Burner setup for a "10lb" RCBS Lead pot. What to use?

[VariableRecall]

Like petrol & powder, I used a Coleman Single Burner with a 10lb Lyman pot to cast in my dorm room (long time ago). Also used in home basement and other places. Open door or windows advised. Most other set-ups using propane require a regulator and propane bottle along with the burner.

Woah! Your Dorm Room!? That's a place I'd never expect anyone to cast! Not these days, at least with knowledge of acute lead exposure being well known.

[VariableRecall]

The liquid fuel stoves have a bit more learning curve than propane but they work fine.
The ubiquitous Coleman "suitcase" stoves can be found in used but working condition for little money. The single burner stoves will also work

So, those popular Coleman tabletop Burners will work for our purposes. I just hope that Coleman Fuel is not being panic bought out of existence like primers and such.

https://www.amazon.com/Coleman-20000...0821811&sr=8-3

This looks like a darn good deal, but the lack of support for something that small and heavy is a little worrying.

[Winger Ed.]

Woah! Your Dorm Room!? That's a place I'd never expect anyone to cast!

Sometimes ya do what ya gotta do.

I had Duty NCO in the barracks one night--- that's sort of like a college dorm, but without the inside walls & doors.

About midnight, I heard a loud, "BANG"!!!!
I went to check it out, and found one of the troopers sitting on the floor next to a flat of primers, a can of powder, some shell cases,
a LEE 'whack a mole' re-loader tool in one hand, a hammer in the other, and a real surprised look on his face.

[VariableRecall]

Sometimes ya do what ya gotta do.

I had Duty NCO in the barracks one night--- that's sort of like a college dorm, but without the inside walls & doors.

About midnight, I heard a loud, "BANG"!!!!
I went to check it out, and found one of the troopers sitting on the floor next to a flat of primers, a can of powder, some shell cases,
a LEE 'whack a mole' re-loader tool in one hand, a hammer in the other, and a real surprised look on his face.

I have far too much value on my personal space and personal privacy for military life. Learned that the hard way with a set of very bad roommates that had very little regard for my personal space and we were just not compatible with living together.

Well anyway, with that cast iron burner, I'm a little worried that there might not be enough space for putting the pot into a stable spot on the center.
https://www.amazon.com/Boshen-Portab...780449&sr=8-10
The burner is about 9.5 by 9.5 inches. Would that be enough to put the pot down in a stable position?

[Winger Ed.]

Would that be enough to put the pot down in a stable position?

It'll be fine. Try not to over think this stuff.

The worst ya would have to do is put a $3. thrift store cast iron frying pan on top and set your pot in it.

[Petrol & Powder]

At only 9.5" square, I suspect the opening in the center of the grate will be small enough that the RCBS pot will not fall through (the base of that pot is roughly 3 3/4" in diameter.
But, even if the opening in the center of the grate is too large for that pot, it would be a simple matter to place something over the grate to support that little pot.
I wouldn't overthink that too much. Even if there is a problem, it would be easy to overcome.

If you go the route of that little propane burner, don't forget to obtain a hose and regulator. That burner doesn't appear to come with the necessary plumbing to attach it to a propane tank.

[VariableRecall]

It'll be fine. Try not to over think this stuff.

The worst ya would have to do is put a $3. thrift store cast iron frying pan on top and set your pot in it.

That's a smart move. As long as it's only a little larger than the pot itself, so that not too much heat is lost due to heat transfer.

[VariableRecall]

At only 9.5" square, I suspect the opening in the center of the grate will be small enough that the RCBS pot will not fall through (the base of that pot is roughly 3 3/4" in diameter.
But, even if the opening in the center of the grate is too large for that pot, it would be a simple matter to place something over the grate to support that little pot.
I wouldn't overthink that too much. Even if there is a problem, it would be easy to overcome.

If you go the route of that little propane burner, don't forget to obtain a hose and regulator. That burner doesn't appear to come with the necessary plumbing to attach it to a propane tank.

I'm just going through the motions and getting as many solid burner ideas as possible before I make a decision, that's all.

[Mk42gunner]

I melted a lot of lead with a two burner Coleman stove (both white gas and with a propane conversion) and a one pint cast iron sauce pan, before I upgraded to an electric casting pot. I think the burner you showed will work fine.

I still have and use the RCBS ladle, and the sauce pan got repurposed into my ingot filling dipper when I smelt the wild wheel weight into useable ingots.

Be aware that there will be a lot of radiant heat from your cast iron pot, gloves are definitely recommended.

As far as casting comfort goes, I think getting an electric pot was the best thing I have done.

Robert

[lightman]

We started casting with a 10# Lyman pot and a Coleman camp stove. It had plenty of heat and was plenty strong enough. I don't know if an electric hot plate would get hot enough.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Following on the Boshin… want to see a report if purchased/used

[country gent]

If your worried about the weight. make a simple box on legs the pot sits in thru the top just above the grate. IE if the pot is 5" from bottom of lip to bottom of pot make the box so the pot 5 1/4" tall and add legs to top of burner this way the box supports the weight. It will also act as a wind screen holding heat in. light 1/8 x 1 x 1 angle iron fore the frame and light sheet metal enclosing it from top of burner up. Or find a stainless steel pot the the dia you need cut to height and drill 1/4 hikes thru for 1/4" round stock and cut a hole in what was the bottom of the pot to set the lead pot thru.Set up on blocks or bolt feet / legs inside pot to raise bottom up to top of burner. With a hand drill and saw you can cut the legs on the pot even. You need it up to maintain air to the burner.

[Jim22]

That burner and pot look a lot like what I started with. Finally broke down and got a Lee bottom pour electric.

[VariableRecall]

That burner and pot look a lot like what I started with. Finally broke down and got a Lee bottom pour electric.

From my perspective, I'd rather have an acceptable alternative for bullet casting if the power was out. Considering Lee's prices on both their bottom pour and Melter furnaces are very competitive, Might as well have the option for both electric and propane powered solutions.

[pottergreg]

I bought a single propane burner on Ebay for $20, had to buy a hose and regulator on Ebay for $12 bucks, Hooks up to my grill 20# propane tank, it will melt 20 pounds of lead in minutes

[LabGuy]

I used the Lyman equivalent when s tarting out. Used on old kitchen stove electric burner. Upgraded to a Lyman Mag 20 in the late 1980s.