Smelting small volume with a hot plate and cast iron pot

[Airman Basic]

As others have said, I use the Lee Magnum Melter for smelting. Does enough to keep me casting, instant setup:
http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-.../dp/B00162RW52
Cheap, too.

[Beesdad]

As others have said, I use the Lee Magnum Melter for smelting. Does enough to keep me casting, instant setup:
http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-.../dp/B00162RW52
Cheap, too.

Now that is the best deal I have seen... Free shipping too

[Green Frog]

Just reading this thread, I remembered that I have an antique lead casting set (1930s?) to make toy lead soldiers. The lead melter is a small dipper looking device with an electric coil included inside. For short test runs of bullets with a new mould or alloy, I'm thinking this might be the way to go. Has anyone else tried this technique?

Froggie

[zxcvbob]

I burned up my old hotplate yesterday, literally *smelting* on it (reducing lead oxide to metal) rather than just melting lead scrap. I should know better by now, but I had about 5 pounds of lead oxide...

The new hotplate from Walgreens gets plenty hot enough, but its thermostat cycles off and on too much so it really takes a long time.

I am thinking about digging the old one out of the trash (the heating element still works just fine) and making an open metal frame for it instead of the enclosed plastic that burned up. Have the element on all the time w/ no switch, and open sides where the air can circulate so the wires don't burn up. I can silver-solder the connections because the slip-on connectors seem to be what eventually lose springiness, get loose, overheat, and start the fire.

If that Lee magnum pot was 5 or 6 inches instead of just 4 I'd be all over it.

[dikman]

Froggie, no reason that shouldn't work - as long as it's only clean lead that goes in.

[bruce381]

""start the fire""
that kinda sounds like a deal breaker to me

[zxcvbob]

""start the fire""
that kinda sounds like a deal breaker to me

Yeah, that's why I'm looking for a higher-temperature connector (braze it with 40% silver) when I rebuild it on an open metal frame.

I don't think those cheap plastic hotplates were designed for running full-tilt for over an hour. I was kind of abusing it cooking the lead oxide, right after melting 20 pounds of lead w/o letting it cool down.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Just reading this thread, I remembered that I have an antique lead casting set (1930s?) to make toy lead soldiers. The lead melter is a small dipper looking device with an electric coil included inside. For short test runs of bullets with a new mould or alloy, I'm thinking this might be the way to go. Has anyone else tried this technique?

Froggie

Like this ?
except the coil is not inside the ladle
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hot-P...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

[boho]

PM sent to GhostHawk for info on campfire smelting.

[Green Frog]

Like this ?
except the coil is not inside the ladle
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hot-P...E&gclsrc=aw.ds

Sort of, but not exactly. I'll have to drag it out for my next casting session and see whether it still works. I'm thinking it will be just the thing to make a run of 25 test bullets using a new mould or a different alloy. If it actually works out, I'll try to include a picture of the ladle.

Froggie

[hendere]

I've used a hot plate for a few years now, along with a Lyman 10 pound pot. I'm guessing I've done about 450 pounds of wheel weights and plumbing lead. I picked up a yard sale Coleman gas stove a while back, and this weekend I bought an $8 stainless 3 quart sauce pan from Walmart. It was easily twice as fast, both for scooping the dross and for melting. I can't see going back to the hot plate. Also, just for the record, I've had neighbors come over to see what the smell is when I've done large amounts (for me anyway) in the past. I get along well with them and it wasn't a problem, but if your neighbors aren't as cool as mine I can see someone complaining when the wheelweights are really dirty.

[cdngunner]

No problem

[Green Frog]

I'm getting a "bad link" message for the attachment, cdngunner. What should I be seeing"

Froggie

[AlaskanGuy]

I use a Coleman gasoline campstove and a 4qt stainless steel soup pot. I start out with the Pot heaping full of COWW's, and yield about 35lbs of ingots...That takes about 45 minutes. A Quart of Gasoline (what the coleman tank holds) lasts about 2 hours. The smokiness comes from the Flux and garbage you choose not to sort out of your COWW's. Once I did 3 buckets of Auto Battery terminals, many had some plastic insulation on them...That was a Smoky, stinky mess...But I'd do it again

Jon, i cant believe your doing this.. Dont you know them plastics and battery terminal and such are toxic??. And... And.. Awww heck.. I do it too... :P

[UBER7MM]

Try melting them in a coffee can over a camp fire.....

[popper]

I do as JonB - minus the handle that broke off. I do use the Academy $25 fryer & the bottle off the outdoor grill. Wife just gave me a 8 hole steel muffin tin she was throwing out. I started smelting with the sauce pan & a MAPP torch. NO, the hot plate will not work well or very long. Remove the rubber & junk before you smelt & it won't smoke much. Just tell em you got some bad meat.

[gwpercle]

I bought a new hot plate, like the one in your post and returned it...there is some sort of safety device that keeps shutting the electricity off just as the lead was starting to melt. This makes them useless. An old one with exposed coils might work, but these new ones don't.
Before getting a Lee electric pot (which melts just fine) I cast from an iron pot on the kitchen stove, gas or electric will get hot enough. Have a vented hood over the stove and would turn fan on high to keep any fumes/smoke out the house.
Gary

[shadowcaster]

A cast iron or heavy steel pot will be fine for small batches, but electric burners are slow and will often cycle. they are best suited to mold warmers. I would just bite the boolit and get a propane burner for smelting. This one is just right for small batches, doesn't cost much, and will run off the small propane bottles or a larger one.

http://www.kitchenemporium.com/Evoo-...l#.U4fdmFIUUwo

Good luck
Shad

[kenn]

In case you guys missed it earlier in the thread, I got a Lee Magnum Melter (electric 20lb) to smelt AND cast initially. I'll get a Lee bottom pour at some point but for the time being, I'll do both in this pot. I got a Rowell #1 to ladle and I'll be using pine sawdust for flux.

[shadowcaster]

In case you guys missed it earlier in the thread, I got a Lee Magnum Melter (electric 20lb) to smelt AND cast initially. I'll get a Lee bottom pour at some point but for the time being, I'll do both in this pot. I got a Rowell #1 to ladle and I'll be using pine sawdust for flux.

If you use only 1 pot, make sure you clean it very thoroughly between every smelting and casting session. If not, you will end up with dirt and junk in your boolits.

Shad