Pyrex pot for smelting?

[wbrco]

I've been searching the thrift stores for casting stuff - spoons, ladles, cast iron pots, ingot molds etc.

Not having much luck on a 1 or 2 qt cast iron pot for smelting, but I am seeing a lot of older Corning Pyrex pots. Will boroglass hold up to smelting temps?

Did find a "Fish" cast iron muffin mold. Not as big of ingots than a corn cob type, but a lot of fun.

suggestions on pyrex/boroglass?

[starmac]

Can't find a plain old stainless pot, better than cast, and I would trust it way before pyrex anything.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Do a search on the web for "Lodge" cast iron cookware; they are the only US company still producing cast iron (dutch ovens) they may have the size that you are looking for. Your "fish" cast iron muffin mold was I believe made by John Wright; many molds were made by that foundry of many different animals and flowers. An auction run by E-Bay under that name has many items up for sale and prices are very moderate. LLS

[NavyVet1959]

A 1 or 2 qt pot is too small for smelting in my opinion. I would say that an 8 qt dutch oven would be the smallest that I would consider. I don't bother smelting unless I have at least a 5g bucket of wheelweights to work with though.

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/outdoor-gourmet-14-dutch-oven/pid-27869?N=395477678&Ntt=dutch+oven&Ntk=All

[country gent]

Not sure on the pyrex pots as it is a glass and breakable also as the temps for smelting are way above baking. Surface temp in the flame can reach much higher temps than most realize. I would be very carefull and some what leary of it. A cut propane tank works very well also. It dosnt have to be cast iron, heavy stainless steel or steel pots will work also.
A out dated 25 lb propane cylinder is cheap a little time marking it and cutting ( a hack saw will cut it nicely with patience)
muffin pans will work for ingot molds.
a heavy large cookie sheet can be handy to work over
a large ladle Soup ladle bent to a better angle for pouring ingots ( for actuall bullet casting invest in a Lyman or rcbs ladle)
A heat source capable of melting what the pot holds
not as important smelting but a thermometer is handy to know where your at temp wise also.
A scales to wieght ingots and alloying materials with.

[bangerjim]

Well, that's a first for that one! Have never heard anyone ask about pyrex!

No, I would NOT trust pyrex. It is for baking (mabe 450 max). If/when it cracks, you could end up with a 700 degree silver stream running down your legs and shoes. Talk about Chris Matthew's "tingle up the leg"!!!!!

Do as above and search for an 8qt dutch oven of GOOD quality CI. Not Harbor Freight! Search the 2nd hand stores and camping stores. A good one will NOT be cheap. I just bought one for a friend in an antique store for $22.....heavy and old! Try the cut-in-half steel tank. Many swear by them. I use an antique plumber's furnace and CI pot from the 20's. Works GREAT!

Just do not trust glass or glass-lined metal anything.

good luck!

banger

[jonp]

IDK, I guess Corning Wear is not the same thing. I have a bunch of the old white stuff with the blue flowers on the sides. Coffee pot, tea pot etc and they work fine on the gas stove so I guess they would stand the heat. I'd be worried about breaking them. I'd go to garage sales and find an old stainless steel stock pot for a couple of bucks. My sweetie bought me a cast iron pot at a garage sale for $15 last year. Works great

[mpmarty]

Old pressure cookers steel not aluminum work fine. I use a large cast iron skillet quite a bit.

[.22-10-45]

I was using a Pyrex measuring cup on a hot plate to mix up bullet lube..heard a sharp crack..and wax over everything!..now I only use dbl. boiler for lube making..and would NEVER even think of Pyrex for lead!

[psychicrhino]

Seems like I read once that corningware material was devoped initialy as a warhead coating for ICBMs. and would remain unchanged for at least 1000 years if buried. But I could be misremembering? Woyld not risk pyrex - once popped a pyrex cassarole dish while making gravy in it on a stove top. I suspect the differential of the element being centered in the large dish caused the central portion to expand faster than the rest. The glass burst into a thousand pieces and cascaded near boiling grave everywhere. No, I probably wouldnt melt lead int. Might workout like the first twenty times I mage gravy in that dish, might be like the last time?

