WW Smelting Setup to Buy

[FISH4BUGS]

Hi gang - I am in currently possession of some 1000+ lbs of ww in 5 gal buckets. I have now gotten to the place where I have a reliable source (actually 2 sources) of ww, and will get an average of one or two 5 gal full buckets per month. It is time to think about a smelting system. Doing it in the 20lb bottom pour furnace doesn't cut it any more.
I have seen some pretty elaborate setups and for someone that can build things, that is great. That isn't me. I can't build a sandwich. Computers I can help you with, but mechanical stuff....nope.
I have seen references to Turkey Fryers being used as the furnace and something else as the lead pot. Anyone use this? How much weight will it hold?
I have a Lee ingot mould (makes 2 1 lb and 2 1/2 lb ingots. I will look for a muffin pan or just buy a new one. That will do to start.
How much can one of those turkey fryers hold in terms of weight on top? I'd hate to overload one, and have it fall over, then be looking at my work for the next twenty years in the driveway.
Buffalo Arms sells a 60,000 BTU single burner furnace for $80. They also sell an 8" diameter 50 lb capacity cast iron pot for $25.00. Over $100 to get a good smelting system....seems kinda steep to me.
Certainly there MUST be a better/cheaper way to buy off the shelf stuff to do smelting of ww into ingots. I need some production capacity because I cast bullets for shooting my submachine guns and handguns.
Any help is appreciated. Thanks!
Donald in NH

[Frank46]

Bugs, get the turkey fryer at wally world, then try and get a 8qt dutch oven. The dutch over will hold close to 100lbs of wheel weights when all melted down. Can't get much cheaper than that. But check the base of the fryer. You don't want 100lbs of molten lead all over the place. I use the same setup and for me it works great. Frank

[44man]

Frank is right, it works great. Just get one with a strong base. I boil 10 gallons of beer on one in a beer keg and it is heavy. Any cast iron dutch oven makes a good melting pot. Even a thick stainless pot will work.

[Blacktail 8541]

TRY LOOKING AT THE BASS PRO LINK THAT KENNJUUDO POSTED, http://www.basspro.com/servlet/cata...t=SEARCHRESULTS

[nighthunter]

Fishbugs .... This is an impossible operation for a novice. To simplify matters just send me the WW and I will send you back what ever is left over. Sounds like a good deal to me.
Nighthunter

[Goatlips]

FISH4BUGS,

I had the same doubts as you so I climbed up on my new turkey fryer and jumped up and down. It seemed solid as a cement block and I ain't no lightweight so I decided I didn't need the reinforcement job that I had planned. Here's a picture of it if you guys can tolerate another one:

http://goatlipstips.cas-town.com/smelting.html

Goatlips

[blackthorn]

A few years ago I took a 20 pound propane tank and screwd out the valve, filled the tank with water (to minimize any chance of explosion) and cut out about a 5 inch square opening in the top of the tank with a hand held grinder. Then I laid the tank on its side and cut the top off, right at the point that the tank begins to round off. My son welded on 2 large (1" dia. hole) washers, one on each side of the pot so that we can stick a 1" steel bar through to lift it up. He also fabricated a lid and a pouring spout for the pot. I use a propane-in-cast 3 ring burner that sits about 5" off the ground. The most lead I have put in there is about a 1/2 pot full because above that the lead turns slushy and it takes too much gas to melt it and keep it fluid to be worth while. One of these days I will learn to use the wife's digital camera and also learn to post a picture of my set up.

[Ken O]

Down in the Casting Equipment area there is a sticky:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=707

[jballs918]

i have a athread called jasons casting quest, there is alot of info in there where we talked about alot of things for smeling. what i came up with is, turkey flier, cast iron dutch oven fron habor freight. and for a mold i found a cast iron corn beard mold. works great and it was cheap, all about 50 bucks total. if you have a propane tank. if not home depot has them. so the most i have done is 50 lbs in my pot, that is all i had at the time. and no problems at all doing that

[Frank46]

Bugs, almost forgot. Do ye not purloin thy good wifes kitchen utensiles. Much unhappiness
will befall you and upon ye head. Now that thats said, try finding a local resturant supply house. You can get stainless steel spoons (big ones) to stir up you melt and remove the debris from the pot. I picked up a couple one with holes and one without. The holy one is good for getting the clips out and brass valve stems from the tire thingys. And you shall enjoy the smell of burnt rubber. I do my melting out behind the garage so ventilation is not a problem. Wal-mart also exchanges propane tanks as well as walgreens. At least here in loosiana where I live. Oh yeah almost forgot. Go to home depo and buy a pair of welders gloves. Cost about 13-14 bucks and are the cheapest insurance against getting burnt. And you can also use them to swing away the sprue plate by hand rather than whacking it with a hardwood club. Frank

[The Nyack Kid]

that burning rubber is a good thing , fluxes the pot for you, it also brings back memorys of when i was a rotten teen-ager, plus it *** the neighbors.