Fabricator to make a larger pot

[DUKE NUKEM]

I am looking for someone to make one about 2 to 3 times bigger than this one and taller. Pipe with a bottom welded on it.

[no_1]

Duke,

If I may suggest going with the idea you have of a large pipe with a bottom welded to it but put it on sturdy legs that have flat platea welded to the bottom of each leg where they touch the ground (distrubutes the weight on soft ground). Have the unit made so your current burner unit will slide under it between the legs. The full weight of the lead and smelting pot will be fully supported by it's own legs.

R.

[dragonrider]

I am not a btu specialist but perhaps others can help with this, will you current burner have enough btu's to use with a pot of the size you mention????? Bigger pots need bigger burners, or are you going to get or make a larger burner?

[DUKE NUKEM]

I am not a btu specialist but perhaps others can help with this, will you current burner have enough btu's to use with a pot of the size you mention????? Bigger pots need bigger burners, or are you going to get or make a larger burner?

I run this one at 25% to 35% so yes. Are you able to fabricate a pot for me?

[garandsrus]

Duke,

You might consider getting a pouring spout put in the pot also so that you just need to slide the molds under it to fill them

John

[DUKE NUKEM]

I have played around with that idea.

[mikenbarb]

Hello, Im an ironworker and certified welder and if you send me dimensions, I will be able to price it for you. Thanks, Mike
And yes, I can weld on a pour spout or whatever you like.

[DUKE NUKEM]

18" to 20" ID
18" high

[compass will]

Duke, you should be able to find a local who can weld something up for you. What you want would cost big money to ship. I think one design I have seen is based on a gas fired hot water heater?

My thoughts are anything bigger then I already got would be a PITA to store. At some point the neighbors might complain and turn you in, then the board of health is after you because you have this industrial size device around that is contaminating the neighborhood with lead fumes Some times keeping your operation smaller and mobile can keep you out of trouble.

[mikenbarb]

I just sent you a pm with some details and price. I dont think its as bad to make and ship as what some think it will be. Thanks. PS- I have never heard of anyone getting turned in for a large melting pot(Unless you got real bad neighbors) and as long as its not a commercial business, I dont think theres any codes to prevent what size you can use. Go for it! Bigger IS better.LOL.

[deltaenterprizes]

When you get a pot that big you are going to need insulation or at least a shield around it as any small breeze will remove plenty of heat. You will also need a sturdy stable base.
I had a friend build a large copy of a RCBS bottom pour pot and used a 55 gal drum as a shield, it would hold 4 five gal buckets of recovered lead from an indoor range that would reduce to 5" after all the trash was removed. 1" was 100 lbs and I used steel bread loaf pans for ingot molds that made 25 lb ingots. You will need 4 burners the size of the one you are using now with a frame made from solid steel not tubing.

[sundog]

MOAS

it's a lot of work...

[DUKE NUKEM]

Duke, you should be able to find a local who can weld something up for you. What you want would cost big money to ship. I think one design I have seen is based on a gas fired hot water heater?

My thoughts are anything bigger then I already got would be a PITA to store. At some point the neighbors might complain and turn you in, then the board of health is after you because you have this industrial size device around that is contaminating the neighborhood with lead fumes Some times keeping your operation smaller and mobile can keep you out of trouble.

Board of health? Huh! Sorry Will but until two weeks ago it was 2 to 3 hours for the police response. Besides were only talking a couple inches bigger each way and I'm moving again. This is our party house. The stink comes from all the greasy **** that has collected on the weights. When I pull the clips out they smoke for about 5 nasty minutes.
When I had the huge wall full of killer bees, the city told me to deal with it myself. Typical Vegas response.

[DUKE NUKEM]

The measurement on the existing pot is 5 1/2 inches high on the inside and 14 inch diameter.

[mikenbarb]

Its not alot of work and will take about an hour or two to make one with everything full pen welded, Handles installed, Ground down nice with a pour spout and removable legs installed. I have a small welding shop in my garage with all the right equipment. Its what I do for a living and im good at what I do and have been fabricating steel and aluminum for 25 years. As far as a wind shield goes, You just have to recess the bottom plate inside the tube approx. 2 inches to hold the heat and it will be plenty good for melting lead with a minimum 50,000 BTU burner with a minimun 4 inch distance from the flame. And the frame would be made of square tube stock as solid bar would bend much easier than the square schedual 40 or 60. Its verticle weight and a 1" tube would hold it with weight to spare.(Not that I would use it but you could Safely)

[Shotgun Luckey]

I made a heat/wind shield out of an old smoker...I notched it to slide over the legs of my turkey frier burner and goes nearly to the ground. Cuts melt time down a LOT...especially when I put the lid on it.

[DUKE NUKEM]

Its not alot of work and will take about an hour or two to make one with everything full pen welded, Handles installed, Ground down nice with a pour spout and removable legs installed. I have a small welding shop in my garage with all the right equipment. Its what I do for a living and im good at what I do and have been fabricating steel and aluminum for 25 years. As far as a wind shield goes, You just have to recess the bottom plate inside the tube approx. 2 inches to hold the heat and it will be plenty good for melting lead with a minimum 50,000 BTU burner with a minimun 4 inch distance from the flame. And the frame would be made of square tube stock as solid bar would bend much easier than the square schedual 40 or 60. Its verticle weight and a 1" tube would hold it with weight to spare.(Not that I would use it but you could Safely)

Sounds real good after talking to you on the phone today Mike. Just a-waiting your phone call after you talk to your metal dealer.

[mikenbarb]

Duke, Pleasure talking with you also and I will call you tommorow with a price for it. What I will do is price it for you as a prototype and if you like it just post some pics and your thoughts and I will offer to make custom sized melting pots and large ingot molds to Cast Boolits members for a discounted price. I will also be able to offer some smaller sizes in stainless steel for better durability. I have been making these for years but it never crossed my mind that others would be in need of them. Thank you and I will talk with you tommorow, Mike

[Red River Rick]

Duke:

If your going to go thru the trouble of having a pot made up, maybe something along these lines, but larger, would serve your purpose better. No heavy lifting, just tilt and pour.

I made this up a number of years ago, out of an old hydraulic cylinder. It works good, and the nice part is there is no lifting and less chance of spilling the molten lead on yourself.

RRR

[DUKE NUKEM]

Duke, Pleasure talking with you also and I will call you tommorow with a price for it. What I will do is price it for you as a prototype and if you like it just post some pics and your thoughts and I will offer to make custom sized melting pots and large ingot molds to Cast Boolits members for a discounted price. I will also be able to offer some smaller sizes in stainless steel for better durability. I have been making these for years but it never crossed my mind that others would be in need of them. Thank you and I will talk with you tommorow, Mike

Sounds great Mike. I was particuliarly impressed with the fact that you have a circle cutter and could make the bottom fit the pot instead just a square plate welded on. And yes! that is a "can do" on the pics. I will post pics of the pot and my smelting operation in progress.