[Pinsnscrews]

Pyrex (trademarked as PYREX) is a brand which was introduced by Corning Incorporated in 1915 for a line of clear, low-thermal-expansion borosilicate glass used for laboratory glassware and kitchenware. It is now made of tempered glass.

Corning no longer manufactures or markets Pyrex-branded borosilicate glass kitchenware and bakeware in the US, but Pyrex borosilicate products are still manufactured under license by various companies. World Kitchen, LLC, which was spun off from Corning in 1998, licensed the Pyrex brand for their own line of kitchenware products—differentiated by their use of clear tempered soda-lime glass instead of borosilicate.

The Pyrex we see today is not the Pyrex we older kids grew up with. The Original Pyrex was made to work in labs on bunsen burners ect, so standing up to a direct flame source was a requirement. The Pyrex of today, is ONLY made to be used in microwaves and ovens and not for direct flame, as noted, it is only tempered glass now.

[waltherboy4040]

You can buy a 2-3 quart ss sauce pan at walmart for $7. Works great, I upgraded to a 6 quart ss revre ware tho.

[trucker76]

Pyrex, which is actually borosilicate glass, has a softening point of about 1,500f and a very low thermal coefficient which is good. But it can and will crack if not heated evenly or thermal stressed. It is some amazing stuff though. It is completely passive as it will not react with anything else. Aluminum pans can leave traces of aluminum in your food, as can any metal. Boro will not. It is also why you will find most marijuana smokers will forego the cheap aluminum/brass pipes for glass.

I spnt some time as a glassblower working with borosilicate. It is fascinating stuff. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borosilicate_glass

https://scontent-b-iad.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1.0-9/64431_164889553523535_6730920_n.jpg

[Whitespider]

You can buy Lodge Brand cast iron cookware many places.
I've seen it at Walmart, Target and such, both on line and in stores.
Many "fleet" type stores also carry it, Mill's Feet Farm comes to mind.
"Big Box" stores like Home Depot, Menards and Lowes.
Sporting goods stores that cater to the outdoors man... such a Cabelas.
Even one of my wife's favorite stores... Bed, Bath And Beyond.

[wbrco]

Agreed that new Pyrex is not the same as old Pyrex Borosilicate.

My thinking is the same as Trucker76 - the old stuff is tough and can handle high heat.

My problem is that I'm not finding much cast iron in the thrift stores in my neighborhood. I'm trying to do things on the cheap, and I want to work with small batches at first, even though I have a full 5 gal bucket of COWW.

[Dusty Bannister]

Working on the cheap is fine. Working on the safe is mandatory.

[mold maker]

Just how expensive are third degree burns?????
Don't be penny wise and dollar foolish.

[uaskme]

I would find an old grill propane tank and cut it into. You can smelt a little or a lot. Someone on here sells them already converted if you don't have the tools to do it. A machine shop would do it for not much. The propane tank you could probably get for free.

[flyingmonkey35]

Walmart sells a 10 dollar cast iron s8 inch skillet. Free shipping to local store for pick up.

The lead is Always hot.

[gray wolf]

Glass of any kind for melting lead ?
Simply put, ---Bad Idea--
Take the advise of all the people that have said the same.

[Smoke4320]

sorry I am piling on to prevalent thought here...
pyrex.. absolutely NOT.. Not even worth the risk.. Pyrex will break VERY suddenly and you will have a dangerous situation on your hands..
Cast iron or Steel pot only for smelting over direct heat..
cut off a Freon tank, Propane Tank .. (flush with air or lots of water first before cutting), garage sales, flea markets are great places to find cheap cast iron pots or order one from walmart and have shipped free to your nearest store..

[ghh3rd]

I cringed at the thought of having melted lead in a glass container! It's a serious disaster waiting to happen...

