enamel on steel for smelting?

[shredder]

Hi there fellow alloy nuts. I am getting ready to do my first wheel weight smelting and my question is the title to this thread. Must I use stainless or will the "roasting pan" type finish on my big pot hold up? I am afraid that the paint will be burning off at lead melting temps and things may get a bit toxic.

What say you fellows?

[Bob Krack]

Good thinkin...

Cast iron or stainless steel are really my only choices.

The "roasting pans" are usually mild steel with a thin porcelain finish. I personally would not try it.

Bob

[shredder]

Thanks Bob. I found a nice stainless pot with rivited handles that fits my turkey fryer base. A bit expensive but I think I may get some use out of it if I keep scrounging wheelweights. I think I will set the enamel pot aside for the wife to plant some flowers in!

[Sasquatch-1]

I got an old refridgerant tank. They are quite a bit smaller then propane and easier to manage. I cut it in half and it will easily hold 50 to 80 pounds of scrap. All I need to do is install a couple of handles.

[shredder]

I got an old refridgerant tank. They are quite a bit smaller then propane and easier to manage. I cut it in half and it will easily hold 50 to 80 pounds of scrap. All I need to do is install a couple of handles.

Sounds interesting. Got pics?

[Sasquatch-1]

No. Not at this time. All I did was take and chuck cut off wheels in a drill and cut just above the weld area in the center of the tank. The bottom half works well on a turkey frier. I drilled out the plastic valve in the top half and it works fair to drain water after washing range scrap. The handle supports it above the ground so the water drains out.

[sqlbullet]

Your best bet is still cast iron. $30 is a little steep for us scroungers, and often I can find them cheaper at garage sales, etc. But it is very much worth while. Cheap insurance against having the bottom of a pot fail under 800° temps and dump 80 lbs of hot lead on your feet.

[shredder]

Your best bet is still cast iron. $30 is a little steep for us scroungers, and often I can find them cheaper at garage sales, etc. But it is very much worth while. Cheap insurance against having the bottom of a pot fail under 800° temps and dump 80 lbs of hot lead on your feet.

That is a nice one from HF. Not sure if those legs will work with my burner setup though.

[sqlbullet]

That is a nice one from HF. Not sure if those legs will work with my burner setup though.

That can be fixed for, at most, another $11.99 + tax.

[shredder]

That can be fixed for, at most, another $11.99 + tax.

HA HA HA!!! Thanks for the chuckle! Trust those guys to have one for that price. Wonder if it would get through the job?

[Hammerlane]

Can we all say BEER KEG Cut in half. The 1 half took me about 5 years of hardcore burning to go thru. Took me about a month to remember where I put the other half. Most bars have to put a $50 deposit on them and when you cut it in half $ 25 for each and they will hold alot to metal. Stainless steel. I put a cajun banjo under it and burn about 800 lbs a day before wear out.

[I'll Make Mine]

HA HA HA!!! Thanks for the chuckle! Trust those guys to have one for that price. Wonder if it would get through the job?

I paid a little more than $12 for my Harbor Freight ("Chicago Electric" brand) angle grinder (it was $18.99, as I recall), but so far it's lasted long enough to pretty much wear out the grinding wheel that came with it, and it's still going strong (I grabbed a ten pack of cutoff wheels last time I was at Harbor Freight, for $10 IIRC, and pulled a couple brand new grinding wheels out of the dumpster at work; I'm set for a while!). It came with an extra pair of brushes, BTW, so I figure if I don't abuse it, I might get several years of service out of it -- or it might fall apart next week; I've already got my use out of it, and when it quits I'll scrap it without regret.

[Lizard333]

I took an old propane tank and cut the top off with an acetylene torch. This was if course after filling with water and draining. I can do more than 200 pounds at a time. Best I got the tank for free.