Heat shields for smelting

[crabo]

Anyone have any pictures of heat shields you have made for turkey fyers and dutch ovens? I am about to start smelting and it seems like a lot of people think it helps save on fuel expended.

Thanks,

Crabo

[pumpguy]

I don't have a picture, but, I just use 3 pieces of 4' x 4' plywood that I put two hinges per corner on. I used some old hinges I found that I can pull the pins on so I can store the pieces flat against the wall.

[Gussy]

I wasn't getting enough heat out of a single burner stove from harbor frt. I cut the bottom out of an aluminum dog dish, set it on the burner with the pot in the cut out. Made a lot of difference.
Gus

[Dale53]

pumpguy;
That's a clever idea.

As I see it, there are two types of "heat shields":

1 - Actually, a "wind shield" as exemplified by pumpguy's post just above and
2- A heat shield that is close under the lead pot that keeps heat from the burner concentrated
under the pot (as discussed by Gussy).

I think BOTH are useful and in these days of high fuel costs pretty much MORE than just a good idea.

FWIW
Dale53

[ktw]

I picked up a piece of large diameter (12") galvanized stovepipe. Comes flat in the hardware stores, you have to snap it onto a pipe - like the 4" drier vent pipe.

I cut tabs out of the bottom edge to fit over the turkey fryer stand legs, wrapped it around the turkey fryer, then trimmed the top to length near the top of the smelting pot. It does not reach all of the way around and is open for a couple for inches along one side but serves as a good windscreen and directs more of the heat directly at the pot.

-ktw

[crabo]

Great idea! I bought 2 of them and I am going to put them together. I will cut and pop rivet them together so the cylinder goes completely around the burner. I will make the holes for the legs large enough so it will be adequate for the air to access the burner.

Thanks,

Crabo

[Ron]

I had trouble with the wind when smelting ww. Didn't matter which way I placed the gas ring, the wind always got to it resulting in poor heating of the cast iron pot. Found myself a round biscuit tin, cut the bottom off and sat the tin wall around the gas ring. The pot sits neatly in the bistcuit tin wall and keeps the wind out. Works really good for me.

[MT Gianni]

Ideal gas combustion required 10 cubic feet of air for every cuft of gas. Half is primary air induced in to the burner venturi and half is secondary air burned at the point of combustion. Since this set up vents around the cast iron pot the secondary air should come in at the bottom of the shield. To avoid sooting and get the most out of your fuel make sure you leave room for air especially at the bottom. Gianni.

[shooter575]

I took some pic of my set up in operation and think I could find em. Anyway I dug it out and took sume more.
I have some big pieces of lead so I wanted a biger pot option over the
75 lb cap the plumbers pot came with.I used a old lp tank,welded on rectangular
tube legs.Made a shroud of some roofing steel I had in stock.I put screws
in the legs to keep cover from sliding too far down.Need to let enough air
feed the burner.BTW I had 370 lb in this thing and it was only 1/2 full.
I dont think I will fill it though.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/shooter575/MVC-009F-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/shooter575/MVC-010F-1.jpg

[no34570]

I took some pic of my set up in operation and think I could find em. Anyway I dug it out and took sume more.
I have some big pieces of lead so I wanted a biger pot option over the
75 lb cap the plumbers pot came with.I used a old lp tank,welded on rectangular
tube legs.Made a shroud of some roofing steel I had in stock.I put screws
in the legs to keep cover from sliding too far down.Need to let enough air
feed the burner.BTW I had 370 lb in this thing and it was only 1/2 full.
I dont think I will fill it though.


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/shooter575/MVC-009F-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/shooter575/MVC-010F-1.jpg


Wow,what a great setup
I'm impressed:-D
:drinks:
no34570

[cohutt]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/1003/shooter575/MVC-010F-1.jpg

LOL.....Your very own backyard nuclear reactor.


I've used flashing as a "pot shield" and have a 7ft piece of lead sheeting that is about 16 inches wide that i unfold and use for a "wind shield" as needed. The flashing works ok but i have burned it up before if it gets out of alignmnet and too close t the pot.

[VTDW]

I don't do mega casting as I just do not shoot all that much. My heat source is just a hot plate. I had a piece of aluminum rolled at work to help hold in the heat and place a tin baking pan over the whole thing to speed up the process.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/vtdw1/HPIM1041.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/vtdw1/HPIM1042.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v354/vtdw1/HPIM1043.jpg

[pjh421]

Those are some nice wind deflectors. I used to just wrap a couple of layers of aluminum foil around the whole thing as necessary. Its cheap and easy.

Paul