Smelting problem solved

[HangFireW8]

My scavenging agents have been bringing bigger and bigger finds lately. My problem: Really big ingots do not fit in a 20 qt dutch oven without hanging out and tipping them over. Cutting them in half is slow, messy and breaks blades. I have a torch but acetylene is not cheap.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=81264&d=1378600826

Solution: Go yardsale-ing. I'll take the large one for $30.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=81265&d=1378600827

Problem solved. Oh, yeah.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=81266&d=1378600828

[zomby woof]

WOW, go big or stay home. Great find.

[jonp]

Id be worried that old cast pots that size were used to make soap. Do you think the lye and ash would effect the melt? After using them for soap you couldnt use them for anything else because of this

[Dan Cash]

A bit of lye and ash never stopped my hillbilly aunt from using the pot for other things. She did die a bit early, though. She was 97 I think.

[dondiego]

Lye is water soluble and ash can be brushed off. Don't see any problems here.

[lwknight]

Hangfire, it takes very little acetylene to melt a large bar in half.
Just lay it across the pot on the ground and melt the middle out with a gentle oxidizing flame to cut in two.
Use the feathery part of the flame on the side of the bar. That way , the melted lead will run off and you cannot overheat it.

[Shiloh]

I used a wood splitting wedge once. Not a maul, but a wedge and short sledge hammer. Had a semi-circle ingot from a pan with a round bottom. Got it done. It would work with your cylinder ingots perfectly.

Shiloh

[220swiftfn]

An idea for someone else in this predicament....... Those tripod "carcass hangers" are rated to 300 lbs. IIRC, and it shouldn't be too hard to drill a hole in the monster ingot for a clevis pin. Run a short chain between the clevis and the hanger and Bob's your uncle...... (or chainfall, engine hoist, whatever you have, I seem to remember someone using a dismantled swingset to make a down and dirty engine hoist at some point....)


Dan

[44man]

I used my deer hoist out at the barn. I drilled a hole for a wire in a 75# ingot, lifted it and slowly lowered as it melted. When the pot got full I just lifted the rest out of the way and poured ingots.

[WilliamDahl]

Do you have a 20 lb propane tank for a gas grill? If so, the acetylene regulator will fit on it and you can have an oxy-propane rig. Propane is cheaper than acetylene.

[HangFireW8]

Thanks for the ideas, guys! I'm sure a splitting wedge would work but, gee... that sounds like hard work. :) Yeah I use a turkey fryer on a 20lb propane tank. Now that I've "gone big" I probably won't need the deer hoist or the torch ideas. Just toss it in (figuratively), put a trash can lid on top and let it cook!

[geargnasher]

I want to see the burner setup on that ginormous pot, and you talk about the price of acetylene? :kidding:

I'm seeing an oak woodpile, 4'-diameter fire ring, and a leaf blower in your future.....

Gear

[grumman581]

Thanks for the ideas, guys! I'm sure a splitting wedge would work but, gee... that sounds like hard work. :) Yeah I use a turkey fryer on a 20lb propane tank. Now that I've "gone big" I probably won't need the deer hoist or the torch ideas. Just toss it in (figuratively), put a trash can lid on top and let it cook!

Having tried it, I can definitely say that a splitting wedge is hard work, even with pure (soft) lead. With wheelweights lead, it's even worse. There was a discussion awhile back about someone wanting to chop up a sailboat keel for the lead and someone said that the hydraulic log splitters work well.

[44man]

I want to see the burner setup on that ginormous pot, and you talk about the price of acetylene? :kidding:

I'm seeing an oak woodpile, 4'-diameter fire ring, and a leaf blower in your future.....

Gear
Gear, I like that idea!

[NineInchNails]

Really good find HangFireW8! Most flea markets around here want $30 or more just for a small dutch oven. A rummage shop near by wants $75 for a large cast iron cauldron like that.

How are you going to heat it? A propane burner underneath? Wood fire?

There might be a good amount of lead left in the bottom that could be hard to get out, but it sure solves the problem with large pieces. If you can hoist it up perhaps the last bit of lead could be poured out.

[jonp]

Chainsaw

[HangFireW8]

Chainsaw

I just got my chainsaws all running, tuned and sharp! I'd hate to put one against metal!

I'll give a report on how well it works. I have a pretty large turkey fryer burner that should do the trick. I'll start with a small chunk (oh 30# or so) to get it going.

[geargnasher]

If you do use the chainsaw, get a cheap poly tarp (big!) and keep the oil tank filled with 30-weight or the chain will overheat. The thinner oil flows faster and keeps the bar cooler. It will make a royal mess, but works very well. Suspend the tarp at the edges and work inside it.

Gear

[grumman581]

If you do use the chainsaw, get a cheap poly tarp (big!) and keep the oil tank filled with 30-weight or the chain will overheat. The thinner oil flows faster and keeps the bar cooler. It will make a royal mess, but works very well. Suspend the tarp at the edges and work inside it.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5oz9IJ_5O0

[lwknight]

I liked that chainsaw cutting. One would think that even if some lead gets under the chain it would only act as a lubricate till it wore off.
Anyone know how long the chain will last?

[grumman581]

I liked that chainsaw cutting. One would think that even if some lead gets under the chain it would only act as a lubricate till it wore off.
Anyone know how long the chain will last?

I think he mentioned it in the comments. I seem to remember him saying something about having to constant tighten his chain and that he was able to get two of those cuts before he had to resharpen his blade. It didn't look like he was using much (if any) oil.

[grumman581]

I like the log splitter method video also.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1UPjFgISJc

[WilliamDahl]

I like the log splitter method video also.

I wonder what size (ton rating) you would need for a log splitter to do that sort of thing. If it could be done with a 2-4 ton rating, someone could rig up something with one of the Hi-Lift type jacks. If that wasn't enough, I suspect one of the 20 ton shop presses could be made to work.

http://www.harborfreight.com/20-ton-shop-press-32879.html
http://www.harborfreight.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/small_image/135x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_14133.jpg