Hot plate question.

[Changeling]

I found an old Hot Plate (commercial) that is about 8"x 8" in my basement yesterday. Now I remember using it for melting lead years ago for making jigs. You guys think this would work alright for melting lead/tin in a steel or Cast type pot about 12 to 14 inches in diameter ( no pot yet).

I mention this large size because I think I would have to smash up plates and large things for pewter to get them into the pot.

Forgot to add, What size lead ladle do you guys usually use? I saw an add here about a Lee ladle that a guy was willing to give away for shipping so I take it they aren't so great. I hate messing with any kind of tool that is not right for the job. I have read that small ladles are not liked very much here but I don't really know therefore the question. Actually I don't know what makes a great ladle, I expect it's one that can hold the heat.

[cbrick]

I have the Rowell #1 and #5 ladles, The #1 is great for 1 and 2 cav moulds but is too small for my liking on four cav. The #5 is for smelting and is a bit too large for my 100 pound capacity dutch oven pot. Guess I should have #2 and #4. I highly recommend the Rowell ladle for it's bottom pour feature.

Can't tell you about your hot plate, all depends on how hot it gets. For the pewter you mention it will probably work just fine. No way to tell if it will work well for lead, have to see how hot it gets. My hot plate cycles on and off and though I've never tried to melt lead I don't think it would work out well. Perhaps if it where set to stay on it may do it or it may self destruct from too much heat, it was after all made for cooking. Mine is used for cerrosafe and mould pre-heating and similiar tasks.

Rick

[JonoNZ]

If you mean electric hot-plate then I think it would depend on how much power it draws.

I use a 1500W electric hob with a 3 quart cast iron pot on it. Mine is one of the hobs that have a solid cast-iron top although apparently the exposed spiral element ones work better.

It takes me about half an hour to 45 minutes from cold to melt, flux and pour around 20 lbs of wheel weights.

It isn't quick but I couldn't get a zinc wheelweight to melt into it no matter how hard I tried when I wanted to see what it did to the lead...

[Changeling]

Thanks for the replies, I'll just pick up a ladle and give things a go. If it doesn't work I'll just get another.

CBrick thanks for the Rowell information I'll check them out today.

[chris in va]

Right now I can't afford anything more than a hotplate for smelting wheelweights, and use a small 8" skillet for the purpose It's serviceable but soon as I drop more than 3-4 weights in the melt the sides start cooling and things get frustrating.

[RobS]

I've been there regarding being "strapped for cash" and I too used a hotplate to smelter WW. I found as someone else mentioned that a cast iron pan works best as it holds heat better and yes it is slow, but it can be made to work. A note though, I would find a cast iron pan where its base is not much bigger than the diameter of the hotplate.

[JonoNZ]

Right now I can't afford anything more than a hotplate for smelting wheelweights, and use a small 8" skillet for the purpose It's serviceable but soon as I drop more than 3-4 weights in the melt the sides start cooling and things get frustrating.

Chris: I found a similar thing. One way of speeding it up was to get a steel cylinder (I used the ring from an old removable-bottom cake tin) and put that around the edge, it helps to avoid any wind from cooling the sides of the pot.

Also, now I just fill the empty pot with wheel weights and stick a lid on it and leave it to cook while I cast some bullets. After about half an hour I check it and then skim, flux, skim, flux, skim, pour. I then just refill the pot, stick the lid back on and go back to casting bullets.

If you're not sitting there watching it then it is a lot less frustrating. It helps that I'm doing both procedures within arms reach of each other, though.