Show us your smelting hand tools and setup

[Conditor22]

Kind of a redneck "setup" (tools I use) but they get the job done:
L to R. pine sawdust, wax, big dipper, skimmer, spatula= skimmer, whisk for fluxing small dipper, Mesh Net Strainer on a pole for fluxing and skimming, channel locks for tilting the pot when the pot starts to ger empty, ( I use 2 channel locks to dump my molds, saves on my heavy welding gloves



on the shelf, can + bowl for skimming into; 1 1/2 angle iron ingot molds (with 8 5-cavity ingot molds it doesn't take long to empty the pot
propane burner with medium steel pot, small burner with small cast pot, large steel pot

[Green Frog]

That's kinda the purpose of the whole hand loading tool regimen... there is no set-up! You might be able to see the gear in use, but it's only "set up" when it's actually in use, and then there is not set-up. Maybe next time I have the old 310 stuff out and in operation I can take a picture of it on the kitchen table.

Froggie

[slim1836]

So what is the whisk used for? I have my suspicions but never used one in rendering.

Slim

[Conditor22]

The whisk is excellent for fluxing, I use that with the Mesh Net Strainer on a pole which is also excellent for skimming off the big stuff.

I use a smaller whisk after using a potato masher to get the flux to the bottom on my pot in casting.



Green frog, I was smelting when I took these pictures so it was actually in use.

[OS OK]

Pretty much self explanatory here but note the wedges I use to level the bench...have to keep your ingot moulds level.
The metal bucket doubles for a tool bucket and a dross bucket...when the dross is cooled sufficiently it can be disposed of.
Under the rig is the big stir/dross spoon and my dipper for the ingots.



The ingot moulds I use now...no other shape ingot fits the casting pot better for a full starting fill.



A sturdy cast pot and thermometer. This pot will hold 40+ pounds. I don't trust that cheapo-chineeeeee turkey fryer with any more weight than that.



This little metal bucket is where I put the casting pot dross, that tea spoon with a rubber tube slipped over the handle is handy for stirring and pulling dross from the cast pot. I re-run the dross in my ingot batches to get all my Sn & Sb back.



Here's a batch of miscellaneous lead to be mixed for pistol lead...here's where that extra Sn will come in handy.



Here's a handy tool to put ingots or large peices of lead into the ingot pot without having it splash and most importantly...you can ease the lead into the pot as the moisture cooks off before it is submerged and possibly causing a steam explosion...



Just ease it in slowly...



A pot scraper that will actually fit the inside edges of the pot is handy to get all the dross up and out of the pot...lots of it will stick to the sides of the pot, then you can get it into your ingots.
Top of the picture is a trash can I keep the sawdust in.



Old style muffin tin, makes cute little chunks of lead but they don't fill the casting pot without extra time waiting for a fill and melt down...that ladle holds 3 pounds of lead...one dip per mould cavity. Same thing with the angle iron mould above, one dip per cavity.



Last of all..."Why we do this"
All for the little plastic jug full of ready to load cast boolits. Now...to move on to the reloading bench and 'stuff brass'.

[lightman]

Nice set ups guys! I have a few repurposed kitchen utensils that I use when smelting and casting. Large and small solid spoons, a large slotted spoon, a dedicated pair of Channel Locs. I smelt in batches of 350-400 pounds and I eventually bought a Rowell Ladle and a large skimmer. Wish I had bought them sooner! A buy once cry once kind of thing! I like the angle iron molds and would make several if I had not found a bargain on several Lyman style molds years ago.

OS OK, I like those folding aluminum stands. Do you know the weight limit on them? I'm currently using a couple of 30 gallon plastic chemical barrels. They work well but take up a good bit of storage space.

I'm another that saves the dross from my casting adventures. I don't attempt to save it when smelting, there is just too much trash in it. The dross from casting goes back into the next smelt.

[Conditor22]

OS OK makes prettier ingot than I do

Werner AP-20 225-lbs-Load Capacity Work Platform
https://www.amazon.com/Werner-AP-20-...r=8-1-fkmrnull

You can get drywall benches with over 330# capacity

I find that often the dross has enough flux left in it to flux the next batch; when I get the granular look in post 4 I know the lead is completely fluxed.

I try to keep my smelting pot just above melting temp so my ingot cool faster. For prettier ingots, I'd have to raise the temp another 50 - 100° so the lead flowed better. But, this fat old man doesn't like standing longer than he has too and ugly ingots never affected my boolits.

[Glassman66]

Nice set ups guys! I have a few repurposed kitchen utensils that I use when smelting and casting. Large and small solid spoons, a large slotted spoon, a dedicated pair of Channel Locs. I smelt in batches of 350-400 pounds and I eventually bought a Rowell Ladle and a large skimmer. Wish I had bought them sooner! A buy once cry once kind of thing! I like the angle iron molds and would make several if I had not found a bargain on several Lyman style molds years ago.

OS OK, I like those folding aluminum stands. Do you know the weight limit on them? I'm currently using a couple of 30 gallon plastic chemical barrels. They work well but take up a good bit of storage space.

I'm another that saves the dross from my casting adventures. I don't attempt to save it when smelting, there is just too much trash in it. The dross from casting goes back into the next smelt.

I recently left the body shop and we used those aluminum stands. I used to be close to #300 and I would use those to set windshields with. They will take more than #300 with some abuse.



Randy

[lightman]

Conditor and Glassman, Thanks for the replys. I didn't get back to this thread until just now. I'm thinking that folding table would make a nice pouring/landing zone for my ingot molds. And being foldable, would take up less storage space than the 2 30 gallon plastic barrels that I use now.

[pjames32]

I see some good ideas here. I've been playing with lead 50+ years and have picked up a couple ideas to try!

[ole_270]

I used to use a homebuilt unit, old cast iron burner out of a hot water heater, gallon and a half antique cast iron bucket suspended on a thick piece of pipe gusseted to just fit the bucket. All sitting on an old car wheel. The old bucket split so I've recently switched to a heavy duty 10" banjo burner turkey fryer, and a cut down 20 lb propane tank. Still haven't come up with a decent wind guard, but using sheet metal flashing to help hold heat and direct it up along the sides of the pot. This thing puts off some heat! My old welding gloves aren't quite doing the job if I have to spend any amount of time over the pot with them. I found just the tool for stirring while fluxing among my wifes large assortment of garrage sale and auction garden tools. An old hoe blade welded to a piece of 3/4" pipe about 5' long. I can stand well back and stir the mix while the sawdust smokes off and the fire rages when using wax. Being in a bit of a hurry usually, I started using an old enameled sauce pan for dipping. I use muffin pans for ingot molds and with the sauce pan just partially filled I can fill three cups at a dip.
Melted down enough range scrap to net over 100 lbs of lead yesterday, still had room in the pot for more. One thing I found out quick though, I need to come up with a long handled strainer for the rough work like skimming the bulk of the jackets. Those old welding gloves just weren't doing the job.