RepackboxRotoMetals2Load DataMidSouth Shooters Supply
Inline FabricationLee PrecisionWidenersTitan Reloading
Reloading Everything
Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Smelting Burner BTU Size

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy hollywood63's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Posts
    206

    Smelting Burner BTU Size

    I'm looking to go to a propane burner for smelting my WW's. Typically I don't do a lot per session most would be three 5 gallon buckets. What size BTU burners are most folks using?

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
    Mal Paso's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Carmel, Ca
    Posts
    4,121
    I have a 50,000 btu Bayou Classic and with a wind shield it's enough for my half propane tank pot.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jul 2009
    Posts
    203
    Everybody has their preference and mine is one I already had in the barn. It is 35K Btu. I know a lot of people like to use bigger burners, but I like the smaller sized. Yes, it takes a bit longer to melt the lead, but there is almost no chance to melt any non-lead (zinc) WW's. YMMV

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master

    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    England,Ar
    Posts
    7,687
    I'm in the "go big" crowd I guess. I estimate mine puts out 500,000 BTU's if turned up to full throttle. It will put some serious frost on a 20# propane tank! It will also melt 400# of wheel weights in about 20 minutes This is one reason that I hand sort my weights as this will easily melt any Zinc weight that may get trapped in the bottom of the pot.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

    gwpercle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    Baton Rouge, Louisiana
    Posts
    9,251
    Bayou Classic SP-1 Jet Cooker = 106,000 btuh should do anything you need .

    If you want more fire the Bayou Classic SP-2 Double Jet Cooker = 210,000 btuh.

    The word to look for in a burner for smelting is JET...that's the unit that really puts out the heat and it even sounds like a jet airplane when it fires up.

    Bayou Classic is the brand of cooker we use to fry turkey's and have large crab , shrimp and crawfish boils ... they are good cookers .
    Gary
    Certified Cajun
    Proud Member of The Basket of Deplorables
    " Let's Go Brandon !"

  6. #6
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    2,659
    I have the double jet burner. It really didn't do a good job of quickly melting scrap or ingots (starting from an empty pot) until I put up 360* wind breaks around the stand and an insulating jacket around my half propane tank pot, and even now I speed things significantly more by playing a weed burner over the top of the scrap.

    IOW, more BTUs are helpful, but maybe not as much as protecting against heat loss.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check