[cr2]

You will have better luck finding cast iron pots and pans at a flea market rather than thrift stores. Tomorrow's Saturday and that's where I'll be.

[bangerjim]

IDK, I guess Corning Wear is not the same thing. I have a bunch of the old white stuff with the blue flowers on the sides. Coffee pot, tea pot etc and they work fine on the gas stove so I guess they would stand the heat. I'd be worried about breaking them. I'd go to garage sales and find an old stainless steel stock pot for a couple of bucks. My sweetie bought me a cast iron pot at a garage sale for $15 last year. Works great

There is a BIG difference between using a pyrex/corningware teapot or coffeepot over a gas stove and melting lead. Your stove heats the pot up to a little over 212F to boil water. That is as hot as it can get with the water not under pressure. The steam removes the excess heat.

Have you ever tried to sweat solder a copper joint with water in it? The water keeps the temp to around 212 until all the water has boiled way.

Melting lead at 600-700F will crack the things!

Don't use any kind of ceramic or glass to melt lead.

bangerjim

[bangerjim]

Working on the cheap is fine. Working on the safe is mandatory.

Nuff said!


banger

[mdi]

No, I would not suggest Pyrex for smelting. I believe lead melting temps are higher than Pyrex can safely take, and I wouldn't use a steel spoon to stir in a hot Pyrex pot. I also heard a "crack" noise and found wax all over using a Pyrex measuring cup on a hot plate. If you're trying to keep costs down, check the thrift stores for stainless steel pots (you've heard enough about Lodge cookware I'm sure, but don't go with a chinese cast iron pot, I've read of them cracking when used for smelting). Also noted was a stainless or steel pressure cooker; that'll work...

[theperfessor]

I won't use ANY brittle material for a pressure/foundry vessel. Not even cast iron. Too much chance for a sudden and catastrophic failure. It's not just the heat, it's the pressure caused by the much higher specific weight of lead.

I will only use steel or stainless steel for a melting pot. Y'all do as you see fit.

[trucker76]

It's not that borosilicate glass will not handle the heat, it will. I've struck glass in a kiln at 1,200 degrees to bring out ruby red. Most slumpers use 1,300 degrees. 700 degrees is no problem. The trick is getting the glass heated evenly to that temp. Another problem is cooling it down. Once you get above 500 degrees the glass has to be annealed or cooled slowly in steps. Most glassworkers have a programmable kiln that does this, or they do it manually over a few hours.

In short, don't use glass. It's just too easy to fracture.

My issue with stainless that someone brought up is wall thickness. Sure stainless is less brittle than cast iron, but it is usually also thinner. I have worked with metal welding and fabricating off and on my whole life. Cast melts at a far higher temp than stainless, is generally thicker, and holds it's heat better. Cast also has a very high fracture temp so you won't see it cracking from heat differential. It's been used for high pressure air and water lines for many years. Unless you plan on regularly smacking your cast iron pot with a hammer (not advised) it should work fine.

[NavyVet1959]

Most of us would be hesitant to even use *aluminum* for smelting since at that temperature, it weakens. But even if it weakens and starts dumping lead, it doesn't do it as rapidly as Pyrex does when it fails. I've had a Pyrex piece fail on me before and it just immediately turned to a bunch of 1/4" or so sized cubes of glass. If you had lead in one like that and this happened, you would end up with it immediately dumped all over your workbench and you. I would strongly suggest that you reconsider your choice. It *might* work for a few times, but when it fails, you will have no warning and it will be a catastrophic failure.

[Shiloh]

Don't do it.

Pyrex glass products aren't made for that kind of heat and weight. An accident waiting to happen.

Shiloh

[NavyVet1959]

Back in Chemistry Lab in college, we shattered quite a few of the pyrex flasks because we allowed the temperature to change too rapidly. As such, I prefer to keep my glass items to be strictly for ice tea. I don't even trust the pyrex coffee mugs.

