smelting pot.... help

[triggerhappy243]

I know I saw it here in the past. I want to make a larger smelting pot out of an older 20 lb propane BBQ bottle. I saw several guys who cut the tank in half. I have already evacuated all the propane from the tank. My question is where do I make my cut on the tank. I have all the tools to do it... Just want to have it come out right.

[40-82 hiker]

I would cut the tank just under the weld about midway up the tank (I truly mean just under, if not barely touching). That is what I did to make mine, but I know others who have cut the tank just above the weld.

[country gent]

It depends on the size you want or need. I cut one just below the top radious for a smelting pot and one about 2" above the botom radious for a casting pot. One thing is to besure and put a full dia ring around the pot for a better base ( this also acts as a heat ring to hold heat in). My casting pot holds between 100 and 150 lbs. the big one 350 or so lbs. Bigger pots mean bigger tools also ladles, skimmers, stirrers and more ingot moulds. he big pot is used over a soker coal fire with a blower on the fire pot. But pouring that many ingots with out enough moulds is very time consuming waiting for them to solidify. 1/4" X 2" X 2" angle iron 8" long cut at a 10* angle on ends with 1/4" x2 1/2" flat stock welded on ends 4-5 wide makes a good ingot mould that fits in most pots and stack well. Make 5-6 of them so first is cooling while filling others. A ladle big enough to fill one gang in one pour is a big plus also.

[triggerhappy243]

what I am shooting for is a pot large large enough to process my lead so the alloy is the same percentage wise..... 100 to 200 pounds at a shot.

[country gent]

Also keep in mind a bigger pot dosnt have to be filled full every time. But a smaller pot cant be filled fuller. Even at 200 lbs with regular ingot molds its a long time pouring ingots and cooling. Make some from angle iron that are 2-3 lbs each gang of 4-5 each ingot mould will eat up up to 15 lbs of lead a fill 4 of these and 3 pours emmpty the pot your talking about. A big ladle and you can empty the pot quick.

[triggerhappy243]

yes, that is the plan. but also have plans to package some for resale and ship in usps flat rate boxes.

[triggerhappy243]

my ingot molds tend to be on the larger side. some as large as 20 pounds a piece.

[triggerhappy243]

Now to make that stability ring, where do I cut the piece for that?

[dikman]

I cut a section from the unused top portion, about 2" wide I think, then cut a piece out of it so that I could shrink the diameter to less than the bottle, welded it closed and welded it to the bottom of the pot.

[Dragonheart]

Here are some photos of my pot. Somewhat crude, but I can melt down range lead and process over 200 pounds of of clean ingots with my bottom pour quickly.

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