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Boolseye
10-28-2010, 07:30 AM
Hey folks,
glad to be on the site. I'm preparing to smelt for the first time, and I have a smelting pot question. These are my potential smelting pots: a cast iron pot I picked up at an antiques shop for $15, and a monster of a cast iron kettle my old man gave me. The pot has what appears to be black paint on it–the kettle has rust and mineral deposits from years on a pot-bellied stove somewhere. I was just gonna wire-brush 'em up, maybe put the blow torch to the pot and get the paint off. Whaddya think? I will be smelting fairly low volume, range lead and wheel weights, using paraffin and sawdust as fluxes.

WILCO
10-28-2010, 08:42 AM
Don't ruin your cast iron cookware for "smelting" unless it's the chinese stuff.
The kettle won't work as you need room to ladle the garbage out of the smelt.
You can find a cheap chinese cast iron skillet at a thrift store or purchase a RCBS melting pot on e-bay, Midway USA.

RCBS Lead Pot
Product #: 523105
Manufacturer #: 80010
Status:Available
$21.49

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=523105

kbstenberg
10-28-2010, 08:47 AM
Welcome Boolseye to the best site to learn Bullet casting. Don't be afraid to ask whatever is giving you prob. Others have overcome the same obstacles an can help. The only dumb question is the one not asked.
Most everyday questions are answered in the stickies.
Your pictures are awful dark. But your pots look kind of small. But for starters they will do just fine. You can always upgrade.
The wire wheel sounds good, whatever doesn't come off won't hurt anything.
What kind of heat source are u going to use. Most casters use old Turkey frier's. There is a post in the stickies showing different styles of heat sources. I use an old BBQ grill. Converted to my needs that i scrounged from the local dump. If u need a burner i could prob scrounge 1 for u. All it would cost is postage. Just send me a PM.
Kevin

WILCO
10-28-2010, 08:54 AM
As an after thought, what's your heating source going to be for smelting? All of my smelting is done with a hotplate and chinese cast iron skillet.

jmsj
10-28-2010, 09:04 AM
Boolseye,
Welcome !!
The cast iron should work ok. WILCO brings up a good point, some cast iron brings pretty good money to collectors. If they are desireable pieces you could sell them and use the money to buy gear.
If it doesn't matter to you, it should work fine. The rust and scale can be removed w/ a wire wheel or CLR or something similar.
Welcome to the madness, jmsj

Boolseye
10-28-2010, 10:20 AM
I have a Coleman-type camp stove I plan to use for smelting. Good point on the cookware–didn't think of that.

D Crockett
10-28-2010, 10:54 AM
boolseye I will make you one out of a 20lb propane tank for just $25 delivered to you and will throw in a bar of fluxing wax and a ingot mould D Crockett

Boolseye
10-28-2010, 11:26 AM
Thanks D Crockett, Kbstenberg but I think I'm OK for now. I appreciate everyone's input.

fryboy
10-28-2010, 11:39 AM
the very cheapest route i have seen ( besides free ) 10 bux

http://www.harborfreight.com/10-cast-iron-dutch-oven.html

cut and grind the legs off if needed , they have a bigger one but unless ur doing alot it isnt needed

a.squibload
10-31-2010, 05:14 PM
Someone here mentioned you should check cast iron for cracks before you fill it up and melt.
Just in case!

Boolseye
10-31-2010, 09:59 PM
Thanks, folks. All good advice.

mdi
11-01-2010, 12:07 PM
Welcome! Lead melting isn't rocket science but use your head and you'll be good. I made my smelting pot out of an old 8" socket (axel nut socket for large cranes), and use a single burner Coleman stove. I don't know about collector's value for castiron cookwear, but agree with the previous posts, check it out before you melt lead in them. The paint will burn off your pot, just don't stand with your face over the pot and breathe the smoke. Same goes with any smelting, stand upwind. Molten lead is hot, take common sense precautions; wear shoes, wear long pants, use gloves, and (from personal experience!), wear some kind of eye protection. Eventually you will get burned. Make sure you wait before picking up a newly cast boolit (I once was so excited I made some good boolits I picked one up too soon, ouch!) When I get a bunch of wheel weights and scrap lead I just visually inspect it; don't bother to clean it, grease acts a little like flux. Use muffin pans or corn bread pans for ingot molds and if you want fancy, buy an ingot mold from Seaco, or Lyman. Lead poisoning from bullet casting is in my opinion, not an issue; just wash your hands when you're done and don't chew on any boolits when you'e casting.

Casting your own bollits is a great addition to shooting/reloading and very rewarding, and for me a lot of fun (just wait 'till you start making your own lube!). Just go slow and you can cast for years without too many scars...[smilie=w:

Boolseye
11-01-2010, 12:50 PM
Thanks mdi. I'm looking forward to it. The guy I buy bullets from told me the same thing (you will get burned).

montana_charlie
11-01-2010, 01:11 PM
If what you call a 'kettle' could also be called a 'tea pot' (too dark for me to see), it may be a handy thing for smelting lead and 'pouring' ingots...rather than 'ladling' them.
CM

Boolseye
11-01-2010, 04:30 PM
Exactly! I'm gonna try it–the thing weighs over 16 lbs and has a rugged handle.