[rhead]

It can stand the heat but can the sides stand the weight. That will depend on the thickness of course.

Check out the stainless pans in the dog food department.

[zuke]

I picked up my pressure cooker at a salvation type store for $0.50

[captaint]

I won't use aluminum for melting lead. I wouldn't think about using any kind of glass.
I do use OLD pyrex cups for melting boolit lube in the microwave. Tell you what, I'm still amazed at how hot it has to get to even melt boolit lube. Sure as hell wouldn't put lead in one. It's just that 60-70 lbs of melted lead us just scary. Cast iron (and don't beat on it) or heavy stainless for me. Mike

[Pilgrim]

A piece of heavy wall steel pipe about 8 or 10 inches in diameter about 10" tall with a piece of heavy plate (3/8 or 1/2") in thickness welded on one end works very well. I couldn't find a cast iron pot when I wanted to smelt so a friend made my pipe container for me. I've probably smelted a ton or more with mine. Pilgrim

[steve817]

I got my 4 quart cast iron dutch oven at Academy for $19.95

[blackthorn]

Why take a chance when old propane bottles are free and easy to convert to a pot?? I use a repurposed propane tank (20 pounder) on a three ring turkey cooker burner. I have melted countless buckets of wheel weights with nary a problem. My kid is a welder so my pot has a lid and two opposing steel washers welded to the top edge that allow me to put a one inch steel bar through the holes and rest each end on an "axel" jack.

[lwknight]

Absolutely BAD IDEA!!!!
You will easily heat some parts of the glass to near 2000 degrees before the lead melts to even out the heat. It will definitely not heat evenly and will definitely break.

[smokeywolf]

Molten lead in glass? When working with tools and materials that can kill or maim you, the goal is to take every practical and reasonable measure you can to reduce your risk, not increase it.

NO SHORT-CUTTING SAFETY! NO MOLTEN LEAD IN GLASS!

smokeywolf

[popper]

Buy your spouse a new SS sauce pan. Vice grips for handles 2 of them. Look for a bigger pot when you need it or happen across one.

[MT Gianni]

Cook food in a lodge DU and smelt in a foreign made one.

[dikman]

Nothing wrong with trying to do it "on-the-cheap" - many would have started the same way, trying to get a feel for what was involved. It doesn't have to be cast iron, a decent stainless steel pot will work fine (even a big saucepan), the main limitation being how much you can melt at a time.

I would never trust any kind of glassware for melting lead - far too dangerous - and don't use aluminium either.

[Bad Water Bill]

The OLD blue flowered Corning ware was shown on TV for years heated red hot then dropped into a container of water with ice cubes floating on the top.

No I never tried it nor do I have a clue how to hold it while filling a mould.

I still use an old 3# coffee can.

No I gave up counting the 5 gal buckets of cow that can has melted down over 40+ years.

[bandmiller2]

If you know a plumber ask him about a led pot most are not using them anymore and will give them away, wile your at it mayby you can buy his propane melter. I set my lead pot in my outdoor wood furnace, 15 min. and skim and pour into muffin tins. Frank C.

[wbrco]

I am definitely looking for the $5 option. My wife could care less on sauce pans. I however will not give up my copper clad bottom stainless sauce pots, or my cooking cast iron for lead.

I did score last night while "stealing" some of my mother's home made jelly. Found an old single coil hot plate. Mom said it was almost as old as I am (1962) but it looks in really good shape. I'll try 're-check some of the thrift stores for a SS pot. I'll also chec out the Wentzville flea market. I don't want to drive all over the St Louis metro to try to save $10.

[Lance Boyle]

+1 to the no glass thing too just to pile on and avoid a disaster. I've had a few baking casserole pyrex dishes shatter on me. One was because I added water to prevent something from burning on the bottom (to save for gravy iirc) and the other was just old old stuff and had enough scratches that I think one of the scratches with enough heat swings parted. Scratches from what I understand are a focal point for stress or something like that.

