Burner Suggestions

[ron brooks]

I am looking for sugestions for a good burner set up for smelting that I can buy online. Right now I have a 30,000 BTU burner which works sort of. If the wind gets up much, which is the usual state of affairs here, it just ain't worth it. Even at the best of times it will take the best part of a day to do 100 pounds of wheel weights.

Thanks,

Ron

[crabo]

You might consider making a wind shield out of some sheet metal to go around the burner and pot. You can buy pieces at Home Depot in the plumbing department. They have duct work that is flat and rolls up to make a cylinder. You might need to put two of them together to go around your setup.

Make sure you leave some room for air to enter at the bottom of the chimney that you build.

[Scrounger]

I am looking for sugestions for a good burner set up for smelting that I can buy online. Right now I have a 30,000 BTU burner which works sort of. If the wind gets up much, which is the usual state of affairs here, it just ain't worth it. Even at the best of times it will take the best part of a day to do 100 pounds of wheel weights.

Thanks,

Ron

100,000 BTUs enough for you? Try ASC 64482

http://www.agrisupplyco.com/cgi-bin/cgipagls?s=burner

[Dale53]

Here is my recommendation:

http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&partNumber=33053&hvarTarget=search&cmCat=SearchResults

A good powerful high BTU cooker with a cast iron dutch oven is one of the best combinations out there.

Keep in mind that you have to use common sense. Do NOT put 300 lbs of molten lead on a wobbly set of legs. Just because your pot will hold 300 lbs (for instance) does not mean that you have to fill it up.

FWIW
Dale53

[shotstring]

This is the unit I ordered, although I haven't recieved it yet. I would have preferred some additional support spokes for the top ring but it is the heaviest and strongest unit I have found and 60,000 BTU's should do the trick.


http://www.vmisales.com/hurricane/63-6000.html

[ron brooks]

Crabo,

I have a windscreen I made from bricks, helps but doesn't solve the problem. I'll look at the duct.

Scrounger, Dale53, Shotstring,

Thanks for the suggestions I'll look at them and pick pone out. I usually only do around 100 lbs at a time, although I did just get a larger dutch oven. Any experience on which of the three would be the strongest?

Thanks again all,

Ron

[Scrounger]

The description of the one I referred you to said it was designed to use with 100 quart stock pot. A hundred quarts of water would weigh 200 pounds so presumablt the stand is designed to support 200 pounds or more. (That would hold about 2500 pounds of lead!!!) But even for 100 pounds, I wouldn't trust it. Reinforce it, it can't hurt.

[MT Gianni]

If you can be certain that your ww are absolutly dry, try smelting 15-20 lbs and then adding weights to the melted alloy. I find it really cuts the time down to have some melt up to temperature then add more solids slowly. 30,000 btu isn't really low heat so I am thinking of what else could slow things. Make sure that the pot is centered in the flame and just off the bottom of the burner or barely in the flame. You need 1 square inch of air opening for every 1,000 btu for complete combustion of gas so consider that when you make a shield. Gianni

[cohutt]

You might consider making a wind shield out of some sheet metal to go around the burner and pot. You can buy pieces at Home Depot in the plumbing department. They have duct work that is flat and rolls up to make a cylinder. You might need to put two of them together to go around your setup.

Make sure you leave some room for air to enter at the bottom of the chimney that you build.

Yes, the duct work is better than the roof flashing. Thicker. Roof flashing will melt and burn off if too close to the pot/flame. Ask me how i know. :mrgreen:



If you can be certain that your ww are absolutly dry, try smelting 15-20 lbs and then adding weights to the melted alloy. I find it really cuts the time down to have some melt up to temperature then add more solids slowly. 30,000 btu isn't really low heat so I am thinking of what else could slow things. Make sure that the pot is centered in the flame and just off the bottom of the burner or barely in the flame. You need 1 square inch of air opening for every 1,000 btu for complete combustion of gas so consider that when you make a shield. Gianni


Just in case, I always ease fresh weights or lead into the melt with a long handled shovel. A 4-5 ft head start on an angry tinsel fairy is a good thing. Ask me how I know (again). :mrgreen:

My larger cast iron dutch over is 22quarts and the lid perfectly as a shield and self tipping lead feeder if about an inch off center. Obviously, I the opening is on the far side of the pot from me. I figured this out as a good method in a big berm mining experiment; the bullets just roll right in along with the rocks and other crap.