Large Smelting Pot

[-Mischief]

I did some google searches and can't seem to come up with what I'm looking for. I see some of you using these great big "woks" with propane torches under them...are they all homemade or does someone actually manufacturer them? I want to be able to dump 50lbs of COWW in and smelt away.

[jmort]

"woks"

I believe they are propane tanks cut in two.

[country gent]

Just about everything has been used for a lead pot at one time or another. A cast iron 5 quart dutch oven will hold 100lbs of metal. A cut of propane tank will hold alot depending on where its cut at. Old steel . cast iron pots cut of tanks welded up pipes have been made to work. I had a smelting pot made up out of a propane tank truck rims and footer blocks. used stoker coal and a shop vac "blower". Would melt around 400 lbs in a couple hours.

[Defcon-One]

I use a Lodge cast iron 7 quart dutch oven. It will hold up to 100 lbs. but 80 lbs. is more practical and easier to stir without spilling. Cost was about $60.00, if I recall correctly. Worth every penny! It has lasted 3+ years and about 5,000 pounds of lead without a crack or any problems at all.

My burner came from Bass Pro Shops online. It was a Fish Frying rig with a cheap aluminum pot that I cut the bottom out of and made into a wind screen that drops right around the pot while heating. I think that I paid less than $40 for the whole setup delivered.

My point is that $100.00 will get you a really nice and reliable setup!

[-Mischief]

Ok, so everyone here has had to make one. That's what I was trying to find out...was if they were available to purchase all set and ready to go or if they had to be fabricated.

[inspector_17]

look in swappin and sellin, lead cleaning pots and ingot moulds, his name is DCrockett. he makes smelting pots from propane tanks

[-Mischief]

Awesome! Thanks!~

[flintlock62]

I use a 4 quart iron pot. Some may like larger capacities, but each to their own. Larger pots and lead quantities take longer to reach pouring temps. I paid around $25 for my pot.
Not trying to split hairs, but "smelting" involves extracting metal from ore. Actually, we simply melt our lead. A thermometer is a good thing to have around.


Ok, so everyone here has had to make one. That's what I was trying to find out...was if they were available to purchase all set and ready to go or if they had to be fabricated.

[shadowcaster]

The above posts are correct. You can use just about anything to smelt/render/clean scrap lead except aluminum.. It will fail!

I started out doing the ladle method with a cast iron dutch oven and a turkey fryer. I soon tired of the ladle and needed more capacity so I built a 400 pound bottom pour smelter (being a scrounge) for just pennies.

Make sure you have enough BTU's for the size of smelting pot you want. Anything over 30 minutes initial heat up time is too long no matter what size you choose.

Shad

[-Mischief]

What are some of the ways to heat a large pot like these?

[shadowcaster]

I use a beefed up turkey fryer.. high BTU's.. and high pressure regulator. There are also a few other simple tricks you can use to speed things up.

Shad

[country gent]

Most weed burners have plenty of btus and can be modified to set under the turkey frier stand easily enough. My weed burner came from harbor freight is 500,000 btus and a 1/8" X 6" pipe nipple and 1/7" 90 with a small stand bent from heavy wire and it stands upright. I added a 2 valves one lever and a ball valve after that. The lever valve is on / off, the ball valve adjusts temp. I can turn on off and not lose temp settings.

[Springfield]

Stainless steel pots from the Goodwill work fine, can easily hold 100 lbs. Put them on a turkey fryer and you're set.

[novalty]

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6649_zps0ff9f383.jpg (http://s100.photobucket.com/user/novalty1970/media/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6649_zps0ff9f383.jpg.html)

12" Dutch Oven from Harbor Freight $30.98 (http://www.harborfreight.com/12-inch-cast-iron-dutch-oven-44705.html) (After coupon code: 51697117)
Camp Chef Universal Output Single Burner (was on sale at Cabelas $59.99)
Ladle: rayinNH

I've run 60lbs in the dutch oven melting down wheel weights. So far this summer, I've put 100lbs of wheel weights through it, and my father-in-law put 300 lbs of wheel weights through it. Will be putting a couple hundred more pounds through this winter.

[-Mischief]

Sweet!

[rondog]

Don't necessarily have to make one, I use a rusty old cast iron dutch oven I found in a thrift store for a buck! Hit all the Goodwills, Salvation Armys, thrift store, junk shops, antique shops, even scrap metal yards. Doesn't need to be fancy, just stable and leakproof.

[fredj338]

Ok, so everyone here has had to make one. That's what I was trying to find out...was if they were available to purchase all set and ready to go or if they had to be fabricated.

No, several guys told you a large 5qt dutch oven will hold over 50#. Start hitting the thrift stores.

[-Mischief]

I was asking if there was something completely ready to smelt 40 or 50# rather than going out to get a pot somewhere, then a stand to put it on, then a heat source, etc.

[rondog]

I was asking if there was something completely ready to smelt 40 or 50# rather than going out to get a pot somewhere, then a stand to put it on, then a heat source, etc.

Oh, something purpose-built just for doing this? Hard to say. But it's pretty easy to buy a turkey fryer kit and then a dutch oven, then you're set. And you'll have the turkey fryer kit for cooking stuff too! They come in handy, and not just for turkeys. And I'd bet this route would be cheaper than a large contraption purpose-made for smelting large amounts of lead.

[-Mischief]

Ordered a pot from D Crockett. Gonna hit harbor freight tomorrow.

[shadowcaster]

And I'd bet this route would be cheaper than a large contraption purpose-made for smelting large amounts of lead.

This is not necessarily true. I have less money in my burner and pot build, than if I bought the fryer kit and dutch oven.

Shad

[rondog]

This is not necessarily true. I have less money in my burner and pot build, than if I bought the fryer kit and dutch oven.

Shad

Well, I wasn't thinking of a homebuilt thing. He was asking about a store-bought thing for smelting large amounts, I just figured a turkey kit and dutch oven would be cheaper. Building your own would definitely beat both for cost.

[1bilmr59]

D Crockett pots look good

[evan price]

Find a turkey fryer or fish fryer setup on clearance. Give the aluminum pot away to your wife or significant other or a neighbor, or goodwill. Aluminum pots are absolutely no good for melting lead. They will go soft and fail at temperature.
Examine the stand from the turkey burner kit with an eye to it holding a pot of lead. Set it up and safely try to stand on it yourself. If it won't hold up your weight, it won't hold a pot of lead safely either. Bricks or concrete block stacked around the burner to support the burner will also shield the flame from wind and keep the heat under the pot. I got a massive increase in efficiency by piling brick around my smelter setup.
I use a 3-gallon stainless steel stock pot I got from the scrap bin at the junkyard. Cost me nothing. May cost $5 or so as scrap value. Holds 200-250# easy. Find a nice stainless steel pot, fill it with wheel weights or scrap lead at the scrap dealer and buy the whole thing. Presto, instant first smelt.

[rondog]

I wouldn't get rid of the aluminum pot, use it for cooking! That's what it's for. Frying turkeys, frying lots of fish, crawfish/shrimp boils, soups/stews, anything you need to make a lot of. The burner's just a burner, you can use lots of different vessels on it for different things.

[hawgfan]

I use an old cast iron pot.