Until (RELATIVE) sanity returns to the market...

[Kosh75287]

Currently, I'm without a melter. The ones that I can afford are out of stock. When this situation improves, I'll jump on a bottom-pour pot with all possible speed.

UNTIL then, what items, not originally designed nor sold for melting pots, may be used to serve in the interim? I have a half-dozen Lee molds which cast better bullets than that for which I can claim full credit. I have a few ladles which make "top pour"(?) casting possible. At the moment, the "hitch in the git-along" is a manageable and adjustable heat source. I'd PREFER electric, but I'm not against the "used Coleman Camp Stove" route. I'll just have to monopolize more space in the garage, which never gets me stellar reviews from "the boss".

All suggestions welcome.

[dtknowles]

When I was a kid my Mom let me cast on her kitchen stove. I use wax for flux and burned the fumes. My wife would pitch a fit and now I use sawdust to flux so I think casting outside is a better plan.

Tim

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I'm kind of an antique, but I still cast with a cast iron cooking pot over a propane burner, dip the lead and fill the molds with a Lyman bottom pour ladel. Works for me....but I've done it for years. If you've got lots of time you can keep making wrinkled boolits until the molds heat up (return them to the pot) or devise a way to preheat them. Once they get too hot and start making frosted boolits just change to a different mold and cast something else for awhile. I tried a Lyman bottom pour electric pot for awhile, but the spout kept plugging up, so returned to the stone age. :D

[kevin c]

Are your ladles side pouring casting ladles or open topped versions? Either I would imagine will do, though pressure casting needs a side pour with the half covered bowl on the spout side.

A steel sauce pan or small cast iron pot should do the trick or holding the melt. I've read warnings about potential catastrophic failure of aluminum pots used for lead melting so no to that.

Small adjustable liquid fuel or gas burners are popular choices for small set ups. Electric, I'm not so sure of. I think the wattage and element configuration may be important factors in success. More wattage=more heat. Too small an element under a big pot of lead may get you a molten blob of lead buried under a crust of hot but solid lead too far from the heat source to melt fully.

[Joe504]

Currently, I'm without a melter. The ones that I can afford are out of stock. When this situation improves, I'll jump on a bottom-pour pot with all possible speed.

UNTIL then, what items, not originally designed nor sold for melting pots, may be used to serve in the interim. I have a half-dozen Lee molds which cast better bullets than that for which I can claim full credit. I have a few ladles which make "top pour"(?) casting possible. At the moment, the "hitch in the git-along" is a manageable and adjustable heat source. I'd PREFER electric, but I'm not against the "used Coleman Camp Stove" route. I'll just have to monopolize more space in the garage, which never gets me stellar reviews from "the boss".

All suggestions welcome.Sending you a PM

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[gpidaho]

When smelting and rarely casting bullets, I use the propane Coleman camp stove. I have the adapter so I can use the tanks instead of the small bottles. That and an old cast iron pot works very well. Gp

[JM7.7x58]

Coleman stove or propane side burner, smaller stainless or cast iron pot, and a stainless kitchen ladle with a 3/32” hole drilled in the bottom.

I used a smaller commercial 2oz sauce laddle with a 3/32” hole as my primary casting ladle. Think of it as a “mobile bottom pour pot”. It works good and holds enough lead to fill a six cavity .452” mold.

JM

[Brick85]

My first experience casting was over a stainless steel pot bought at a junk shop. We used 2 or 3 propane torches, the little kind that screws onto the small canister. I got maybe 10 lbs of wheel weights from a tire shop, we melted them, and I cast them into round balls with a Lee mould. They were tough to load into the BP revolver because of the alloy. I think I used a spoon from the same junk shop as a ladle.

You can get it done with limited funds and almost no ability to buy the right stuff. Just don't use an aluminum pot or lead from batteries.

[dverna]

I have never cast from a pot heated by a flame but do not envision it being difficult. Adding a thermometer might be helpful to keep the melt at a constant temperature....but that is a good idea with an electric pot too.

I started with a 10 cavity mold and have ladle cast 10's of thousands of bullets with a ladle. Bottom pour may be "nice" but certainly not necessary.

[Wayne Smith]

Single burner Coleman stove (large plastic base) adapter, 20 lb gas bottle, Lyman cast iron 10 lb pot or a ss one Qt. kitchen pot is what I have been using for years and see no reason to change. I do it in the garage in suburban Virginia with the doors open. I use the same outfit for melting wheel weights and mixing alloy.

