Weed Burner for Smelter ( and shout out at BruceB)

[ssnow]

I built a bottom pour smelting pot. Similar to many that have been posted here through the years. I was unhappy with my burner output and decided to change to something.....anything.......else :)

I was using a jet burner from a Bayou Classic grill. I was never able to achieve satisfactory results, partly due to the size of my pot. I tried an impinged jet burner next, and it was not really up to the task either, particularly in windy conditions.

BruceB has posted his results using a weed burner.

Based on his recommendation, I decided to try it.

I'm making the point of emphasizing the recommendation from BruceB for several reasons..........First; anyone can (and often do) post anything.........I think that some casters (who are also fishermen), exaggerate smelting time :kidding: or perhaps they are having so much fun, they lose track of time :)

Second; I don't have money to waste on things that don't work. So a recommendation from someone solid like BruceB was the deciding factor to push me in the right direction. (a listed BTU of 500,000 also helps :) ) So anyway, Thanks Bruce.

I filled the pot with wheel weights, and 40 minutes later, I had 90 lbs of ingots. Start to finish, from cold pot to shutting it off, 40 minutes. 90 lbs of ingots.

That was not even turned up all the way. I really don't know just how fast it can do it, as this was the first attempt. I have not yet determined the sweet spot........the best compromise between speed and propane use. Obviously, I'll get all that dialed in with some more run time.

Anyway, at any given time, there may be lots of folks reading these pages who are considering building a smelter, and trying to determine which burner to use. If you are wanting to do it fast, then it takes a lot of heat. The weed burner provides just that, at a price that is hard to beat.

[dsbock]

What did you use or build to hold the weed burner and lead pot?

I'm looking at getting one of the Harbor Freight weed burners but need to figure out a stand.

David

[ssnow]

The pot is a piece of 12" pipe 11" deep with a 3/16 plate for the bottom. It has 3 legs angled outboard made of 1 1/2" square tubing.

On the front side of the pot under the spout, I used a piece of rectangle tubing running from one leg to another to serve as a "table" to hold the mold. Then I had another piece of tubing running from the front to the rear legs to mount the burner on. Basically, there is a "T" shaped tubing under the pot.

When I switched to the weed burner, I simply cut into the tubing running under the pot and welded the burner into position.

Let me see if I can get my Daughter to take a picture. Learning from my mistakes is cheaper than making them on your own :)

[BruceB]

For years now, I've been preaching about the weed-burner for this purpose.

You are the first one to make a positive report and I am VERY glad it worked so well for you.

If one has a basic pot, use some creativity.

For instance, a "Workmate"-type divided bench allows a weedburner to be directed straight up at the bottom of the pot by using some inexpensive concrete "paver" blocks a couple inches thick. Put a couple pavers across the gap between the table halves to support the burner head. Then build up an arrangement of more blocks to support the pot at the proper height above the burner.

DONE! No welding or other difficult jobs; just make sure the concrete blocks are substantial and support the pot securely.

You can even disassemble the arrangement in moments to use the Workmate (or equivalent) for its original purpose.

For my part, I had a dedicated old table in the back yard for smelting. I cut a 6" hole through the top. Then a piece of 1/8" steel plate larger than the hole had a slot cut to the center of the plate with an abrasive blade in a Skilsaw. The slot is0just wide enough to admit the shaft of the burner head, and thus will support the head pointing upward at the pot bottom.

Add the concrete blocks or bricks.... we are in business!
The last harbor freight weedburner I bought was on-sale for.... ELEVEN BUCKS!

If I have twenty dollars tied up in my burner setup, I'd be surprised....and, UNLIMITED HEAT for all practical uses.

Thanks for the kind words. If anyone else tries this, I'd sure like to hear about it.

[BNE]

Pictures please!

[ssnow]

Give me a minute to get the pictures worked out. It could take a few tries :)

This first picture shows the pot. I have added some old duct work for a heat shield.

http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums/p599/queenboolynn/resized5-1.jpg (http://s1157.photobucket.com/user/queenboolynn/media/resized5-1.jpg.html)

Here is a view of the handle assembly. Originally, I had a smaller rod for the valve. It leaked so I had a friend at the machine shop make a better valve.


http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums/p599/queenboolynn/resized3-1.jpg (http://s1157.photobucket.com/user/queenboolynn/media/resized3-1.jpg.html)

Inside view of the valve assembly. It's spring loaded against the top. Works great with no leaks.

http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums/p599/queenboolynn/resized4-1.jpg (http://s1157.photobucket.com/user/queenboolynn/media/resized4-1.jpg.html)

This picture shows the burner welded into place. The piece of tubing that the burner is attached to was running through to the back leg in one piece for the old burner. I simply cut it and welded the new burner into that position.

http://i1157.photobucket.com/albums/p599/queenboolynn/resized2-1.jpg (http://s1157.photobucket.com/user/queenboolynn/media/resized2-1.jpg.html)

The small piece of angle iron pictured above serves as a rest for the mold while it is being filled.

It would be much better if you figure out how high this rest or table needs to be, and then made it run the full width between the two legs......that way you could just slide your molds under the spout and then slide them to the side while they are cooling. I will be making that change when I get around to picking up some more metal to work with.

Obviously, a work in progress, that I will keep changing until I get it just right :)

[ssnow]

I bought the more expensive Harris weed burner, mostly because of the better valves and hose. On the Harris, the pipe used is 1/4" steel pipe, so you are not going to bend it neatly without a tubing bender. Lacking that, I just cut it to desired lengths threaded it.

I think Bruce mentioned the Harbor Freight unit is available for about 20 bucks these days. That would save a guy a few bucks.

[Three44s]

I made my smelter about 20 years ago out of 6 or 8" heavy wall steel pipe.

I installed a 90 degree elbow right behind the weed burner head in the pipe for the propane and cut a hole near the base of the large pipe standing on end so the burner head was inside the large pipe pointed upwards toward the lead pot. I also tacked on an old disc blade for the base (edge down of course) onto the large pipe for stability.

At the top of the large pipe I cut and tacked on the rim of an worn out sprocket with the center cut out so as to receive my cast iron lead pot. This was cut and ground so the lead pot sat level and recessed into the large pipe but so as to not fall in.

I made a removable insert for a smaller lead pot I was also using then ......... the insert fit into the recess for the larger pot so as to sleeve down the space.

I did not have to make a fixture to hold the weed burner head but there is no reason one could not do that ........ the burner I was using was one from the ranch and I wanted it to return to ranch chores after my lead was broken out of WW's. A tube fixed inside the larger pipe that the burner head would slide into would suffice and no mods necessary to the burner head would result.

Two buckets of WW's went into 15 oz bars in nothing flat!

Best regards

Three 44s

[Bored1]

Thanks for the pictures!!!! Gives me a place to start when I attempt to make one. I really like the spring idea to stop drips.