Ideas for new smelting set up

[Lefty bullseye shooter]

At the end of last year I took down my smelting station. This was a thrown together thing that was simply two retaining wall block on either side of a fireplace grate. I put my big pot (one from D Crocket) on the grate and stoked a fire underneath. This worked fine but after a few years of fires the blocks were cracked and a lot of heat was lost.

Now what im thinking of is digging a trench and forming up a three sided short wall and pouring concrete. I would set 3" angle iron embedded in the walls to support the pot. I'd put plenty of rebar to keep the walls together because I know the heat is going to crack the concrete. I'd cap it with a piece of sheet metal with the pot sticking out the top only about an inch. This would keep heat around the entire pot. I'd cut in a flue pipe to get smoke up above me instead of always in my face.

Another idea is to do something very similar but with a cut off 55 gallon barrel on end with support for the pot inside.

I'm open to other ideas or pictures of smelting set up's would be great!

Thanks guys,
Scott

[country gent]

There are refractory grades of concrete that hold up to heat better. Or use fire bricks and mortar to build up. Another way of doing your rack for the pot is use 3/4 rebar bent in a c with the legs in the concrete and the flat back section open between the concrete walls, for the pot to set on. Theres a lot of ways to do this, I don't know how long a 55 gallon drum would last before it burnt thru from the heat, drums are getting thinner all the time. Maybe check the scrap yards for a large di piece of schedule 80 pipe instead.

[Retumbo]

This

https://i1.wp.com/rangehot.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/c16.jpg

[William Yanda]

How about lining your trench with chimney tile or fire brick?

[MaryB]

Rocket stove... plans are online for small to large enough to heat a house. Very fuel efficient and get very hot fast. Build from firebrick and refractory mortar! Anything else might crumble under the weight and having 100+ pound of molten lead go flying is bad news!

[Bazoo]

I set my cut off propane pot inside a steel car rim. I set that on some bricks, and build a fire underneath. The rim directs the heat around the pots sides, not just on the bottom. Works well. I tried it with the rim as is, but I ended up cutting the center out to accept the base of the pot. I've been pondering on cutting a round hole in the top of a 55 gallon drum and setting my rim/pot on top, with a fire below. Of course I'd cut a door in the drum so I could add wood, and air holes below a grate in so it would draw air through the coals.

Also, was thinking of cutting the bottom of my rim's lip off, so It would drop down in the hole in the drum but catch on the other lip. Then, i'd make a half moon shaped plate to set over the gap between the pot edge and the rim so that the hot gas would be directed on the other side and not be so hot on my hands and tools.

[parkerhale1200]

Big +1 on William,
Concrete no matter what grade will crumble, or it really will drain youre money, that "real heat resisting" stuff, believe me its not
Cheap concrete can even explode, even with a little moister in it.

Rebar and concrete can be friends or enemies, if you use to much or to less rebar in a concrete floor/wall the result is the same, cracks!
To much rebar can even weaken the floor.
And it expands more than concrete with heat

Get some of those pizza oven tile, chimney tile or fire brick and you will be a happy camper.

Just my 2 cents on concrete, sorry

[dverna]

Rocket stove... plans are online for small to large enough to heat a house. Very fuel efficient and get very hot fast. Build from firebrick and refractory mortar! Anything else might crumble under the weight and having 100+ pound of molten lead go flying is bad news!

Sounds like the way to go if you do not wish to use propane.

[country gent]

A small shop vac with the hose in the outlet and a length of exhaust pipe makes a great blower to really bring the temp up. Makes more of a forge than a burner. I used this with stoker coal and was melting 400lbs of range scrap in less than an hour.

[parkerhale1200]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGY-GLcfd-A

Something like this, MaryB?
I also see smaler ones but i dont think they are going to be hot enough?
Thanks.

If you can weld a little bit.
Adapt it for smelting?

[MaryB]

#6 here but I would use a flue liner with brick around it http://theselfsufficientliving.com/12-rocket-stove-plans-to-cook-food-or-heat-small-spaces/ they burn HOT so I don't think it would have a problem melting lead.

[D Crockett]

a lot of thing that I see in this thread I would advise in not doing and would advise having a thermometer so you can keep a eye on the trmp. one thing you do not want to do is get lead above 900 deg. it will start to boil and give off fumes that can hurt or even kill you. hi temp lead is nothing to fool with it can hit you and hit you fast and that is the safety tip for the day D Crockett

[lightman]

As I've gotten older I have had less and less desire to mess with concrete blocks, fire bricks, steel grates and stoking a fire. Having said all of that, I recommend a propane fired turkey fryer and a steel pot. I realize everyone has their own needs and their own budget. The propane set up would require an investment on the front end but it sure is convenient. I can melt 800-1000# of wheel weights off of a single 20# tank. While more costly than free wood the cost is not terrible.

[fivegunner]

I went though this problem 40 years ago, tried just about everything out there, and agree with the above post from Lightman a good sturdy propane burner base and cast iron pot would not cost much money and would work well. I was lucky to buy the furnace (picture in my avatar) and it has worked very well . but I could get by with my older pot and burner if I had to . :bigsmyl2:

[D Crockett]

lefty bullseye shooter I sent you a pm with a idea that might be the answer to your problem let me know what you think D Crockett

[triggerhappy243]

the dutch oven is cast iron, 10 inches in dia. and i melt 60 pounds at a shot.

[parkerhale1200]

Thanks MaryB, the concepts are pretty basic, and strait foreward.
Very good workable also, I've gotten some nice ideas for this summer.

But as what others stated, propane works good.
For a big melt (once in two or three years) I use wood.
Goes very quick, cous you need mass, aka big fire.
Down side is, you can not controle easy the temperature, when its to hot, its to hot.
When it turns blue-ish, vapors allready come out, use proper ventilation!!!!
Or outdoor in the wind.
With practice with normal wood-fire outdoor (bbq and fun) and indoor(open fire and closed woodstove), its easy to do it good, to regulate the temps, and get a good feeling!

Best

[parkerhale1200]

For my regulair set up search for sand casting, 50lbs is max at one go