When using an open pot and ladle you have to use your wax more often because you are creating a considerable O2 access to the molten lead when dipping and pouring and over pouring. Don't be surprised if you see a skim of tin on the surface a lot quicker than you expected.

[cstrickland]

when I started it was a lyman ladle. lee two cavity mold and a two burner coleman camp stove. I got a thermometer and regulated the heat that way . Cast many many a good bullet . I then moved to a lyman big dipper for heat but everything else the same. Used that for a year or so and went to the lee 4-20 pro. All worked great it was just speed that increased. still have all. I like to use the lyman big dipper on small runs like 10 lbs or less

all have there place so dont feel you have to upgrade. just refine what you have for now if need be

[dimaprok]

Midwayusa has Lee pro 4 20 bottom pour pot in stock with free shipping.

Been in stock for some time, I am debating of picking one up or fixing the old one, the screw for slide bracket keeps falling out :(

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[country gent]

Almost any heat source will work A turkey fryer and stand, coleman stove, weed burner, ect ect. Work slow and monitor temps once you get the right settings on the controls its easy to repeat. You do want a thermometer to monitor as these will really overheat the melt if not monitored. I use a weed burner for heat under a 130 lb pot. I crank it up starting then in about 15 mins when molten starts to show around edges drop back to the setting then mount the thermometer and monitor when set it dosnt vary by much in a session. I got my weed burner from harbor freight for around $20.00

[SciFiJim]

I started off using a stainless steel sauce pan from a thrift store on the side burner of my gas grill. I used a soup ladle with a pour spout bent into the edge to pour with.

[Glenn54]

I ordered one of these from Midway last week. It was delivered yesterday. Been busy so I have not tried it yet.


Midwayusa has Lee pro 4 20 bottom pour pot in stock with free shipping.

Been in stock for some time, I am debating of picking one up or fixing the old one, the screw for slide bracket keeps falling out :(

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[gnappi]

Here's a thought, do you have a bud that casts bullets? I've had occasion where a friend was in a similar situation who brought a bunch of lead here and we cast together through the night!

[Slugster]

I started with a twin burner coleman stove (unleaded gasoline) and a thrift store stainless steel pot. Soup ladle for ladling. Cast many tens of thousands of boolits on that setup. Still have that setup in case we ever have grid down scenario and until we run out of gas. Use bottom pour pot with one of Hatch's temperature controllers now. Ah, the good life.

[gwpercle]

When I was a kid my Mom let me cast on her kitchen stove. I use wax for flux and burned the fumes. My wife would pitch a fit and now I use sawdust to flux so I think casting outside is a better plan.

Tim

My Mom even "donated" one of her old pots so I could melt the lead ... at our kitchen stove . She also gave me an old cookie sheet to cast over to keep splatters off her stove top .

You don't need a pid controlled electric bottom pour furnace to cast with . A ladle , a pot and a heat source is all you need ...just get back to basics ...pretend it's 1959 !
Gary

[44magLeo]

An electric hot plate and a steel cook pot of 1 to 1.5 quart size. No aluminum.
On the hot plate the control may not go high enough to melt the pot of lead very fast. You can look at how the control works, you will find it has a stop of some sort. Defeat the stop so the control can go past the stop lets the hot plate get hotter. A second hot plate to preheat the molds is nice too.
Most any large spoon can be used as a ladle but the L:yman/RCBS style work very well. The Lyman can be set up for left or right handed use.
Leo

[Froogal]

I use an electric hotplate and an 8" cast iron skillet for melting down range scrap and turning it into ingots. Don't know why you couldn't use a ladle and pour into the molds.

[Froogal]

An electric hot plate and a steel cook pot of 1 to 1.5 quart size. No aluminum.
On the hot plate the control may not go high enough to melt the pot of lead very fast. You can look at how the control works, you will find it has a stop of some sort. Defeat the stop so the control can go past the stop lets the hot plate get hotter. A second hot plate to preheat the molds is nice too.
Most any large spoon can be used as a ladle but the L:yman/RCBS style work very well. The Lyman can be set up for left or right handed use.
Leo

I worked a sheet of aluminum foil underneath the coils. That helps to direct ALL of the heat onto the pan.

