Will a bronze washer hold up to the heat?

[nvreloader]

I have to use 2-bronze washers, 1/8" thick with a 5/8" hole,
to seal on each side of the tanks bottom valve of my small melting pot.

I could not get/find any copper washers of this size.

Can/will this bronze washer hold up to the heat of melting lead?

Any better Ideas for sealing this valve up, so it won't leak?

The thickness of this pot material is around .045" thick on the bottom.

It is a balloon filling Helium tank, I cut the top off, 9-1/2" inside diameter.

Tia,
Don

[ericandelaine1975]

This is the best i can do to help.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Hossfly]

I have made copper washers out of copper tubing, just cut length wise flatten out on something flat and cut to shape. Anneal so it will be softer for a sealing washer. Bout 1’’ Tubing should work cut about 2’’ off and go to town. Bronze will work but not as soft, and wont melt either.

[NyFirefighter357]

I bet that bronze is on the lower melting point, prob has a high zinc content. I'd hit it with a propane torch see how it holds up.

[nvreloader]

Well Guys

The bronze washers will not work, they turned kinda grainy,
when I hit them with the Mapp gas torch, I don't think I'll trust them.

So, I'll make several copper washers from the section of 1" copper pipe, I had laying around,
I'll drill them 5/8" and then sandwich all of them between HD steel washers on a 5/8" bolt,
and turn them round to fit the seal area..

So I know things will hold together.........and not leak.

Thanks all,

Tia,
Don

[labradigger1]

Only a little over 200 degrees difference of melting points of copper vs brass, either way you should not get anywhere near 1500 degrees smelting lead.
Why not take a bronze plug as shown in post 2 and thread the pot with a pipe tap then drill/lap the bronze plug?

[nvreloader]

labradigger1

I can't use a plug, the material on this pot is only .045" thick at the bottom.

I made a brass threaded valve, so I can sandwich (now) copper washers,
between the valve main body, tank bottom and the steel nut, which secures the valve into the bottom of the tank.

There is a 1/4" NPT extension threads on the bottom of the valve, for the 90* Black pipe elbow,
for the 1/4" black pipe to exit underneath, the main LPG burner will keep the exit pipe hot, when pouring of ingots etc.

The top of this valve is tapered to 60* along with the down rod end etc, and will be lapped in, on the final assembly,
the top of the valve will sit about 3/4 to 1" above the tank bottom.

I have a smaller LPG tank, same size as this tank, I was going to use, but I can't get the main top valve out,
so I am very leary of doing anything with it, as I smell the LPG smell etc.

If I could get the valve out, I could run a hose from my running truck exhaust inside the tank,
for a few minutes, while I am cutting it in half with the Sawsall etc.

I don't need another KABOOM, one is enough for me.........LOL

Tia,
Don