Bottom Pour Smelter

[Woodsroad]

Well, after a bit of cogitating on the matter, I finally got together with my friend Mike and converted my 32 quart cast iron Dutch Oven to a Bottom Pour Smelter.

It started life looking something like this:

http://bayouclassicdepot.com/images/bc7412_cast_iron_dutch_oven.jpg

We drilled a hole in the bottom and tapped it for 1/4" NPT. Chucked a close nipple in the lathe and cut a 45º bevel on the inside.

http://images17.fotki.com/v372/fileIDip/be333/2/477982/8200068/IMG_0437_edit.jpg

Next we cut a piece of 1/4" SS rod and beveled the end (conical) to mate with the close nipple. This is the valve. The valve guide was made from a piece of unistrut, and welded to the sides of the pot

http://images52.fotki.com/v644/filepMvC/be333/2/477982/8200068/IMG_0380_edit.jpg

The finished valve mechanism:

http://images52.fotki.com/v642/fileGBux/be333/2/477982/8200068/IMG_0442_edit.jpg

And, the beast in action!

http://images54.fotki.com/v563/filevD61/be333/2/477982/8200068/IMG_0505.jpg

It really is a joy to use, but I've already thought of some improvements...

http://images112.fotki.com/v184/fileSyUG/be333/2/477982/8200068/IMG_0502.jpg

[RobS]

Nice work!!!

Now how about giving in to the holiday spirit and send me about 500 lbs of those ingots. :razz:

[OutHuntn84]

Nice work. What improvements are you thinking about making?

[Suo Gan]

I hate to rain on the parade, but I would be worried that nipple would expand more rapidly than the pot and eventually crack it.

[Woodsroad]

Nice work!!!

Now how about giving in to the holiday spirit and send me about 500 lbs of those ingots. :razz:

I was going to do that, but I lost your address again, then I couldn't find a box big enough, and by then it was Friday and I had to work late and...and...and...


Nice work. What improvements are you thinking about making?

Well, the Unistrut is pretty bulky and interferes a bit with skimming clips and dross. It is TIG welded to the pot (Thanks, Mike!) but I'm not sure how good the weld penetration is. It's a difficult thing to weld sheet steel to cast iron. So I'm thinking of eliminating the big piece of uni, just cutting a 2" section to house the valve spring/guide, and joining it to the pot with a short section of 1/4 or 1/2 iron pipe threaded into the side. Also, I'm thinking about a way to move the valve mechanism off the top of the pot entirely, so that I can use the pot lid.

Anyway, I can use my time more productively smelting down the thousand pounds of WW that I have accumulated. The pot works great as-is. Mike's pot will be even better, though.


I hate to rain on the parade, but I would be worried that nipple would expand more rapidly than the pot and eventually crack it.

Expanding nipples....mmmmmm.

[John Guedry]

Pretty work,I am always amazed at the creativness of the folks that hang out on this site.

[Woodsroad]

Pretty work,I am always amazed at the creativness of the folks that hang out on this site.

Thanks, but I would call it "slow inspiration"!

[Mk42gunner]

I am shocked that anybody would use a new galvanized bucket for dross:kidding:. I use an old coffee can that was in bad enough shape I wouldn't scoop dog food with it.

Modifying equipment seems to be a constant for casters.

Robert

[Dale53]

I'm pretty dern impressed! Looks like a serious improvement to what we normally use for smelting.

Dale53

[Woodsroad]

I am shocked that anybody would use a new galvanized bucket for dross:kidding:. I use an old coffee can that was in bad enough shape I wouldn't scoop dog food with it.

Modifying equipment seems to be a constant for casters.

Robert

I plead not guilty, sir. That pail was bought to hold ashes from the woodstove. It needed to look pretty because it sits in front of our house. I just stole it to use for casting. Therefore, it was free.

[Woodsroad]

I'm pretty dern impressed! Looks like a serious improvement to what we normally use for smelting.

Dale53

Well, I don't know what YOU use for smelting, but it is a darn good improvement over what I used to use!

[Boondocker]

That is a damn nice smelter there sir, great idea.

[Woodsroad]

That is a damn nice smelter there sir, great idea.

Thanks.

I'm thinking about ways to simplify the build.

You can avoid welding by using a section of 1/2" pipe, tapped into the side, to support a much shorter section of unistrut (lifter spring housing), but you still need to either find a tapered plug or use a lathe to make one.

[ANeat]

I tried something like that a few years ago and my biggets issue was managing the ingot molds.

Get say 100lbs of lead in there and youre having to jockey around ingot molds that have some of the cavities filled (still liquid) and some empty.

I found that dipping was much faster (for me), you could leave the ingot molds lay and take the lead to them.
I ended up making a 10lb ladle (pouring 5lb ingots)

I seen a commercial smelter that had a rotisery that allowed you to rotate an empty mold under the spout.

Oh, you can use beam clamps to attatch the unistrut to the pot ;)

http://base0.googlehosted.com/base_media?q=http://www.buyhardwaresupplies.com/images/products/newJPGs/31/3138922.jpg&size=4&dhm=6c222235&hl=en

[Woodsroad]

I'm glad you mentioned that about the ingot molds, you are exactly right. There is a scrap yard near here that has some small sections of roller conveyor line. I'm either going to get a section of that or use these with a board under the ingot molds:

http://images.rockler.com/rockler/images/20815-01-500.jpg

[ANeat]

I like that, the conveyor would be really deluxe.