My first was a 2 or 3 quart stainless steel revere ware dutch oven with the brass handles broken off. Over time the rivets securing the brass handles popped (normal cooking not in lead production). My second pot is a cut down old style propane tank which I think is just about perfect for melting down wheel weights. I have no handles on mine. It prevents me from thinking of pouring with it. No handles means I leave it alone on the burner and dip with a big plumbers lead ladle to fill ingot molds.

[Airman Basic]

Bought a Lee Magnum Melter just for smelting. Does about 20 pounds in 30 minutes or so. Price is reasonable considering it comes with it's own heat source.
http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Magnum-Melter-Grey/dp/B00162RW52

[afish4570]

I would find an old grill propane tank and cut it into. You can smelt a little or a lot. Someone on here sells them already converted if you don't have the tools to do it. A machine shop would do it for not much. The propane tank you could probably get for free.

If you don't have a mini grinder, Harbor Freight sells them with a coupon (4 1/2" model) for $9.99 or 14.99. Uses less than half a thin cut off wheel at a $1 or 2 . Takes ten or twelve min. to do the job. Take the necessary precautions if the tank had anything flamable in it. Search the forums on how to do....safely.Afish4570:popcorn::popcorn:

[trixter]

I don't think I would attempt to use anything glass. Too scarey for me.

[NavyVet1959]

It looks to be pretty much unanimous -- don't use glass for smelting lead.

But if for some reason you do, please take a video of the process so that we can see what it looks like when the pot eventually shatters and a quart or so of molten lead goes all over everywhere.

I knew a guy who was using reclaimed glass for the windows in the camp house he was building. He came across some fairly thick pieces of glass for really cheap, but they weren't the size he needed. So, he decided that he would just cut them like with any other pieces of glass. He ran the glass cutter across one end to score the glass and then went to break it like he had done with all the ones before. Well, it turned out that this piece of glass was tempered glass, so instead of cracking along the line, the entire piece of glass broke into hundreds of little pieces. Some of us have seen the same sort of breakage with glass cookware if they had scratches on them.

You also have to remember than during smelting, you are often going to be knocking your slotted spoon / ladle against the edge of the pot to knock the solidified lead off of it. Will that be enough stress on the glass that it will shatter if there are any scratches on it? Maybe... You'll find out...

[Changeling]

I had this old Pyrex BIG cassarole type dish that I cooked "Hog Maw" in. One day after cooking it (full container), I was removing it from the oven to the top of the stove to cool off when it just EXPLODED!
That was the first one I lost, the next one I just plain dropped going from a cool oven top to put into the frig for keeping (ingrediants/pot cool), I simply dropped it and it exploded sending glass fragrements EVERYWHARE!

Ask me how many glass anything pots/pans I now have !!! I went out and bought a complete set of top rated METAL cookware, Emerille Lagessie (spelling) and have never had another problem.

Sir,that was just from cooking food! I sincerely hope the 2 cooking examples gives you some time to reflect!

[NavyVet1959]

I had this old Pyrex BIG cassarole type dish that I cooked "Hog Maw" in. One day after cooking it (full container), I was removing it from the oven to the top of the stove to cool off when it just EXPLODED!
That was the first one I lost, the next one I just plain dropped going from a cool oven top to put into the frig for keeping (ingrediants/pot cool), I simply dropped it and it exploded sending glass fragrements EVERYWHARE!

Ask me how many glass anything pots/pans I now have !!! I went out and bought a complete set of top rated METAL cookware, Emerille Lagessie (spelling) and have never had another problem.

Sir,that was just from cooking food! I sincerely hope the 2 cooking examples gives you some time to reflect!

Yep, when pyrex glass fails, it fails spectacularly!

I use Magnalite Professional and the old style Magnalite for most of my cooking. It's a thick aluminum, but I would not use it for smelting (besides it being a waste to use good cookware for lead). I have some Lodge cast iron cookware that I use for deep frying, stir frying, and blackened steaks. I use a cheap foreign made cast iron dutch oven for smelting.