Melting time

[joe4711]

This is my first melt.

I've got 23 lbs of range lead on my turkey cooker since 5.45pm it only started showing signs of melting after 2 hrs, its now been in the pot (cut down propane cyl with lid) for 3hrs and probably nomore than 20% melted
.How long does a melt like this normaly take. Am I just on to much of a hurry?

Tx,
Joe M.

[Ole]

I did 102 lbs of WW's last night in just over an hour.

Is the pot covered?

Can you "help" it with a propane torch?

Maybe the turkey fryer's regulator is messed up?

[jsizemore]

100lbs of clipon WW in my 10 qt dutch oven takes 40 minutes from cold pot to fluxing and scooping clips. I'm using a 10psi regulator. When I used a 4qt dutch oven I had a 5psi regulator and it took about 45-50 minutes for 60lbs.

[WVHunter129]

You would be better to use a Coleman camp stove with either propane or coleman fuel. I smelted down 3 - 5 gallon buckets of indoor range lead. I filled a 4-1/2 quart dutch oven (no lid) and put it on the camp stove and within an hour I was skiming the copper off and fluxing the lead. Poured into muffin pans with a ladel to make 2 lb ingots. Of 3 - 5 gallon buckets I ended up with 272 lbs of lead and about 50 pounds of copper/brass bullet jackets.

[Thor's Daddy]

3 hours!?! For 23lbs. !?!?!? Something is definitely wrong with your burner. I typically get around 90lbs. of range scrap fully melted within 30 minutes in my 6-quart dutch oven. That's for the first batch. After that I can get close to 3 batches done per hour if I keep moving.

You should have a mostly blue flame out of your burner. If not, your air/gas mixture is off and you'll need to adjust the screen dealio where the air mixes with the gas as it enters the burner (sorry, I don't know the technical term for it). Either that or your regulator is out of whack.

Once you get the sweet blue flame, you might find significant additional benefit from the addition of a wind screen. I cut the bottom off the original fryer pot and mounted it to the burner stand, but anything metal that wraps around the pot and burner should work. Even out here on the Plains where winds are typically 15-20 mph, I have no problems whatsoever getting lead to melt.

[Arceagle]

I use a turkey cooker and a cast iron pot. I did however have to build a wind shield since I smelt outside. I simply cut a piece of sheet metal long enough to go around the pot with about a 1/2 inch gap left between the pot and the wind shield. It was cut the height of the pot plus 3 inches. after rivets were used to hold the metal in the loop a side grinder was used to cut notches 3 inches high that match up with the cross supports of the cooker base . Very simple to make and I went from struggling to get my pot hot enough to struggling to keep it from getting too hot.

Don't forget to adjust the air mixture (where the gas hose connects to the cast iron burner) until the burner starts to sound like a jet engine.

[joe4711]

First 2 photos is the setup I have been using from the start today.

3Rd photo is after I ran a nozle cleaner through the outlet valve on the regulator.

Does this look any better, I can not see what psi the regulator is, it only say high pressure.

If this does not work I will buy a nother regulator tomorrow.

Tx,
Joe M.

Pic 1
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_231344f7a589d6978d.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4675)

Pic 2
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_231344f7a58ddd325f.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4676)

Pic 3
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_231344f7a590490e0d.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4677)

[imashooter2]

That doesn't look like much fire from a turkey fryer. Looks more like a kitchen stove on simmer. Definite lack of heat there.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Turn up the Gas, I did 3 110# pots in 3 hours, Yesterday.

Sam :D

[imashooter2]

Here's what the burner should be capable of...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=62VEZERpTTQ

[AndyC]

Did you sift out the dirt before smelting your range-scrap? Dirt'll absorb a LOT of heat and make smelting take forever - AMHIK.

[joe4711]

I drilled the valve open to 1/16" but I think I over did it, sounds like a V8 on steroids now and I can't turn the regulater wide open, seems like to much propane and not enough O2,
1/2 open and the flames are leaking out over the sides,
Will get a new regulator tomorrow.

Thanks for all your feedback.

PS. I got 8 x 2lb Ingots after all my trouble, sure next lot will go much better.

[a.squibload]

If it was burning rich (yellow) might need to
clean the bottom of the pot. Mine had 1/4"
of soot buildup that kept the heat out.

[greenbud]

+1 on neededing a new regulator and checking for soot

[fredj338]

More heat? I can turn 25# of scrap to liquid in about 30min on my fryer setup; cast iron dutch oven.

[joe4711]

Got a new 20psi regulator from Lowes today, melted 32lb of range lead and poured ingots in 20 minutes.
It can only get better.

[SlowSmokeN]

Now you are rolling.

[Springfield]

I used 2 cookers and managed to do 900 lbs of sheet lead in 4.5 hours yesterday. And yes, I was tired aftewards, but it was worth it. Still have to unload my truck.

[AndyC]

Got a new 20psi regulator from Lowes today, melted 32lb of range lead and poured ingots in 20 minutes.
It can only get better.
So it was the heat after all - good to hear that you're up and running :)