Might of made a mistake

[pearcetopher]

Hi guys,

collected 80 pounds of range scrap after being inspired by you fellas

I intend to smelt it this weekend so I went and bought a used camp stove for only 10$
to my dismay I looked into it further and is only 7500 btu per burner :(((((
Will this get hot enought at all for what I want to do?

[WILCO]

Hi Pearcetopher!

Check out this link: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?69849-Will-8000-btu-s-of-Butane-melt-lead

Just remember to smelt in manageable amounts and you should be fine.

[Driver man]

7500 BTU will be ok for casting as its about 2Kw. If you take it slow you will be able to smelt in small amounts.

[jeepyj]

Pearcetopher,
The thread that Wilco mentioned is a good source of information. For my .02 worth....
You didn't make a mistake as long as your not in a big hurry it will work. I started out that way. Over time though I evolved to the turkey fryer and I cut a 20 lb propane cylinder off at the center line. There's No comparison I wondered why I waited so long. I've seen several cookers at those trash and treasures sales for ten or fifteen bucks. I found a tank with the old style valve for zero dollars except the price of a cutoff wheel. I also found some of those cast iron muffin tins at a flea market for 8.00 dollars each. In other words with the increased volume of melt I had to have a place to pour it into. I can easily clean a hundred pounds in a couple hours start to finish.
Jeepyj

[blackthorn]

I use a 20 lb tank as well, but I cut mine off at the top of the shoulder. I did this so that I could get more wheel weights in the pot to start from "cold" to ensure all/any moisture is dried off so no tinsel fairy visits! I sure would not want to have that sucker filled with molten lead even though my Turkey cooker burner only sits about 4" off the ground!

[Idz]

Add a windscreen/heat shield around your pot along with a lid and things will go much better.

[Walter Laich]

If you cut the top off of the tank how do you keep the propane inside?

:wink:

[pearcetopher]

as an update I found out my dad has a white gas coleman grill with a 10,000 BTU burner.
Will this be any better?

[Wayne Smith]

as an update I found out my dad has a white gas coleman grill with a 10,000 BTU burner.
Will this be any better?

Did you really need to ask that? When is bigger not better?!! OK, there may be a few instances.

[rintinglen]

Did you really need to ask that? When is bigger not better?!! OK, there may be a few instances.

When it's the bill.

[T-Man]

I use my fish cooker and a rather humongous cast iron pot to smelt and flux all my range lead. Then running a magnet through the remaining jackets and getting rid of the steel. I reheat the copper as hot as I can get it, then dump it in a barrel of cold water. You wind up with pretty much Number 2 grade copper which goes for about 3 bucks a pound these days. Needless to say, it doesn't take long to fill up a 5 gallon bucket, then another, and another, and...

[Epd230]

if you cut the top off of the tank how do you keep the propane inside?

:wink:


baaaa haaa haaa!!!

[MT Gianni]

Get a small melted and skimmed then add a few more at a time using the latent heat of the melt to help you. Make sure that everything is completely dry.

[prs]

Take a tour around town to see how many high btu propane turkey deep fat friers are available cheap to free after the owner experienced the flare-up on Thanksgivin.

prs

[pearcetopher]

but my thanksgiving was almost two months ago :)

i know cast iron is best but will stainless steel suffice for ladel, scoop, and pot?

[AlaskanGuy]

It will work just fine... But i would make a safety suggestion if using range scrap... Get a lid for whatever pot you use and keep it there till it is really good and hot... Dont want any pops throwing the tinsel fairy your way... Good gloves, and long sleeves, and eye protection are the order of the day, along with a slotted spoon for skimming and stirring...

Go get em....

AlaskanGuy

[fastfire]

I worked my **** off today, in 2.5hrs got 5 5gal buckets full of pistol bullets.
Going to bed early tonite:groner:

[leftiye]

If you cut the top off of the tank how do you keep the propane inside? :wink:

Well, Getting the container cut open without mishap can be some problematic. Unscrewing the fitting was a surprise with the one I made my smelter from. There was a flamable liquid inside that didn't vent, and there was also something about the fitting that didn't let all of the pressure out. It was only plain old caution that avoided a problem.

After the top is removed you have to freeze the propane or it will evaporate.:mrgreen:

[merlin101]

Well, Getting the container cut open without mishap can be some problematic. Unscrewing the fitting was a surprise with the one I made my smelter from. There was a flamable liquid inside that didn't vent, and there was also something about the fitting that didn't let all of the pressure out. It was only plain old caution that avoided a problem.

After the top is removed you have to freeze the propane or it will evaporate.:mrgreen:

I vented my tank with a 30.06 from about 100 yards (just in case). If you want to keep the propane thats in there just go to your local dealer and ask them for a "propane net" they'll hook ya right up!

[dikman]

Pearcetopher, I've used stainless saucepans for melting small amounts for years with no problems. I recently used a larger stainless pot (to melt bigger amounts), again with no problems - although as you go bigger you find hotter burners help a bit! I still use an old stainless soup ladle and stainless drilled/slotted spoons.

So it will all work fine. Probably the most important thing to watch is that whatever you use must be stable!

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Walter, the propane is heavier than air so it would probably just sit there at the bottom until you tipped it over or something.

[6bg6ga]

I think you made a mistake and you should send the lead directly to me.

[mdi]

If you cut the top off of the tank how do you keep the propane inside?

:wink:

Ya gotta be pretty darn fast Walter. Pushing the propane up the sides of the tank and stuffin' it back inside can get real hairy though...

[6bg6ga]

For $19.95 I can sell you a kit that will keep the propane inside the the tank after it has been cut.

[imashooter2]

I smelted and cast on a yard sale liquid fuel Coleman stove for many years before moving up the ladder. My experience is that they will handle about 40 pounds before melt time gets unbearable. A 2.5 quart stainless sauce pan will work very well for that weight and leave you a little room at the top to stir, flux and skim. Plenty of time to go larger in the future, but 80 pounds is just a pleasant afternoon on a Coleman.

[AlaskanGuy]

Hey Pearce,

Check out this link.... Might wanna read this first....

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?219043-For-noob-s-A-basic-lead-ingot-setup-for-Range-bullet-scrap

[blackthorn]

To eliminate any danger from leftover propane in the tank I unscrew the valve, fill the tank with water, use a "zip-cut" to cut about a 4 or 5 inch square hole around where the valve used to be, dump the water, lay the tank on its side and use the zip-cut to cut away the unwanted material!

[CastingFool]

I use the auxiliary burner on our propane grill and a helium tank cut in half when I clean up old lead pipe joints. Don't have a shield around the "pot" to help keep the heat in, but I haven't found the right material to make one with. I have a ladle that holds 3 lbs of molten lead, just enough to fill my Lee ingot mold.