smelted yesterday and I'm beat!

[Patrick L]

Man I must be getting old. Yesterday I smelted some wheelweights and the various scrap lead I have accumulated. I didn't even do that much. Twelve 3# coffee cans plus two 1 gallon paint cans filled to the brim with WW yielded one 5 gallon bucket full to the top of mini muffin and condiment cup ingots (barely snapped the lid on!) The various lead chunks yielded just about half a 5 gallon pail.

I ran two pots, my dad's old plumbers furnace and a turkey fryer. I also picked up a Harbor Freight weed burner for $19.99, that thing is worth its weight on gold. It REALLY speeds up the melt.

Here's the thing though, I'm beat! It only took about 4 hours, but between humping all that lead, being out in the cool temps, I felt like a truck hit me last night. I'm only 46, but I felt like 76!

[imashooter2]

Hauling lead around will make you keenly aware of what kind of shape you're in, that's for sure! On the upside, turning trash into treasure makes for a pretty good day...

[wtfooptimax200]

My first big smelt was about two and a half weeks after my apendectomy/hernia surgery. I wasn't supposed to lift anything, but it's hard to do a smelt without lifting! Needless to say I was in pain for a while after that one. Note to self...do not smelt two and a half weeks after surgery!

[10 ga]

Glutton for punishment! Plumbers furnace, turkey fryer and a weed burner all at the same time! I get tired just thinking about getting that stuff ready, much less running it. Try just running one thing at a time and have a chair and soda handy. Oh yeah, you youngsters are always in a hurry! Well since I'm retired, I look forward to an easy day of making pretty ingots/boolits/fishing weights. I even wear "safety headphones" for the "protective" aspects. Wife really dosen't understand how Quicksilver, Skinnard, George Thoroughgood, Allman Bros., Dwight Yoakum, Buck Owens, etc... provide a safety anything, lol. I think they just help adjust my attitude. I usually get all the "ore" sorted and equipment checked and ready one day, smelt the next day and then sort mark and store the goodies the next day. You did three days worth of work in 4 hours, no wonder you're tired. Ahhh, off to scrounge some scrap and hit a auto junkyard or two for WWs and battery connectors, theyre gather it yourself kinda places. Best to all, 10 ga




x

[sqlbullet]

I have done 1200 lbs of in the last few weeks on Saturday mornings. It does suck the energy out of you.

I have found it helps a great deal to take a break every hour, wash up and get a drink and a snack. I tend to dehydrate and get low on sugars since I don't eat of drink while I am "contaminated"

I still have another 1200-1500 lbs to go. Oh...and this is 1/4-3/8" thick sheet lead in 4'X4' sizes. I have to man-handle it up on an edge, then cut it into strips with the chain saw, and then feed each 4'X6" strip into the pot.

[bobthenailer]

I also have to get on the ball and smelt my range lead ! I have about 1,200 lbs to do but its all range pickings , about 75% lead alloy & the rest jacketed , But as a+ no WW clips /zinc/steel to worry about . just bullet jackets , which i will sell.