09:09 PM
Navy Redneck, that's a good start, but there are quite a few zinc wheel weights that are not riveted but instead poured like lead ones. I see a lot of them. Honda is especially bad with these.

runfiverun
10-01-2009, 10:36 PM
the 700* melt temp wonn't melt zinc.
i figured 35k btu was min for meling ww's etc..
i use the two burner set up and alternate two pots on a 5 gal tank it works as fast as i need it too.