Need new smelter/melter

[Rebel Dave]

My ole plumbers pot is not working right any more. When you light it off, flames will come out of all the places it isn't suppose to. I don't want to use it like that, cause i don't like being close to exploadable objects. Its the ole kind of melter that sits right on top of the propane tank. I know its old, and it just isn't safe any more.
I need a replacement for it, a burner that can support a 5-6 quart pot, so I can make my own ingots for my Lyman, Lee, and RCBS melters.

I cannot find any parts for the ole plumbers pot I have.

Does anyone have any good burners they use that you can recommend,??. So who uses what,??.

Rebel Dave

[kmrra]

I use a burner for a turkey fryer, If you dont have one you can pick one up at a flea market or garage sale or a new one at wally world

[Budzilla 19]

Turkey fryer burner. Only down here where I live we call them " crawfish boilers" ! Lol. If you have a local Walmart they will have them! Or Tractor Supply, or Atwoods I believe it's called! Good luck. BTW, I haven't seen one of those plumbers burners like you described in about 40+ years! Clean it up, hang it on your shop wall, make up a story and have fun.

[country gent]

I have been using a weed burner from harbor freight for the last 10-12years, I modified it some. Added a 90* elbow and nipple to the end and a piece of 3/8 X 1 1/2 X 6 flat stock along with 2 valves. One ball valve is to set temp and a lever valve for on and off. the flat stock has a hole drilled on center line and set screw hole drilled and tapped to lock it I place. This makes it free standing under the turkey fryer stand. Its all 1/8" pipe pieces and standard cold rolled flat stock. I use a propane tank bottom for a pot that holds 100+ lbs. Ready to pour in 20 mins.

[lightman]

Any of the above will work fine. I use a homemade burner that will melt 400# in about 20 minutes and sounds like an F-14 climbing out! If you buy a turkey fryer just look closely at the structural part of the stand and make sure that it will support the weight when the steel gets red hot. A cutoff propane jug is a good pot for smelting.

[BK7saum]

308Jeff has a similar thread running if you hadn't seen it yet
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?328801-Building-a-Better-Smelting-Pot&goto=newpost

[Sasquatch-1]

+1 on the turkey fryer. I picked one up, with the deep aluminum pot, for less then $25.00 at a flee market a couple years back. I have been told to make sure it has the red regulator which is the higher pressure higher BTU regulator.

[GhostHawk]

I needed a burner for my shot casting project. After doing a lot of looking and reading I settled on the cajun cooker jet type burner.

Solid stand, braided stainless steel supply hose, a small valve after the regulator for controlling how much heat/fire. 35$ shipped to my door. I had at least 100 lbs of lead, shot dripper all hot and working with no issues or problems.

You might have to take an old propane tank and make yourself a custom kettle.

[kmrra]

I have been using a weed burner from harbor freight for the last 10-12years, I modified it some. Added a 90* elbow and nipple to the end and a piece of 3/8 X 1 1/2 X 6 flat stock along with 2 valves. One ball valve is to set temp and a lever valve for on and off. the flat stock has a hole drilled on center line and set screw hole drilled and tapped to lock it I place. This makes it free standing under the turkey fryer stand. Its all 1/8" pipe pieces and standard cold rolled flat stock. I use a propane tank bottom for a pot that holds 100+ lbs. Ready to pour in 20 mins.Havent thought of that Idea, that should be a good hot fire doing it that way

[country gent]

Mine was rated at 500,000 BTUs and was only 20.00. I can have a full pot of lead (120+ lbs) once up to temp the ball valve is slightly less than 1/8 turn open to maintain 750*. 3/8 to 1/2 turn open when starting and its ready in 20 mins.

[lightman]

My homemade burner is made a lot like a weed burner with a stand attached. It works off of a 1/2 in pipe nipple controlled by a ball valve. It will put some serious frost on a 20# bottle but will melt 400# of lead in 20 minutes of so. Melt times differ by the type of lead being melted. Bullets or wheelweights have more contact with the pot and melt quicker than large pieces of sheet lead or pipe.

[websterz]

I use the circular natural gas burner from an old water heater. Natural gas doesn't melt the scrap quite as fast as propane but I never have to worry about an empty tank. My pot is an old pancake style air compressor tank cut in half at the weld seam. Works great, holds 100+ pounds of scrap, and best of all it was free!

[RogerDat]

Any of the above will work fine. I use a homemade burner that will melt 400# in about 20 minutes and sounds like an F-14 climbing out! If you buy a turkey fryer just look closely at the structural part of the stand and make sure that it will support the weight when the steel gets red hot. A cutoff propane jug is a good pot for smelting.

Yes, yes, yes on make sure the stand is up to the weight. You can buy new from around $40 as a fish fryer from Wally Mart. Or hit the garage sales, have seen them many times for only $10. Check the phone book for a propane service company that fills residential tanks, call and ask who does propane equipment repair. With just a touch of luck you will find some shop where they can fix that old plumbers pot up for a reasonable price. Then set it aside for special occasions and buy the turkey/fish fryer. Lots more stability in that low 4 leg burner than in the tall plumbers pot, and thus able to do larger batches or even small ones with more safety.

[Hammerlane]

Bayou Classic Kick A Banjo Burner PlusThis burner will hold 500 pounds and largest cast iron pot they make
Take a 55 gal barrel cut in half as a wind break, a hole in the top about as large as the pot. take the other half and make a lid that will cover the hole + 4 or 5 inches. I also took couple of layers of Block to raise the pot up to keep from bending over. I can start a full pot of lead and be ready to pour within 30 45 min.

[jmort]

Best deal out there. $67.99 delivered

http://www.webstaurantstore.com/backyard-pro-outdoor-range-patio-stove-with-hose-guard-210-000-btu/554BPHP17.html

[prsman23]

Those are awesome. I use them for brewing beer. Put a converted keg on them full of water They can handle the weight.


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[Rebel Dave]

Guys
Thanks for all the Ideas, and suggestions. My son came to the rescue, giving me a big pot burner similar to what jmort shows in his post. can't use it yet cause we have a snow storm predicted for here, just have to wait.

Rebel Dave