How to get a large chunk of lead in the smelting pot?

[Pilgrim]

I use a simple propane torch. One of those you can get at "X" hardware for ~ $10 or so. If you want to melt a bunch really fast, use a weed burner. You can buy those for about $15 or so at Harbour Freight. Just make sure you have something under the lead where you are burning to catch the drips. A piece of angle iron works well. You just want to make sure your receptacle will fit into your pot in one dimension or another. Don't worry about heating the lead up so far you will get vapors. The lead melts and drips away long before you reach that temperature.

When I'm in a hurry, I also use the propane torch to help heat the pot to get the lead melted and up to temp more quickly. FWIW...Pilgrim

[wonderwolf]

Log splitter if you have one .....

[jrfixer]

I had the same problem and found that a demo hammer was the way to go. Now I have 9 blocks that are around 500 lbs each so the ROI on the demo hammer was easily justified. I bought a Bosh for $200 at Home Depot. I can cut about 40lbs off in about 1/2 hour.





Here is a link to my lead cutting thread



JR

[swingpress]

I tried the big pot idea today. All I really accomplished was fire-testing the ammo-can I keep my primers in. My Coleman stove didn't seem to be burning right and certainly wasn't up to the task of getting 200lb of lead up to 700deg. I got it well over 212 in a few hours before giving up once the sun started going down and I knew it would only get colder.

I probably should have put some smaller pieces of lead in the bottom of the pot for conduction. Maybe I'll try again if I can get my stove running right. Otherwise, I guess I'm looking for more BTU.

[spurrit]

Y'all need to stop and think first. Handling 80-200 lbs. of molten lead with half assed equipment is really dangerous.


Also, the wood splitter is kinda impractical. At $1500, that's kinda expensive.

[jonk]

Weed burner. It will be hot enough to melt it fast but not so hot as to vaporize it as it is just propane. Harbor freight has them for under $20.

[wonderwolf]

Y'all need to stop and think first. Handling 80-200 lbs. of molten lead with half assed equipment is really dangerous.


Also, the wood splitter is kinda impractical. At $1500, that's kinda expensive.

Yeah thats why I said if you have one....try and bum one off your neighbor lol. I used a chop saw once to 2 50 pound camera weights that contained rather pure lead encased in a steel sheath. for the sheeting from a X ray room an axe works well...log splitter tipped up is good....I've never tried a splitting maul though

[spurrit]

Out of the blue today, the answer to this question occured to me-get one of these:

http://www.milwaukeeconnect.com/weba...192150_192137#



Be carefull, though. Some numbnuts around here was wearing loose fitting gloves, and got tired of hearing pipe hit the concrete, so he put his hand underneath to catch it. He no longer has 10 fingers.

[mauser1959]

Remember a good share of your local garages have at least a 20 ton hydraulic press with a sharp blade and most would cut the lead for you into managable sizes for a 12 pack ... which seems cheap to me . Well at least out here in the sticks the guys in the garages are willing to accomodate such a request without ******** and will love you and the beer. And once you let out that you want WWs you might get a couple of buckets of them too. I know that some of the most under appreciated guys on the block are the tire guys and the small town garages.

[spurrit]

Here in Wichita, it's damn near impossible to get any of these little favors done for beer or money anymore.