What's Your Favorite BIG Burner for Melting Scrap Lead Into Smaller Ingots?

[trapper9260]

I use a cut free on tank and use wood and build a fire around it and then feed it and then flex and a big ladle it in my Lee 1 lb and 1/2 lb ingot molds. The ladle is size in fatnhappy photo above I also the same ladle to pour gang molds if I go that way then the bottom pour for casting.

[gwpercle]

This site needs a like button! We do this a couple times a year even though we are in Arkansas.

LIKE !

You sure right...we need a like button.
Crawfish boils are fun !

[shootinfox2]

This is how I do it.

[Walks]

I use an old Wagner Ware 10" cast iron Dutch oven, no lid. It's a bit different that what's offered today as it has a pouring lip on one side & a lifting tab on the other.
I use a turkey fryer My Wife bought 3 years ago for heat. Lots better then an ancient Coleman stove.

I guess I own a small fortune in ingot molds. I have 3-5 of each of Lyman, Saeco, Ohaus, RCBS, Lee & RCBS-Blank. 40yrs of garage sales, gun shows, hand me downs, etc.

I use different brands to differentiate between types of alloy.

And a Lodge Scone pan, just because I spotted it on blowout at my local Ralph's Market for less then ten bucks.

[Tazza]

I made mine from recycled parts. An old 44 gallon drum, an 80kg lpg (propane) tank and old timber for fuel.

I cut a section of the 80kg tank about 1' long and welded it into a section of the 44 gallon drum. Cut a hole for feeding it fuel, and another to let the smoke out of. Feed it old timber from tree branches or wooden pallets. It holds about 250kg of lead, works great for melting dirty range scrap.

It has started to fail due to not being under cover for a good 3 years. It needs a new 44 gallon drum section as it has gotten quite thin and has lost it's support. It has done well, i have processed 3-4 tonnes with it, so i can't complain about the service before it failed.

I want to make another version using waste engine oil for fuel, it will give better heat as some wood burns hotter than other so you have variation. One day maybe.....

[Liberty1776]

$60 free shipping
210 k BTU beast
Best deal out there
Use a steel cut propane tank
Cast Iron can fail catastrophically

https://www.webstaurantstore.com/bac...554BPHP17.html

I got one of these. What a beast! Haven't smelted yet, but I'm sure it's up to the job.

[Liberty1776]

I use a turkey deep fryer base I got from Bass pro on clearance some 20 years ago. The pot is a 30 lb R134 freon tank. Cut the top off just as it meets the sides then cut two inches down from that to create a ring. Tack weld the ring to the bottom of the tank to form a base. Tou can also get empty helium tanks from party supply stores. With the pot about 3/4 of the way full I can get about 70 ingots from a saeco 4-1lb cavity mold.
This fall to cut my propane expense out of the equation I use a R-134 tank with just the top cut off then cut a hole in the top of a 30 gallon drum to except the tank and welded in to the drum with about two inches sticking up from out of the drum. Cut and welded a piece of four inch long fence post into the top to put 4 inch stove pipe on that. Cut an 8x8 opening in the side and tacked on some 1 inch hinges. Now I have a no fuel cost wood fired melter. Brought it home and set it up in the driveway and my wife ashed it that was a good idea. She said you know the drug helicopters have been flying over this area! Lol.
Dollar Tree has 6 cavity muffin tins $1.00 I fine that they release the ingots better if I smoke them in the wood stove before use.

Can you post some pictures from all angles? Sounds very interesting.

[kidmma]

yes,

some pics would really help this thread!!

[Conditor22]

You really don't need a kazillion BTU's to smelt lead. Actually, if you get the lead to hot it becomes a hazard releasing toxic fumes.

A turkey fryer with a heavier stainless pot works great, I've never turned the heat/flame 1/2 way up.

[psychbiker]

Cut a propane tank in half. Using the bottom as my pot and the other half inverted as a lid to keep heat in. Using a turkey fryer also. Need to improve the wind screen and look for a higher BTU burner now. Those 200k look nice! It takes way too long to get this going. Probably 30min to get Range scrap and wheel weights melted at about 1/3 full pot.

[sailcaptain]

I use an old Cris Wold Two Burner Natural Gas stove.
I found two of them in a yard sale years ago. Gave one to a friend, who still has his and uses it almost as often as I do.
I place it out my patio, which I have a natural gas line out there for a gas grill. The gas grill has long since died but the 1950's 2 burner Cris Wold is still going strong. Beyond that the nice part is when done with the melting and pouring of bullets, I simply hang it up on a hook out of the way.

[40-82 hiker]

As with many, I made a 1/2 20lb. propane tank, and a high-pressure propane burner/stand assembly I got from a used turkey fryer (?). The burner assembly was given to me, and sat around for some years before I needed to smelt lead. It melted all lead stuff quickly, even in the winter here in the high Rockies. However, for safety, I welded a handle on it I made from a horseshoe. Never did like the idea of using vice grips, though many do, seemingly safely...