[kevin c]

That's a good idea, Froogal. Spread out a bit, it could keep lead off stuff you don't want it on (metal cases and trays might shed the drips without a problem, but I do have scorched wood and pitted/melted plastic that might have been spared the consequences of my sloppiness).

[GhostHawk]

I cast for decades with a 7" cast frying pan, a lyman ladle. If I was melting wheel weights that was done outside on a cool night with a wood fire. They tend to have oil and other crap on them that stinks the inside of a house up. So I would smelt outside.

Once cleaned, clips picked out and fluxed I would pour ingots.

Come wintertime when there is snow outside, that is the time to line up your molds and cast.
Normally I'd use propane or Nat gas kitchen stove. I'd put cardboard down to make cleanup easier.
And I would mix fishing sinkers in with bullet molds. Once you have the tools all out have yourself a casting party.

Best of course with no females in the house and save the beer for after.

[Petrol & Powder]

I would submit to the OP that your awareness of the importance of opinion of "The Boss" and your signature "Carpe Scotch" signals that you have a strong grasp of reality. :D I believe that any decision you make will be carefully weighed and appropriate !

As for options: If Midwayusa still has Lee 4-20 pots available - that would be a very easy solution.

You have received a lot of advice concerning other options and you could certainly pick one of those paths.

Your comment, "...I'd PREFER electric, but I'm not against the "used Coleman Camp Stove" route. I'll just have to monopolize more space in the garage, which never gets me stellar reviews from "the boss"." - indicates that you are fully aware of SWMBO.
When it comes to domestic tranquility, I once received good advice from a friend: "Surrender early, surrender often" ! That course of action has served me well.

If the casting must occur inside the garage, I think electric may be a better option all around. If the gear just needs to be stored in the garage, the space needed will not be excessive and an open flame heat source may be ok. Your post is a little unclear concerning if the space in the garage is needed for the casting operations or just storage of the equipment.

[Lead pot]

It seams like everyone needs a PID on their lead pot to cast bullets now days. It might be a fine thing but I don't know, I don't use one.
All the things mentioned here for casting will work fine when you pay attention to how the bullet looks when you open the mould.
For years I used a dutch oven on a plumbers lead pot furnace and it worked just fine. You just need to watch when you cut the sprue if excess frosting starts to show up then you lower the heat. But when I retired a little over 20 years ago and the kids made their own life I had more time to shoot and casting got to get heavier because the blackpowder matches and Gong shoots I went to that required a bunch of bullets cast :) and I moved the casting job down in the basement because I cast during the winter and it was just to cold outside sitting on a 5 gallon bucket. :) I put up a vent hood and vented it outside and I still use it. I shoot a lot of round at these matches ( here is my season of bullet supply 270050 :) ) and I usually add to this as the season goes on.
The 20# Lee pot is a good pot and I have used several Lee pots and I still have one and I also use a Waage but I keep the Lee for a back up. Cast using a good side pour ladle and learn how to cast and you will get bullets just as good using the simple equipment than the high priced digital stuff.

[Froogal]

That's a good idea, Froogal. Spread out a bit, it could keep lead off stuff you don't want it on (metal cases and trays might shed the drips without a problem, but I do have scorched wood and pitted/melted plastic that might have been spared the consequences of my sloppiness).
Forgot to mention that I also place a slate/asbestos house siding shingle underneath the hotplate. Just as an added sense of security.

Apparently at one time this house was sided with that stuff. A previous owner replaced all of it with vinyl, and left the slate stacked up in an outbuilding. The thought of throwing it out never entered my mind.

[Kosh75287]

Thanks, Gentlemen. This information is of great help!

[BattleRife]

Last winter I made a melting pot by welding a plate on the end of a 3" pipe and wrapping it with the element from a common hotplate. The hotplate was purchased brand new for less than $20, the element carefully unwound until it was straight and then re-wound around the pipe. I did destroy the first one in a moment of carelessness when I was almost done, trying to adjust the terminal to just the right angle. But the second attempt went really well, and now I have a 1000W pot. It is used for salt rather than lead, but there is no reason it wouldn't work just fine for that, too.

270056

[jschance]

Question on the 'no aluminum pot' comments. I've been melting lead for years using the bottom half of an aluminum pressure cooker. Nice and thick, and I haven't seen any deformation or degradation from the use.

[robg]

use an ally pot for a while till i realised it was starting to soften now use a cheap stainless pot now.