Stainless steel Pot for smelting?

[saz]

is there any reason you couldnt use a heavy stainless steel pot for smelting rather than cast iron? I have seen them reasonably priced at thrift stores ($5) because I can't seem to find a cast iron dutch oven used for less than $40.

[jcwit]

Wouldn't see why not, I use one. Just stay away from the layered ones that have an alu. or copper inner liner.

[WHITETAIL]

Try Harber freight.:coffee:

[monadnock#5]

The only reason I stick with my cast iron pot for smelting is because it's what came with my propane plumbers furnace, and as such, they were made for each other. I've taken measurements and looked around for a SS replacement but haven't found anything yet. I might go "custom made" at some point, but have too many other money magnets to contend with at this point to justify junking something that works for something that works a little better.

So I guess the point to all this would be: and especially if you're just starting out: find a system that works, rather than try to marry various parts and pieces. I really don't like the cast iron pot, but I do love the propane furnace.

[dragonrider]

Most stainless cookware is of laminated construction and is not designed to withstand the heat it takes to melt lead. Somewhere on this forum is a thread with pics of what happens when using this type of pot for smelting, it delaminated. Fortunately for the user he wasn't injured, but I think it is a very real possibility. If using a stainless pot make absolutely certain that it is of solid construction and not laminated, don't know how you would do that without cutting into it. This smelting pot I made has a stainless bottom that I got from the scrap bin at work. It is not thick, less than .100" and it is as solid today as when I made it about fifteeen years ago. Real stainless material can't be cut with an acelalene torch so lead melting temps will not bother it at all.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/PaulGauthier/SMELTER/IMG_0154.jpg

[cheese1566]

I first started using a RevereWare SST pot for my WW smelting. Picked it up at Salvation Army for a few bucks. I though it had a solid thick bottom. It lasted for my first couple hundred pound of ingots. Then when I did the stick on weights, I found the bottom section (which I now found to be an aluminum disc bonded to the bottom SST) had come off. The pot is still functional just not as heavy on the bottoom. I just used it last weekend for another 275 pounds of smelting. I planned on buying a cast iron dutch oven to replace it, but think it it will keep going strong. I used an old propane turkey fryer burner for smelting heat.