Low tech smelting

[BoolitBullet]

I just got my first 50 lbs of range lead and I am chomping at the bit to make my first ingots. Unfortunately, I don't have a smelting setup yet. Browsing this forum, I find a bunch of Dutch oven and turkey fryer setups, or sexier rigs. Let's pretend for the moment that even the most basic turkey fryer setup is just out of reach and that I am an impatient m'fer. Let me see your most basic setups. I am talking about a stack of bricks, a dollar store pot, a pile of charcoal stoked with a hair dryer type stuff. Come on guys. Give me hope!

[country gent]

A c shape stack ofconcrete blocks, one grate one block up for a fire rack, then the second grate another block up and anothe set of blocks for a wind screen. Stoker coal for fire/heat a blower ( hair dryer, shopvac recersed. ). to "boost coal fire when needed. A steel or cast iron pot to finish it off. Also dont forget saftey gear, heavy boots shoes gloves eye protection and heavy clothing. You need to wach as coal can and will produce way more heat than you need. Think things thru before starting make sure everything is capable of the heat and weight. You will need ingot molds a ladle and a place to work safely.

[dikman]

I just melted a pile in my forge, using firewood ('cos I ran out of coke!). It worked fine, so assuming you don't have a forge just do what you said - a heap of bricks/blocks to contain the fire, heavy grate (preferably over steel bars for added support) to put the pot on (a stainless steel pot/pan will do fine), wood for the fire and a hairdryer for an airblast to give the fire some heat. Personally, I wouldn't use a vac cleaner as the blast will be too strong.

A soup ladle will work for scooping out the lead, a suitable spoon for skimming off the dross and sawdust for fluxing. You should be able to pick up suitable implements cheap at thrift-type shops.

And away you go. (Not forgetting the safety aspect, as previously mentioned).

[novalty]

Any Cal, had posted the picture below of his set up in a thread I had created earlier this year. Looks like an affordable set up that would be good for melting down small amounts of lead.

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7392/img0501xw.jpg

If you have a Good Will near you, check them out and maybe you can find some inexpensive cast iron cookware, that you melt in as well. A large frying pan should be able to handle 25 pounds of lead for smelting. Then you would just need a heat source/stand.

[mwc]

When I don't have a big bunch to do I use a small single element hotplate turned up to high and I use a Bensamatic propane torch, the ones that you use to solder copper pipes, I use a 8-10 inch castiron frying pan, smelt ,skim, flux and cast to ingots for later use in my Lyman furnace.

[MOcaster]

If you go with the "forge" make sure the bricks are dry. Ask me how I know....

[BoolitBullet]

So MOcaster, you are saying get the whole forge good and hot then introduce the molten medal

[MOcaster]

That would be a good idea. Nothing extremely dramatic happened to me but I thought there was a couple of firecrackers mixed in with my coal. I didn't know I could flinch so fast until it happened. And yet I continue to do it. Oh well, you can't fix stupid. :)

[dikman]

Novalty, that's an interesting setup. I know those little stoves can get very hot (I've got a couple), but I'd be careful about how much lead is put in - they're not really designed to support that sort of weight.

BB, if the blocks/bricks you're using are slightly damp it shouldn't matter much with a wood fire, as the heat should dry them out somewhat slowly (I'm talking damp, not wet!). Using coal/coke, however, with an airblast under it is another thing altogether. It can generate high heat pretty quickly and could cause the blocks to crack or explode (in a worst case scenario).

Btw, the Japanese swordsmiths use a very simple forge - two vertical sides (bricks/blocks) sitting on the ground, charcoal piled in between and a pipe through one side at groundlevel for the air feed. A traditional hand-powered pump sits on the ground behind one side. Can't get much more basic than that, and these guys turn out exquisite blades using this simple setup.

[BoolitBullet]

If you go with the "forge" make sure the bricks are dry. Ask me how I know....

Did you blow up or crack your forge?

[MOcaster]

Yes, I cracked it. Luckily, we have a lot of bricks left over from when out house was built so I have extras. Just be careful and heat up the bricks slow like dikman said and you should be good.

[Ben]

Any Cal, had posted the picture below of his set up in a thread I had created earlier this year. Looks like an affordable set up that would be good for melting down small amounts of lead.

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/7392/img0501xw.jpg

If you have a Good Will near you, check them out and maybe you can find some inexpensive cast iron cookware, that you melt in as well. A large frying pan should be able to handle 25 pounds of lead for smelting. Then you would just need a heat source/stand.

Your melting pot looks like aluminum.

If so, better be careful.....it can let go and spill molten lead at any minute.

[novalty]

Your melting pot looks like aluminum.

If so, better be careful.....it can let go and spill molten lead at any minute.

That picture is actually of another member's set up, that goes by the name "Any Cal"

This is my set up.
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m11/novalty1970/Reloading/Casting/IMG_6649_zps0ff9f383.jpg

[Bad Water Bill]

Back in the 60s I started smelting W W.

A single burner Coleman gas stove was handy as was a 3# coffee can. I formed a V in the top of the can and used vice grips to pick the can up and pour the 25-35# of molten lead into the Lyman mould.

Many years later and many # later the system is still working good.

Can not get much cheaper than that.

[BoolitBullet]

A single burner Coleman gas stove was handy as was a 3# coffee can. I formed a V in the top[...]
Now we are talking! Care to share some pics? I'd like to see more than Dutch pots on a turkey fryer.

[dikman]

Way back then cans were made out of decent material, they're just a wee bit thinner these days!!

[Bad Water Bill]

Find a restaurant supply house and look at the 1 gal steel cans of food. Pick out the can that looks like it is the strongest and take it home.

Open the can and break the product down to YOUR family sized portions and freeze the portions,clean out the can and now you are in business SMELTING.

[shadowcaster]

Go to the scrap yard and find an old piece of pipe or a rim and weld up some scrap plate to the bottom of it. It won't cost much, will be safer, and will last a whole lot longer than any other "cheap" option.

Shad

[BoolitBullet]

Go to the scrap yard and find an old piece of pipe or a rim and weld up some scrap plate to the bottom of it. It won't cost much, will be safer, and will last a whole lot longer than any other "cheap" option.

Shad

Sounds good except the cost of the welder and necessary welding equipment

[singleshot]

Go online and look up how to build a rocket stove using three scrap metal cans. Another scrap metal can could serve as a pot. A handful of sticks will melt several pounds of lead. Can't get any cheaper than that!

[2AMMD]

Most paint stores and some hardware stores sell unused quart and gallon paint cans relatively cheap. The metal should be strong enough, you would just have to cut a place in the rim to pour through.

[Sweetpea]

Most paint stores and some hardware stores sell unused quart and gallon paint cans relatively cheap. The metal should be strong enough, you would just have to cut a place in the rim to pour through.

If you're going to try this, BE CAREFUL!!!

Smelting, casting, and shooting become much harder with no flesh on your feet...

[BoolitBullet]

Go online and look up how to build a rocket stove using three scrap metal cans. Another scrap metal can could serve as a pot. A handful of sticks will melt several pounds of lead. Can't get any cheaper than that!

I wonder if the stove burns hot enough to smelt lead. Have you tried?

[Jon]

I used to melt lead on a wood fired hibachi grill with a can when I was a kid. I tried making my own air gun pellets with homemade hardwood molds. They didn't work that well, but it will melt lead.