SOWW smelting

[GL49]

How do you guys keep the stink and smoke under control when melting stick-on WW"s? I thought I'd take them out of town, build a big campfire, put my 300 pound pot on top, and have at it. I've got 8 full buckets to melt, as well as three buckets of the COWW's with the plastic coating. I threw a couple in my pot when melting the clip-on's, if I want to stay friends with the neighbors I'd better not do this in town.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I pour used motor oil in the pot with SOWW and light it on fire, but I'm pretty sure that causes cancer if you live in Kalifornia.

[Hard Cast]

I soak them in laquer thiner for a few hours. Use a clean one gallon paint can fill it full, put the lid on and leave in the sun.

[dbosman]

I don't do anywhere near the amount you have, so take this in to consideration.
I push them under the lead surface. Hardly any fumes and the material seems to carbonize while under the surface. Just more dirt to skim.

[alamogunr]

I soak them in a degreaser. This particular stuff is a biodegradable liquid apparently produced from orange processing residue. At least that is what it smells like. I got a 5 gal bucket when my employer(before retirement) wanted to get rid of it. Takes the sticky tape right off and doesn't care if it gets dirty. Pour it out on the ground when you finish.

Sure beats the smoke and stink.

[master caster]

Once it gets hot enough you can light the smoke or like said put a little oil on top of melt and light the smoke. i wish i had 8 buckets of any lead espcially some soft lead. My neighbors all know i'm crazy so they come over and hang out when i'm smelting. lol

[Lefty SRH]

I don't do anywhere near the amount you have, so take this in to consideration.
I push them under the lead surface. Hardly any fumes and the material seems to carbonize while under the surface. Just more dirt to skim.

I'll try this next weekend. I have 4 buckets of COWW and 3 buckets of SOWW to smelt.

[GL49]

Lefty, let me know how it goes. I'm thinking my best choice is still going out of town, one neighbor didn't like the regular clip on weights, so I was sorting out the plastic coated ones, and not smelting any stick-on at all. And now, the "rest of the story". A couple of weeks ago, my son was in the garage working on his jeep and I was melting the regular uncoated weights, pretty soon he said, "Uhhh, dad? The fire department is here" Seems that one of the neighbors reported the house was on fire, they could smell something hot. Two fire engines, two police cars. The fireman was really nice, he said melting them wasn't a problem, go ahead and continue, but I chose to call it a day.

[Lefty SRH]

I've smelted twice in my drive way now and haven't had any "public serviceman" show up yet. Don't give a damn if they do.....The smell is bad and I do get some odd looks from my sidewalk walking neighbors.
I'll get my propane tanks filled thursday and fire the pot for friday and saturday.

[cbrick]

I took my turkey fryer & all the other stuff to the range and did it all in the welding/service area while the LAPD was there practicing, couple of them came over to see what was going on. :mrgreen: I started with the cast iron pot full of stickies & walked away, once the lead was melted I scooped out the melted glue & rubber & added more. Fluxed and poured ingots, kept at it till I had about 500 pounds. Nasty job :veryconfu but great source of soft alloy.

Rick