? Pot for homemade smelter?

[standles]

All:

I am in the process of designing/building a homemade smelter for reducing my wheelweights and range lead. I am wanting something in the 300# range. After scouring this board I will most likely make it a ladle setup for ease of construction.

Now I am down to what do I make the pot out of. I know several have used steel pipe cutoffs but I do not seem to have easy access to them.

So..... Do you think an old 20# propane cylinder with the top cutoff would be sufficient for a pot? Ie.. is the steel,wallthickness,strength of the cyl after cutting going to be good enough?

Steven

[schutzen]

It is dangerous to cut old propane cylinders. It is very difficult to fully purge the cylinder. Propane is released while cutting and builds to explosive levels quickly. One spark and your smelting days may be over.

I would keep checking at salvage yards. I made my pot from a 14" tall piece of 18" pipe with a 3/8" side wall. This was a drop cut from a sewer expansion job. They were boring under the roads and pulling an 18" liner that the 12" sewer line ran thourgh. They sold a truck load of drop cuts to the salvage yard. A second option is the cast iron pots from the cheap china tool sales. I think the largest pots are $25-$35.

Make sure you have enough burner for a large pot. I have a 100,000 BTU burner and can melt 200-300 lbs, but when I cut the heat back to keep it from over heating it cools too fast. Part of the problem is I smelt out side and only on windy days (I hate the smoke). I am going to insulate the lower 2/3's of the pot as soon as I scrounge the covering metal.

Good luck with your search.

[44woody]

Standles in order to cut a propane tank safely you have to fill it with water and a bottle of Dawn dish soap and let it sit for 7 days I make smoker grills out of big tanks and this is how I purge the tank or if you want I have one already cut I will send you for $10 plus postage :castmine: 44Woody

[shooter575]

I cut my LP tank with a cutoff wheel. ie the air powered right angle muffler cutter would be best.I used a Dewalt 4" electric with a GFI in the circut.Tank was full of water when I cut it.
It sure does stink though

[TAWILDCATT]

AGRI SUPPLY HAS A 12 qt cast kettle and 180,000 burner for $79.
:coffee: :Fire: :coffee:

[Gussy]

Look for a well driller. They always have scrap end cuts of well casing. That's where I got mine. Cheap too. Get some plate from a junk yard and weld a bottom in it. I would also put some pipe pivots near the top and a handle for that final dump.
Gus

[standles]

Thanks for the tips guys.

Yeah I knew of the propane dangers and was going to cut it full of water and with a cutoff tool as suggested. Just don't know the strength or wall thickness of it to see if it is worth the effort.


The design I have sketched in my head (going to have to put it on paper soon as I am about out of storage space up there) is shielded and I have a 120K btu burner. Originally I was going to make it a tipover pour type job but had concerns of control/splashing the pour into the ingot moulds. Since this will be the dirty smelter didn't want dross crap problems with a bottom pour. Didn't think of the final empty so may still add the pivots and pinions for that.


Thanks a bunch guys, Steven