Why are Cast Iron Lead Pots so dang expensive?

[TNFrank]

Been trying to find an old Dutch Oven or some other Cast Iron pot to smelt my wheel weighs in so I don't mess up my Lee Production Pot. No luck on Dutch Ovens, most are antiques and most folks think they're made out of gold.
Cheapest actual CI Lead Pot I've found is a 20lb Pot for around $18 bucks. I've got a RCBS 10lb but really want more for making ingots since 10lb goes pretty fast. Where is a good source for getting some cheap CI Lead Pots, ladles and ingots molds? Thanks

[oneokie]

Keep trying thrift stores. Or yard/garage sales.

[Blue Hill]

Try places like Tractor Supply, in the camping or barbeque section. We have an outfit up here called Peavey Mart, very much like Tractor Supply in the U.S. I got a Chinese cast iron pot that will hold about 50lbs. of smelted lead WW's for 15 bucks.
Blue

[Dale53]

My set up uses a Harbor Freight 12" Dutch Oven. It holds over 120# of lead:

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=dutch+oven

So far, I have smelted over 1000 lbs of lead with the Dutch oven and a Turkey/Fish Fryer:

http://www.basspro.com/Bass-Pro-Shops-Propane-Cooker-with-Aluminum-Pot/product/10205245/72596?cm_sp=SFCOnlineMar2012_HM

Do NOT use the supplied aluminum pot for melting lead. Aluminum's melting temperature is too close to the melting point of lead and is seriously weakened which can lead to catastrophic failure when used to melt lead. Give the aluminum pot to your wife for kitchen use.

Both pieces are currently on sale.

FWIW
Dale53

[The Ranger]

i have been looking for a used castiron pot to do my smelting, i finaly gave up and have a LEE 20# magnum melter on order. $46 from FSreloading.

[TNFrank]

I did find a nice 2 qt. Dutch Oven at Dunham's Sports for $23 bucks. Tractor Supply is right next door, need to check them out too. Next payday I guess I'll hit Tractor Supply and see if they can do better then Dunham's, if not then I'll get the one they've got.

[GT27]

www.Craigslist.com I see them all of the time in my area,try your area!

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Finding the cast iron pot is tough because a lot of women want the high quality American made pots of yesteryear these days, not the crappy chinese ones, so they're driving the price up on "vintage" pots.

[winchester85]

bought cast iron pot on ebay for $2, with shipping i had $13 in it. guessing it will hold about 30 pounds or more.

[bumpo628]

I found a dutch oven at a thrift store for $5.

[runnin lead]

I us an 8 qt stainless pot , $3.00 +tax at thrift store.
It holds about 90# & works great.
Also got a couple yards of flannel there for cleaning patches FREE.

[runnin lead]

Do NOT use the supplied aluminum pot for melting lead. Aluminum's melting temperature is too close to the melting point of lead and is seriously weakened which can lead to catastrophic failure when used to melt lead. Give the lead pot to your wife for kitchen use.


I think he ment give the aluminum pot to your wife.

[TNFrank]

I think he ment give the aluminum pot to your wife.

We don't cook in aluminum either. Stainless pots or cast iron frying pan only.

[lbaize3]

Go to http://cajuncastiron.com/eshop/10Browse.asp?Category=Cast%20Iron

I have a 3 quart cast iron pot I got for 15 bucks and it holds at least 40 pounds.

[dragonrider]

The quality of cast iron pots varies greatly, and I don't trust them not to crack while in use, after all they are not designed to work in the temp range needed for melting lead. You will be better off aquireing a stainless steel pot, preferrably one with a single piece bottom, not laminated.

[jlchucker]

Finding the cast iron pot is tough because a lot of women want the high quality American made pots of yesteryear these days, not the crappy chinese ones, so they're driving the price up on "vintage" pots.

I think you're right. I was in an antique shop the other day and saw the tags on some of the old iron cookware. Pretty fancy prices on the old US brands indeed. Something else feeding the fire, so to speak, is that there seems to be a whole cult of folks taking up backyard cooking with iron cookware. Just do a search on line, and you'll find hit after hit about pots, pans, recipes, cookbooks, etc. It's apparently getting to be a pretty popular activity, even for the city dwellers.

