Dirty roofing boots

[Charlie Two Tracks]

A guy at work gave me 5 roofing boots. They were covered with layers of tar and shingles real bad. I tried to get off some of it but it was stuck good. I melted them down and here comes the flames and smoke! Boy it was nasty. As soon as they were melted I skimmed off the flaming tar and shingle pieces. It took forever to try to get the tar off the bottom of the melted lead. I got most of it and let it cool in the pot and then dumped it over. I have one large ingot and it will need to be cleaned again. The pot has a greasy layer on it and I figure that I will try to wash it off before melting this batch again. It was real nasty but I did get 30 lbs of pure lead for the cost of melting it. Any good way to clean that greasy black soot off the pot?

[lwknight]

No need to wash it. It will keep your business fluxed till it burns away.
I melt the clean part first so that the tar will not get to the bottom of the pot. Also use a junk scraper to skim because the tar will stick violently to whatever it can.

[Longarm]

Charlie, I work at a roofing company and in my experience this stuff pictured below will remove pretty much any tar, mastic, adhesive, etc that I have come across. Citrus based, stinks like oranges. Good stuff, incredibly potent.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e201/BRANDYJOKYLEEN/random%20feces/Jan-Feb2011113.jpg

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Thanks guys. I have a junk scraper now, and I will try that spray.

[nanuk]

No need to wash it. It will keep your business fluxed till it burns away.
I melt the clean part first so that the tar will not get to the bottom of the pot. Also use a junk scraper to skim because the tar will stick violently to whatever it can.


lwkngiht: would it be wise to melt some pure lead first to have a base, then slowly lay the tarred stuff on top and let it melt in without stirring?

the lead should melt off the bottom and the tar and crud should stay on top?

I've not done this yet, but may have a supply of lead sheeting that could have a variety of crud stuck to it. Just looking for technique

[crabo]

lwkngiht: would it be wise to melt some pure lead first to have a base, then slowly lay the tarred stuff on top and let it melt in without stirring?

the lead should melt off the bottom and the tar and crud should stay on top?

I've not done this yet, but may have a supply of lead sheeting that could have a variety of crud stuck to it. Just looking for technique

This is the way to do it. I've done at least 1600 pounds of it.