Turkey fryer for smelting

[MOA]

Just got a great deal on start up equiptment. Amazon has two left. King Kooker ( model number 1644) brand I think, under 75 bucks, stand, burner ( I think it is a cast iron burner) regulator hose, and a cast iron pot to use for smelting. You also get the alum. strainer, which will go into the kitchen for other culinary uses. Merry Christmas to all.

[JASON4X4]

good find

[DRNurse1]

Good Find! I replaced one a couple of years ago. Mine came with and aluminum 40qt pot with the lid, strainer and a turkey hanger for $49. I added the propane cylinder half as a smelt pot (Ray in NH ?).

[jmort]

"I added the propane cylinder half as a smelt pot (Ray in NH ?)."

Ray made really nice tools for smelting but no more unfortunately. I did get two cut propane tanks from DCrockett which I would recommend if one has concerns about cutting their own. I do have one sitting in my yard waiting to be cut as a spring/summer project. For the $$$, around $50.00 delivered the one from DCrockett is better than anything you can buy for $50.00 ($25.00 for pot and $25.00 shipping)

[dikman]

Pretty good price for a propane tank pot. It's a fair bit of messing around to make one.

MOA, sounds like you'll soon be a happy smelter :drinks:.

[mikeym1a]

I got a 'fish fryer' from Lowes. the burner is rated at 150,000btu. It also came with an aluminum pan with an aluminum strainer pan. I don't cook with aluminum, or eat out of it. I once read that alzhiemer's patients have high levels of aluminum compared to 'normal' people. That may be totally co-incidental, but, I've enough problems without taking any chances on it. I use the aluminum pot and strainer for dumping and sifting my tumbler. My smelting pot is an old freon can cut open, with handles welded on. works great!!! Oh, one suggestion. Make a skirt to go around the bottom of your smelting pan. you'll use way less LP that way. I was amazed at how much it helped me. CHEERS!!!

[MOA]

Yes mikeym1a,
I plan when the unit arrives to cut off the end of a steel pipe, 3 or 4 inches to serve as a heat shield, and to keep the flame undisturbed so it is more efficient. I just need to check the base diameter of the stand, and the cast iron pot so it is the correct fit and height. They only had two left as of yesterday. Initial cost with out the sale was $148.00 bucks. So I saved 84 bucks, got the cast iron pot, so no need to go out and purchase one, and the shipping was free. A win win.

[MOA]

mikeym1a, I quit using aluminum back about 83 or 84 when I heard the same reports too. , got rid of all pots and pans, and replaced them with cast iron, and stainless steel. You can't be too careful.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Make a skirt to go around the bottom of your smelting pan. you'll use way less LP that way. I was amazed at how much it helped me. CHEERS!!!

This is by far some of the best advice for keeping the heat you've paid for in propane directly purposed for smelting lead. Another additional tip is to have another "focusing shield" (steel pipe) welded around the burner to focus the burner heat upward.

Adding the two mentioned items to my turkey fryer smelter cut my LP consumption by more than half and greatly sped up reaching smelting temperature.

One last tip: Buy a lead thermometer and keep your smelting temperature at the melting point for lead. That way, you don't melt zinc wheel weights and ruin your lead for casting.

[JASON4X4]

Thermometer is a must have so you don't have to worry about what is in the melt

[DRNurse1]

Thanks Mr Mortimer, I believe you are correct in the source for my propane half=smelting pot.

I had not heard Ray in NH was out of the tool business. I have a set of his ladles and a skimmer that are going strong after several thousand pounds of lead processed.

After I burned the paint off the propane half DCrockett made and figured out how to keep it stable on my burner (200 + pounds of lead cleaned up off of my dirt (thankfully) driveway later, BTW) it is also working well.

I heartily recommend both of these straight shooters products and hope Ray will consider getting back into the business.


"I added the propane cylinder half as a smelt pot (Ray in NH ?)."

Ray made really nice tools for smelting but no more unfortunately. I did get two cut propane tanks from DCrockett which I would recommend if one has concerns about cutting their own. I do have one sitting in my yard waiting to be cut as a spring/summer project. For the $$$, around $50.00 delivered the one from DCrockett is better than anything you can buy for $50.00 ($25.00 for pot and $25.00 shipping)

[JSnover]

Oh, one suggestion. Make a skirt to go around the bottom of your smelting pan. you'll use way less LP that way. I was amazed at how much it helped me. CHEERS!!!
The skirt makes a huge difference. Bought some stove pipe at the hardware store. It was so thin I could cut it with some heavy scissors - didn't even need my tin snips.

[Colohunter]

I bought a fish fryer on sale at Bass Pro and use a large pot from Goodwill for smelting range lead. I like the skirt idea, I need to add something to close up the huge air gap under the pot.

[snuffy]

Just got a great deal on start up equiptment. Amazon has two left. King Kooker ( model number 1644) brand I think, under 75 bucks, stand, burner ( I think it is a cast iron burner) regulator hose, and a cast iron pot to use for smelting. You also get the alum. strainer, which will go into the kitchen for other culinary uses. Merry Christmas to all.

After it arrives, take a long look at the support the burner has under where the pot will sit. My turkey fryer scared me when the cast iron dutch oven was sitting on it even at half full.

I cut some 3/8" hot rolled steel rods, welded them between the existing formed sheet steel supports. This is 3X stronger than the originals, now I can fill the 10 quart D.O., holds over 100 pounds now.

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