Questions about a plumber's pot

[CHX77]

Hello from a newbie. I've been lurking here and reading for a while, and thought it was time for my first question. First, a little background: I'm a middle aged, life long shooter that started reloading a couple years ago. I have experience pouring hot metals in both iron and aluminum foundries. I'm currently gathering the stuff needed to start casting boolits and have a question about a plumber's pot I recently acquired. It doesn't have any brand markings or name plate and it appears to be designed to run on propane. There's a needle valve between the base of the burner and the 1/4" NPT inlet fitting. What do I need to feed this thing the correct pressure/volume to make it work? The picture shows it as it was found. It needs a bit of cleaning up.
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My plans are to use this for smelting and get a small electric pot for casting.

[Dan Cash]

I am not sure what you need to put the pot in to service but you sure do have a usefull unit. It likely runs straight from the bottle with no regulator. Don't limit your self to smelting with it as I think it will make a dandy casting pot too. I bought a gasoline pot for emergency use and it sure does heat the lead quickly.

[bangerjim]

I have that SAME ONE! It runs on direct propane very well..... no reg needed. That is why it gets hot so fast. The valve on mine is made so it does not shut off completely so you have a low fire/pilot setting.

You will probably have to unscrew the base off the triangular burner part. ( use good penetrating oil!) There is a big flat gasket in there that probably has dried out and needs some silicon grease lube.....or replaced! You will get little baby flames all around the thing if it leaks! Not good.

The base of it is a pressure cavity that builds up & holds pressure directly off the propane tank. It sounds like an after burner on an jet, but REALLY heats. It will not shut off immediately as the pressure in your hose and that cavity needs to bleed down.

Mine has a different shroud on top that the pot sets in, but the burner is the same and works very well.

You will have to use an automotive hose clamp to hold the hose onto the barb fitting on the valve or it will blow off.......not good to have a flame thrower in your driveway.

It is from the early part of the 20th century.

It IS a great smelting tool!

You have almost no heat control you will need for good casting so buy a electric Lee 4-20 for casting.

Any further questions PM me.

bangerjim

[CHX77]

Thank you bangerjim. I will check out the gasket and get the whole outfit cleaned up a bit. It's hard to predict how much I'll use this in the future. At the rate I shoot and reload, a couple good smelting sessions might produce enough alloy to last me a very long time. It's interesting you mentioned the Lee 4-20, as I already have it on my wish list.

[detox]

Some Chinese regulators are ****. Try not using one.