Cast iron pot

[SkookumJeff]

I've read a couple of posts warning against the use of cast iron pots for smelting pots because they can crack. I know cast iron can crack, seen it happen with an exhaust manifold, but, how much of a problem is this? I bought a cast iron cook pot with a lid to use for smelting. Seems to work fine, but I sure don't want to risk having it crack with a full pot or molten lead. It's not that big, about 8" in diameter by 6" deep or so. With lead being so heavy I didn't want that big of a pot. I've seen several stainless steel cook pots at the local Goodwill I would have bought & actually would have been a lot cheaper, but I thought people were using Dutch ovens and such and I thought the cast iron pot would regulate the heat a little better...

[lwknight]

I have heard of it but never have seen a good cast iron pot crack.
Wal-mart and Tractor Supply sell " Lodge " brand. They are good and a 10" 5 qt. pot holds over 100 pounds and costs about $39.00 bucks.

[Swede44mag]

I have used Cast Frying pans, Cast Dutch Oven, A Cast pot made for melting lead, and an Aluminum paint pot.

I do all my lead WW Cleanup melting outside with a propane deep fryer made to cook fish/chicken.

Can they crack? Yes but i think you would have to hit it or drop it on the ground/cement.

Problem is it only takes one time for the tinsel fairy to show up then it may be too late.

[D Crockett]

I bought a cast iron pot once used it for a while with no problem then one day I did this with out thinking I hit the side of the pot with my ladle and before you could blink your eye it had cracked and had s thin sheet of lead spewing out the side of the pot made one heck of a mess the answer to this is simple I got a 20lb propane tank cut it in 1/2 and use that WARNING WARNING WARNING if you do not know how to open a propane tank safely DO NOT DO IT I went to school to learn things like this I will be happy to make anyone a pot out of one for a small fee 700deg. melted lead will melt the skin right off of you a propane tank opened unsafely can KILL YOU so lets be safe out there in doing our hobbies D Crockett

[SkookumJeff]

Point well taken, 'preciate the feedback.

I know, I'll use my cast iron pot in a double boiler, that'll make it safe...

BAAHAAWHAAAAAAAAAA!!!! :D ;-)

[Sully]

Its taking the cast iron pot UP to temp too quickly...and cooling it down too quickly is what will crack them sure as anything. It can take the heat and take the coolness...just cant take it quickly is all

[mj1angier]

Its taking the cast iron pot UP to temp too quickly...and cooling it down too quickly is what will crack them sure as anything. It can take the heat and take the coolness...just cant take it quickly is all

This.

I restore a lot of cast iron ware and this is the biggest problem that kills cast iron.