stanless steel melting pot

[testhop]

does andbody use stanless steel as a melting pot .
i have been useing one and no problum have i just been lucky .
or is it a safe?
stanless pots are lighter and faster to heat up.

[Calamity Jake]

I don't use one to cast in but use an 8 gt. SS pressure cooker for a smelting pot.
The RCBS Pro Melt casting pot has a SS pot in it. So SS works good.

[zuke]

I picked up an SS pressure cooker and it work's great!

[Von Gruff]

When I started casting I had a pair of SS kitchen pots that I used. Get nearly 100lbs in the large one for smelting and about 30lb in the smaller one for casting from.
Been using them ever since with no problems. Have a couple of other pots as well now but the initial SS units are a mainstay.

Von Gruff.

[roysha]

What is the basis for this question? I have never heard of any problem with SS in this context (melting lead) so I'm curious as to why this question was asked.

[bumpo628]

I bought a small SS pan from a thrift store to get started. I still use it for smelting.
I think the OP was confusing SS with Aluminum pots. You shouldn't use aluminum for anything regarding melting lead.

[mold maker]

All pots were made with the intinsion of using them for cooking. The spot welds or rivets that attach handles were intended for that purpose and very well may fail if used to move a full pot of lead. Other than that, SS should be great. Most of us use SS kitchen utensils for stiring and dipping melt.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I recently bought a interesting piece of cookware at goodwill,
a 8 qt stock pot that is double wall stainless steel,
and I'm not speaking of the double or triple clad bottom.
the bottom appears solid, but the side walls appear
to have an air space...I think that'll be nearly as good
as insulated...Right ?
i haven't tried it yet, maybe in a week or two.
Jon

PS: I have only uses stainless for smelting Lead and Lead alloys

[WILCO]

I do all of my smelting with a cast iron skillet.

[mroliver77]

Actually stainless is a poor conductor of heat. This is good for the side walls as it will not lose heat as fast as steel or iron pots. The double wall is good especially if there is a vacuum in the void. The bottom will not transfer the heat into the pot near as readily as steel or cast will. That is why a lot of SS pots and pans have a copper coating on the bottom. I doubt it is an issue though especially if one is using a propane burner under it.
Does my heart good to see others recycling pots and pans for a very useful cause.
Jay

[Bret4207]

I use a large SS measuring cup for a ladle pot. I think it's a 12 cup, about 5" wide and 6" high IIRC, holds over 40 pounds of alloy. My dross accumulation was cut in half at least when I switched from a cast iron pot.

[Tracy]

I bought a small SS pan from a thrift store to get started. I still use it for smelting.
I think the OP was confusing SS with Aluminum pots. You shouldn't use aluminum for anything regarding melting lead.

I've melted many batches of lead in an old aluminum pressure cooker. Why shouldn't I use it? Sure, it will wear out quicker than steel or (preferably) cast iron, but it hasn't done so yet.

[bumpo628]

I've melted many batches of lead in an old aluminum pressure cooker. Why shouldn't I use it? Sure, it will wear out quicker than steel or (preferably) cast iron, but it hasn't done so yet.

I have read several horror stories of aluminum pots melting through and dumping molten lead all over the place. It doesn't make sense according to the high melting point, but there could be hot spots and / or weak spots in the pot. I don't want to have to figure out what to do with 100 lbs of lead that quickly, so I'll stick to steel or cast iron.

See this thread for more info about the "slump temp" of aluminum.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=112187

[shotman]

the cheap SS stock pots like you see at big lots dollar store. are very thin and will get holes in them . I had one was useing and went to talk on phone . I come back in about 10 min and had about 60lbs of mess. I f the lead had of run the other way it would have melted the gas hose. could have been a bad day. Just watch them

[dragonrider]

I think stainless is a good choice IF the bottom of the pot is solid stainless and NOT laminated. One must also consider that stainless cookware is made from the cheapest material available. I made my smelting pot from a section of 8" pipe and a piece of 3/32" 400 series stainless for the bottom. As stainless cannot be cut with an acetylene torch I am certain that the bottom of my pot will not fail. I have been using it for about 15 years now and the bottom is as good now as when I built it.

[John Boy]

Actually stainless is a poor conductor of heat.

Not if the bottom of the pot is copper! Use the SS pot with a copper bottom to make alloy ingots. Will melt the ingots faster than a cast iron, etc

The Revere pots with the copper bottoms have a plastic handle fastened with screws, not rivets. Easy to hold the handle and pour into the muffin tins

[randyrat]

If you cast in cold, even cool weather you need cast iron. A good cold breeze in a stainless will cause you to lose heat too fast. I found this with trial and error.
You lose too much through the walls of the pot, it is tough to keep the beans/heat poured to the pot. Cast iron is the best and the safest.

[hunterldh]

I use a large SS measuring cup for a ladle pot.......................... My dross accumulation was cut in half at least when I switched from a cast iron pot.

Bret - Why do you get less dross with SS than with cast iron ? Best regards, Hunter

[bstarling]

Some stainless steel pots have their handles riveted on with ALUMINUM rivets. Just a heads up.

Bill

[Wayne Smith]

Bret - Why do you get less dross with SS than with cast iron ? Best regards, Hunter

You get less dross because some of the dross is rust from the cast iron. When I empty my pot I will frequently pour out a layer of iron oxide at the end, entrapped under the lead.