Lead pot II

[Ken O]

I see the different pots used for melting, has anyone figured how to make a large pot, dutch oven etc, with a bottom pour? I just got a stainless stock pot from a dollar store and started making some igots out of WW. I was trying to think how to valve the bottom, I figure someone here has done it.

[kenjuudo]

I see the different pots used for melting, has anyone figured how to make a large pot, dutch oven etc, with a bottom pour? I just got a stainless stock pot from a dollar store and started making some igots out of WW. I was trying to think how to valve the bottom, I figure someone here has done it.

Ken O--I've done it a few times. Not too complicated, was posted on the old site by Buckshot. A cast iron pot works better for this. I could email ya some pics.

jim

[imashooter2]

Link:

http://www.aimoo.com/forum/postview.cfm?id=514616&CategoryID=368989&startcat=1&ThreadID=1699436

[Willbird]

Jim has a nice setup,

I however after some thought decided to not go bottom pour, I often multi-task while I have a melt going and I like not worrying bout Dick Lee syndrome striking my smelter while I am not keeping an eye directly on it. I think Jim's setup could be adapted to a stainless stock pot if you stopped by a tig welders house with a 12 pack of cold beverage.

Bill

[kenjuudo]

As long as the SS pot is thick enough to resist flexing as it goes through the range of temperatures the turkey burner is gonna put it through. The bottom of a thin pot will flex as it heats up on a 170k BTU burner.

I have never had a cast iron pot leak even when left for extended periods, I test drive every one I make and often run two at a time, I tend to let buckets of WW pile up during the winter. You can't have enough ingot molds!!

jim

[Ken O]

I see Buckshot put the smelter on a stickey at the top of this fourm area. I'm going to try the SS first and if that doesnt work out I can go to cast or something else. I have the Tig outfit, I'm a retired welder/fabricator (boilermaker). I just needed some direction on how to valve the bottom, and it looks like Kenjuudo has got it figured out.

[wills]

Those dollar store stainless pots look real flimsy to contain that much alloy.

[Willbird]

Well as to flimsy, 100 lbs only ends up being about 5"-6" depth of liquid. I have done 5-6 batches in my 12 qt dollar store crockpot and it seems to work very well.

The pot I made out of a freon bottle being carbon steel got real weird from being heated like that and oxidising. I re tack welded it to the stand and it burnt up much like an old brittle brass radiator does when you try to solder it.

Bill

[wills]

I guess it is a case of appearance being deceiving.

[Willbird]

Jim, I sure don't want you to think I was throwing stones at your design, I'm quite sure it would work fine, and I might make one yet.

I just went the belt and suspenders both route so far myself.


Bill

[Ken O]

The 12 quart dollar store stock pot worked great, I did 100# of WW in three batches on a turkey cooker. It was plenty stable, I welded a piece of expanded metal on a piece of conduit to fish the clips out. I havent rigged up a bottom pour valve yet, that will be next.