[slim400]

Back to the original question was driving the price of cast iron is your US government becomes all things associated with making are considered hazardous today and have to be disposed of as a hazardous material average price of producing cast-iron in this country is about $30 a pound very little of it is made here anymore the Chinese do manufacture cast-iron in all quality levels and grades

my original smelting pot was a steel canning pot from Wal-Mart we welded the spout in the bottom of it with half-inch black pipe and put a ball valve works just fine when required a bigger pot we actually manufactured a 24" x 24" x 36" deep square pot use the same turkey burner for both pots this one is primarily for mixing alloy will mix them up 1200 pounds a time

[AnnieOakley]

I found my cast iron pot at the local flea market. It's what I would call a sauce pot. I got it for $1!!

[Longwood]

The cast pots made in China are not only made from very low quality iron, but they are incredibly thin and prone to cracking.
I have had one that cracked, one break completely in two and saw another one that a neighbor lady had that broke while cooking beans in an oven.

I have a nice thick American made dutch-oven now, but much prefer the 12" x 6" stainless pot I got at the goodwill for smelting, alloying and or refining bullet metal..

As thick as it is, my American made dutch oven is no where near as thick as the 20 pound capacity, cast iron lead pot, I own.

The flimsy handles that come with Dutch-ovens, should be removed and tossed in the trash, if you plan on smelting with one

If I wanted a large, safe, and extremely efficient pot that I would expect to last 50 years, I would buy one of the stainless cooking pots from walmart with the thick aluminum pad imbedded into the bottom and made with good strong handles.
The now, seemingly high price, will look miniscule in 50 years.

[dragon813gt]

I bit the bullet and bought a new Lodge Dutch Oven. Yes it cost a lot more than if I had found one at a yard sale. But I had it immediately and the cost per pound of lead produced goes down with every batch. I take care of all my tools so I don't think I'll need to buy a new one for a very long time, if ever.


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[gbrown]

I have a smelting pot and 2 ladle pots. The smelting pot is a refrigerant can cut just above the weld. Holds about 100#. The 2 ladle pots are old plumbers pots. One holds about 40# and the other about 20#. I go to estate and garage sales and see cast iron all the time. Look around for old refrigerant cans--take valves out and cut with a reciprocating saw. Work great. Stainless steel is good. Not aluminum. I had a friend who accidentally left a Magnalite 1-1/2 or 2 quart on the stove with a fire under it to dry it. (She's a teetotaler) Forgot and went to bed. In the morning she had a new drip pan--solid aluminum with plastic decorations.

[GLL]

Search for a big, old , ugly, USA-made cast iron pot that is RUSTED and not good for cooking purposes!

Jerry

[gbrown]

Here are pictures of what I was talking about. These are 30 # cans, about 2-1/2 gallons. Cut above the weld and they will hold about 50# Pb. Mine is about 2X bigger. It also has a flange on the bottom. Sits well on my burner. Not sure about these. Maybe a piece of steel or iron plate, if it does not diffuse/reduce heat. Got 4 of these today from A/C guys.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_195844f906ea4673da.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4863)http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_195844f906eb485c55.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4864)

[dragon813gt]

There is no way I would trust one of them on the burner. They are prone to tip over on my scale when they are full. They also aren't that thick. The 410A cans are thicker but still prone to tipping over. Now a recovery cylinder has a flange on the bottom and is significantly thick. But with the cost of them there is no way I would cut one up. A propane cylinder is a better cheaper option at that point.


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[gbrown]

I agree with you dragon813gt about the possibility of tipping over. Mine is an older recovery cylinder--didn't know it was called that. It had been converted into an air tank. Got it at an estate sale for $2.00. Air tank didn't work out so it was just sitting when I decided to use it as smelting pot. These I will just have to work with and see how it can or cannot work. There was a person selling some nice smelting pots converted from propane bottles on this site. I noticed last night he asked for his thread to be deleted, as he was frustrated with dealing with problems of shipping.