Get more flame on the pan if you can. I used those camping propane canisters with the attachment for cooking. It held up about 30lbs with a skillet and lead. It took me about 20 minutes to realize I needed to stir the first time around. Everything had melted that was touching the skillet but stuff was floating so it didn't sink in and melt. This was winter, about 35 to 40 degrees outside.
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This is what I would have suggested--much of the heat produced by the flame is disappearing out the sides. Get some aluminum sheeting or similar and wrap it around the pot so all the heat is drawn up the sides of your pot, and you'll get more of the btus directed to your pot and fewer just disappearing into the air.Originally Posted by truckerdave397
Here's a pic that shows more or less what I mean:
The dotted line across the top is the opening at the top of the cylinder of aluminum sheeting.
Cogito ergo sum ego iacio (Google Translate)
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Reloading and casting are like approaching a black hole; once you pass the event horizon there is no turning back.
You need a JET BURNER.
You got the wrong rig for smelting, the turkey frying burner is not set up for a lot of heat fast. For that you want the Bayou Classic High Pressure Jet Burner #SP-1, that's made for boiling crawfish.
When you have a 30 gallon pot filled with water, you can't be waiting for hours for the water to boil...the jet burner will get that water boiling fast. Its the one that has a big central tube for the flame to shoot out of...sounds like a jet plane.
Gary
The regulator is a fixed 10 psi. Should I change to a 20 or 30 psi? What about going straight hose no regulator?
As for the wrong fryer, I checked reviews on Amazon and its used by several to melt lead. Think my pot was too small and no wind shield. Changing the regulator should also increase flow.
Plan on figuring out a shield tomorrow and maybe welding some supports for legs. I stood on it and weight 160lbs, didn't budge.
I'd get an adjustable, similar to this one. http://www.amazon.com/Bayou-Classic-...pane+regulator
Then you can adjust the flame from the propane tank once the burner is lit. This also gives you a lot of flexibility in uses for your burner compared to a fixed pressure regulator. That and a heat shield should solve the issue.
I have been warned by people experienced with propane usage that you should never operate without a regulator.
my cheap Walmart turkey frier has an adjustable regulator and was $45. I use a cut in half 20lb propane tank with 2 u shaped handles welded on, it will hold about 150lb of lead and melt it from range minings heaped up over edges to full melt in about 20 minutes. the propane tank ring on bottom holds the heat much better
I have a SP-1 and without using the 500,000 BTU weedburner torch from the top ..... it takes too long to get the melt flowing (for me) on a 100# of wheel weights
the regulator is matched to that burner assembly, bumping up the pressure too much will result in the flame trying to blow itself out
do the brake drum as a heat shield it will help greatly, if you need to speed up the melt, apply lots of BTU's from the top down in addition to the flame from below
I didn't read all the post here, but I think I see the problem. I have the same brand. When searching them, I found that they were being delivered with a lower BTU system that was being advertised. ( by less than half), The manufacturer will replace them if pushed to do so. They have given most callers a hard time, but will eventually come thru if you insist!
I am using the HF dutch oven (apx. 20 usd)on mine, and I melted 45-50 lbs in it in under 30 min. Quite a bit under. The flame was a lot larger than the one in you pic.
For what it's worth, the replacements also have a longer hose.
Might want to give them a call.
KnifeMaker
Don't give it up with the Turkey Frier, Mine setup is just similar and it takes only 15min to pricess about 15Kg of WW and scarp lead. I stir a lot and flux a lot with sawdust and olive oil and finally with wax. But I needed to buy a different High Pressur regulator to have it working
It looks like you have one of the "banjo" type burners. I use a similar burner with natural gas for smelting. Having a properly fitted top to your pot will help keep the heat in also. I just needed to increase the orifice size so that it could be used with natural gas. When I used it with propane, I used it without a regulator. I just used the valve on the tank to control the flow of propane to the burner. If I put it on full blast, I could easily get 6 ft flames coming out of it. Totally impractical, but definitely impressive. Pretty good for searing steaks.
If the photos that you provided are with the gas turned all the way up, you need to get more gas pressure to the burner. That could be accomplished via a new higher pressure regulator or just running a straight hose from the tank to the burner. Just be careful that there isn't anything above your burner and pot when you do it (i.e. tree, roof, etc). Since it is possible to have a really large flame if you turn it up, you don't want anything above you that could catch fire. I use a Goodyear black rubber 25 ft air tool hose for my gas supply line. It's rated for 250 psi and that is more than enough for handling the pressure in a propane tank, even if you turned the tank valve on and closed off the valve at the burner. This allows me to keep the tank well away from the burner.
I got lucky and saw my parents dust fryer in the shed. Its a Banjo brand but think its their older fish fryer. Burner looks the same but its an adjustable regulator, guessing 0-20psi. The stand is also a little taller, burner closer to pot and a better wind screen. Got a propane tank cut, filled it half way and was pouring ingots bout 30 minutes later. I didnt even have the regulator up full blast. Pretty stoked! I plan on strengthening the stand as I some metal getting red hot.
Most of those burners are not designed to be able to hold the amount of weight that we might put on them while smelting a large pot of lead. I prefer to have a stand that can hold my smelting pot separate from the stand that contains the burner. That way, I can just slide it under the smelting pot stand and adjust the height of it somewhat independently of the height of smelting pot. Cinder blocks with some solid square steel rods going between the layers works pretty good as a support for the smelting pot. Plus, you can design it so that the cinder blocks act as a pretty good heat and wind shield.
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