That's a pretty big chunk ...

[trebleplink]

So I got a 110 lb chunk of lead yesterday. Spent an hour at the band saw cutting in half.

[JimB..]

Something like that is what finally motivated me to cut a 20lb propane tank in half!

[redhawk0]

I like the way you leave the lead around the burner...it must act as your wind shield....hahaha

I agree with JimB...it might be time to make a pot out of a propane tank. I did it and it was the best thing I ever did for melting large amounts of Pb....you could have done the entire 110lbs at once.

redhawk

[Winger Ed.]

If you try to sneak that pot back into the kitchen, and pretend you don't know anything about it-
the Mrs. will have your head on a stick.

[trebleplink]

That pot is an official lead pot, procured from the local thrift store...

The debris is the remnants of a previous fluxing with borax.

Once the thing was half melted, I had to quickly ladle off liquid to prevent overflow...

[ReloaderFred]

A quick way to cut large chunks of lead like that is to spread out one of those cheap blue tarps and place the lead in the middle of the tarp on a couple of 2x4's to keep it off the ground. Use a Skilsaw with an old carbide blade, or any other old blade that cuts a wide kerf so the blade won't bind. The saw will go through the lead like hot butter, and the tarp will catch all the shavings, of which there will be a lot.

I also use a cut in half propane tank for a smelting pot, and it's quicker than anything else I've used over the years. Cheap, too......!

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Conditor22]

[Froogal]

Geez. Now you guys tell me that a propane tank cut in half works good. I already used the one I had for target practice. It is pretty well ventilated.

[dangitgriff]

A quick way to cut large chunks of lead like that is to spread out one of those cheap blue tarps and place the lead in the middle of the tarp on a couple of 2x4's to keep it off the ground. Use a Skilsaw with an old carbide blade, or any other old blade that cuts a wide kerf so the blade won't bind. The saw will go through the lead like hot butter, and the tarp will catch all the shavings, of which there will be a lot.

I also use a cut in half propane tank for a smelting pot, and it's quicker than anything else I've used over the years. Cheap, too......!

Hope this helps.

Fred

A chainsaw used as described above works reeeeeaally good on old boat keels.
R/Griff

[Springfield]

Just go the The Goodwill and get a large steel cookpot, but a nice thicker one. I have a couple that are about 12" across, work great on my turkey fryer. Easier than cutting propane tanks in half.

[ReloaderFred]

Geez. Now you guys tell me that a propane tank cut in half works good. I already used the one I had for target practice. It is pretty well ventilated.

I use the top half of an old propane tank for target practice to allow it to vent all the propane out before cutting it in half. It's safer that way, and more fun, too....

Hope this helps

Fred

[Atonic]

Geez. Now you guys tell me that a propane tank cut in half works good. I already used the one I had for target practice. It is pretty well ventilated.

Check your local propane supplier. They might give you a deal on an old tank.

[William Yanda]

Check the curb. They are often found, sometimes with a partial fill of propane. I am too frugal (sounds better than cheap) to ever buy one.

[GregLaROCHE]

Cast iron Dutch oven is a popular option too.

[CastingFool]

I found 2 old propane tanks some one put out for the metal scrappers. A 20 lb and a 30 lb. Used a large pipe wrench to unscrew the valves off.