New cast iron Dutch oven

[durango]

I was in the local Walmart sporting goods this evening and noted that they have a 5 Qt Dutch oven for less than $18.00. Seems like a pretty good price--last I checked HF, they were $30.00, but I think theirs is a 6 Qt. Just thought if anyone is looking for one-----Steve

[jsizemore]

Folks will caution you about the cheap Chinese dutch ovens cracking. I started with one and graduated to a large 10 qt. that wasn't fit for cooking food anymore. I took care with how I knock the excess crud, dross and alloy off my ladle, spoon and scraper. I hit the wide face of the handle against the rim of the pot instead of the skinny edge. The idea being the skinny edge focused the force of banging where the wide flat face spread the force. Like banging the side of axe head against a tree instead of the sharpened edge. Not much will happen in comparison. My cheap Chinese dutch oven is still going strong. Part of the problem could be the cheap alloy used contributes to them cracking but a little care may help with their longevity. Good Luck

[country gent]

Another thing to help extend the life and or serviceability of the cast iron pots for lead melting is to warm them before going full blast on the heat. Cast Iron dosnt expand well and starting out full throttle localizes the heat intensifying the expansion in one area. A 10-15 mins warm up about half throttle helps here.

[Tom W.]

I found mine at a Flea Market many years ago. I haven't used in in about 6 years, but the time is coming soon when I'll have to melt my last bucket of COWW.

[lightman]

I still have the old dutch oven that Grandpa used for smelting. I have a larger steel pot now but I still use it for small batches or when melting solder. I probably should engrave something on it to ID that it was used for lead. I've been careful with it, bringing the temp up slowly and avoiding any heavy banging or tapping on it.

[RED BEAR]

unfortunately i threw a whole set of cast iron cookware away. wife wanted a glass top stove and after a few years of saving them i figured i wasn't going to get back into casting so i threw the set away. couldn't have been 2 months later i started casting again. kick myself every time i think about it.

[ulav8r]

Found mine beside a dumpster at the apartment complex I was living in at the time.

[iraiam]

I got one at a thrift store for about $12, it had been taken care of poorly and was badly rusted, but it melts lead just fine. I see cast iron at thrift stores fairly regular, I think many people don't know how to use/maintain it as cookware.

[kevin c]

Out my way the thrifts treat cast iron the way they treat pewter: it's all "vintage", and therefore priced in the stratosphere. Same at estate sales. At a local gun show a vendor apparently thought the same way; he wanted forty bucks for a Dutch oven with lid. Sure the bail had a nice coiled wire handle, but I still passed.

ETA: I didn't remember the price right, that or that same vendor jacked the price another twenty dollars at this past weekend's show. In any case l ended up getting the HF version, which worked fine. I've since upgraded to a propane tank pot for the extra capacity.