smelting pot bottom poor valve with store bought parts.

So my cast iron pot has developed a crack in the bottom. I do not want to test how long that crack will hold lead. So I decided to cut a propanr tank in half and remove the valve to make a bottom poor casting pot.
My problem is I dont have a lot of access to tools/spare parts hardware to make the valve parts. Right now its just a 90' black pipe to 3/8" pipe . It fits the turkey fryer well.
The local hardware stores are awful for any decent selection of usuable items.

So anyone have a bottom poor valve they assembled with off the shelf store bought parts?

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...r-smelting-pot!

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Originally Posted by NyFirefighter357

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...r-smelting-pot!

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yeah but he made some of his valve parts on a lathe


"My brother has a small lathe that I performed the tapering of the shaft. This could also be accomplished with a grinder and a 45 degree jig, then put in a drill or drill press and finished up with a file and sand paper. I started with a piece of 5/8 inch all thread, turned the lower section down to 1/2 inch to remove the threads, then finished with the taper.

Shad "

Im trying to do a 100% off the shelf pot/bottom poor valve

Have never tried this, but you got me thinking.

On the end or your pipe adapt to a piece of 3/8” copper or stainless tube. Connect a piece of tube, then wrap the tube tightly with steel wire. The wire is to keep the tubing from kinking when you bend it, but as long as you’re wrapping make a handle. As long as the end of the tube is above the top of the melt the lead won’t run. Put a T on the end of the tube, the bottom is the spout the top allows air so the lead will clear the spout. Lower it to your ingot mold and it’ll run. Might get a little messy in practice, wear all your protective gear!

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Originally Posted by JimB..

Have never tried this, but you got me thinking.

On the end or your pipe adapt to a piece of 3/8” copper or stainless tube. Connect a piece of tube, then wrap the tube tightly with steel wire. The wire is to keep the tubing from kinking when you bend it, but as long as you’re wrapping make a handle. As long as the end of the tube is above the top of the melt the lead won’t run. Put a T on the end of the tube, the bottom is the spout the top allows air so the lead will clear the spout. Lower it to your ingot mold and it’ll run. Might get a little messy in practice, wear all your protective gear!

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im sure I will figure something out. Im just busy and lazy and Actually making stuff just does not get done. I have just about everything but a decent valve. If I had a lathe I would be done already. Dont know any machinist to call on with out paying way to much.

Use a close nipple 3/4" to fit tank and a coupler then a 3/8-3/4 adapter in the coupler. use a counter sink to cut angle and form matching angle on rod then lap together.

Having smelted about 5000 lbs of range scrap in my propane tank pot I would be leery of a bottom pour pot. There is just too much junk in the scrap. Most of it floats on the lead but some sticks to the bottom until I scrape it loose.

Using a stand pipe about an inch or two long eliminates that problem.

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Originally Posted by Idz

Having smelted about 5000 lbs of range scrap in my propane tank pot I would be leery of a bottom pour pot. There is just too much junk in the scrap. Most of it floats on the lead but some sticks to the bottom until I scrape it loose.

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if its stuck to the bottom I wont care much. I will flux my lead when casting anyway so Im not to concerned with that.

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Originally Posted by country gent

Use a close nipple 3/4" to fit tank and a coupler then a 3/8-3/4 adapter in the coupler. use a counter sink to cut angle and form matching angle on rod then lap together.

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yeah starting to drift away from the elcheapo project. Trying to avoid buying more tools and stuff. I had the pipe scraps kicking around and have the rough parts for the valve works. Just not the actual valve "pintle seal/seat" set up... looks like I will have to chuck some stock up in the drill and file something down to size ? Also thinking of welding a large steel ball bearing I have to a rod and trying that ?

I’m happy I decided not to go that route after rendering 16 buckets of range scrap.
I learned using a round point trenching shovel to remove the junk is a very good thing. It works good for stirring in flex too.
This keeps your face out of the pot and gives you a little more distance in case something pops.
Pablo

https://youtu.be/kBAOfkhrKoAGetting closer
https://youtu.be/kBAOfkhrKoA

I can get a good seal with hand pressure after lapping.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YV-qzD2EWuc