Aluminum Pot

[condorjohn]

Howdy Folks,
I found two of these cast aluminum pots at a yard sale, payed $2 each.
What would the down-side of using aluminum be for use as a casting pot?
I realize cast iron is best but, I'd like to get some use out of these. 6" wide X 4"
deep...28954

28955

[lwknight]

Are you going to smelt over a campfire?
That will not sit on a typical turkey fruer burner without modifying something.

[condorjohn]

Kitchen stove, Sits right in the burner and there's a window within 3 feet...

[imashooter2]

Aluminum weakens considerably at lead melting temperatures and can fail without warning. Those pots are unsafe for the use you intend.

[jcwit]

May work then again may not. Aluminun gets soft with the heat and weight of lead and the tinsel fairy is a very unpleasent guest to have.

Would I risk it? NO! To much cast iron out their and its cheap even when new to risk the experience of pain!

[MtGun44]

At 750F there is very little strength left in aluminum. NOT a good plan.

Bill

[Freightman]

A friend of mine had a similar pot and was going to cook some clean scrap on the electric stove, the results the wife got the stove of her dreams.

[condorjohn]

Thanks for the advice guys... I'll try to find some other use for them.
Condorjohn

[RayinNH]

John they'll make nice planters albeit a little small :smile:...Ray

[D Crockett]

Condorjohn I sent you a pm on possible trade D Crockett

[10 ga]

Aluminum NOT GOOD for smelting! Reasons already stated. Picked up a yard sale wok and thought I'd just use it on the Coleman to pre heat scrap before going into the smelting pot. Looked around and the scrap was smoking warm and ready to go and the pot was considerably "bent out of shape", It was some kind of Al alloy, lesson learned. At what you paid, the pots are good to go to the junkyard to trade for lead. 10

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Phew! That looked close for a moment. It appeared as if another Darwin Award Entrant was signing on despite..........

BvT

[357maximum]

I still carry the scar from when my super dooper good deal aluminum pot let loose full of melt and tried to fill my boot full.


DO NOT MELT LEAD IN ALUMINUM VESSELS....EVER

[zuke]

I picked up a Stainless pressure cooker with a snapped of dial for $2.00 at a thrift shop.
They were going to scrap it cause it couldn't be used anymore.....that was 3 year's and about 1500lbs. ago.