Big Cast Iron pots and pans.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

http://www.agrisupply.com/category.asp_Q_ipp_E_0499_A_t_E_c_A_sb_E_0_A_actio n_E_showall_A_c_E_6000136


Sam :D

[mike in co]

nice selection for sure, but what i do not understad is why people spend big bucks for cast iron pots when they make ammo cans in all kinds of sizes, they have flat bottoms and they are CHEAP!

i use whats called a fat fifty on my turkey burner. holds 120/140 lbs.

cost nothing...i traded for it( well them..i have 3 one for each type of smelting..ww/tin, range lead, and straight ww).

mike in co

[LAH]

Nice iron for sure..............Creeker

[JesseCJC]

wait, an ammo can as a smelting pot?

That's the first I have heard of this. I just use a lodge brand 5qt that holds enough for me to fill up 7 corn cobs and 12 muffins. I would guess about 50lbs? Never bothered to actually weight it all out. It was 25 bucks at Target

[Aaron]

This is the one I use off of that website. Works great after you weld the stand appropriately. Hold ALOT of lead!

http://www.agrisupply.com/gas-burner-with-pot-stand-qt-/p/53292/cn/6000136/

[rob45]

It makes me drool and a bit scared to think of that 90 gallon unit filled with lead.

90 gallons of lead?
Over 8500 pounds.

A fluid quart of pure lead weighs 23.66 pounds.

Yep, looks like we're gonna have to call in the corps of engineers to build the stand!:grin:

[wills]

90 gallons of lead?
Over 8500 pounds.

A fluid quart of pure lead weighs 23.66 pounds.

Yep, looks like we're gonna have to call in the corps of engineers to build the stand!:grin:

I suspect 90 gallons of stew or laundry weighs a lot less. I wonder if that pot would stand the weight. I don’t want to be there when somebody finds out.

[D Crockett]

guys there is a easy and cheep way to make a smelting pot purge a 20gal propane tank cut it off and melt your lead in it I will make one for anyone that wants one for actual shipping and $10.00 or for around $24.00 total they work great I have been using one for about 10 years now with no problem any takers D Crockett

[Mntngoat]

i should be able to report back on D Crockets smelting pot here in a few days.

ML

[Kskybroom]

+ 1 D Crocketts
I Cut a 40lb Set it on a 4 burner plumbers pot..

[LAH]

guys there is a easy and cheep way to make a smelting pot purge a 20gal propane tank cut it off and melt your lead in it I will make one for anyone that wants one for actual shipping and $10.00 or for around $24.00 total they work great I have been using one for about 10 years now with no problem any takers D Crockett

You must have a nice supply of tanks.............Creeker

[D Crockett]

lah I have about 8 left but can get all I want D Crockett

[Dale53]

I have been using a cast iron Harbor Freight Dutch Oven (12" and holds six quarts). That gives me a 120 lbs "working amount". The size is about perfect for me.

However, the propane tank is solid steel, will not crack etc, and ought to be a superior lead pot. D Crockett is taking all of the pain out of the process (there is some danger in cutting one, etc).

Sounds like a good deal to me.

Dale53

[D Crockett]

Dale if you know how to purge the gas out of a tank it can be cut safely if you do not know how to purge I would suggest not trying to open one you can get hurt or even killed last year we had a man that got killed when he thought he knew what he was doing but did not the tank blew up like a bomb and killed the man I have been cutting these tanks open for years now I follow a very strict set of rules to open one D Crockett

[Freightman]

I saw a man I knew who knew better cut the top out of a 55 gal drum. He ask the man he was doing it for "has it ever had gasoline in it? "No it has been setting at my house for ten years!"
Well he sat straddle it and started cutting all of a sudden the drum went off like a rocket took his paints shorts and all hair off of between his legs. After he got out of the hospital he refused to cut the top from any more drums. O yes it almost made him a Mrs. not a Mr.

[Colorado4wheel]

I have been using a cast iron Harbor Freight Dutch Oven (12" and holds six quarts). That gives me a 120 lbs "working amount". The size is about perfect for me.

Dale53


Thats what I use. Most propane tanks I have seen have a weld along the bottom. I would just go the Habour Frieght and get this thing for $20.

[Dale53]

I was an Insurance Claims Rep for thirty years. I have first hand seen the POWER of an "empty" gas tank, an "empty" Freon tank, and an "empty" propane tank, amongst others. And I "lived" with injured people for sometimes, YEARS...

I'll leave the tank cutting chores to others. In theory, I know what to do. In practice "I do NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING" (kind of like Schultz on Hogan's Heroes).

FWIW
Dale53

[rob45]

Thats what I use. Most propane tanks I have seen have a weld along the bottom. I would just go the Habour Frieght and get this thing for $20.

Actually, either one will work. I will go out on a limb and suggest that "it depends".

In the past, I have used the cast iron dutch ovens; they worked great.
Pros: Readily available for purchase. Many sizes are available. Cast iron, once heated, retains heat well.
Cons: Cast iron is suspect to cracking. Oftentimes this can be related to initial quality of manufacture, in addition to operating conditions.
Also, since the iron retains heat so well, more initial fuel is required to bring the lead up to melting temp.
If the iron has considerable "surface texture" (porosity?), it seems more difficult to keep the lead "clean".



I have also used the modified 20# propane tanks.

As quoted by Dale53:

However, the propane tank is solid steel, will not crack etc, and ought to be a superior lead pot. D Crockett is taking all of the pain out of the process (there is some danger in cutting one, etc).
This statement certainly has merit.
The steel is very strong.
Not only does steel give up heat more readily than iron, the shape of the pot bottom is very efficient for heat transfer to the lead. Both of those factors combined make for less fuel being consumed.
What about the welds? Well, if it's rated safe to contain a gas under pressure, it's not going to be an issue unless that weld has been damaged. I would venture to say that if D Crockett knows enough about these tanks to successfully modify them, he also knows how to test for a sound weld.

When such a tank is cut at the junction of the sidewall/top radius, the resulting pot has over 375# working capacity. And yes, the pot will safely hold that.
I have 4 such modified pots for various types of lead. Each has had extensions ("ears"?) welded to the sides so that I may hang the pot (using an overhead steel bar) to equalize the weight load, rather than have the burner frame handle all of it. (This also provides pot stability.) I have yet to have a weld fail. BTW, the "ears" were fabricated from metal salvaged from the top of the tank!
These pots used to get used about once a month, and they're over 10 years old. Yes, I am aware of "metal fatigue" and such, but even at that, replacing the pot is no big deal if the reliability were to become suspect.

Alloys high in antimony and tin will attack iron; I do not know about the steel.

I have even done a side-by-side comparison between a 16qt cast iron dutch oven and the "tank pot". I filled both with 350# of scrap sheet lead (same alloy in each pot). Both pots were enclosed in a metal shield from the burner to the top of the pot sides. The same model of burner was used under each, and both burners were plumbed into the same fuel supply. Valves were adjusted to identical settings.
Result? The "tank pot" took 25 minutes to have the entire melt reach 800 F. The dutch oven took 40 minutes.

Now certainly this was not truly a "scientific" experiment for comparing iron to steel, as the pots were vastly different in both material thickness and design (shape). But I believe it certainly illustrates the fact that the "backyard builder's approach" can have its advantages.

My conclusion is this: If you have a dutch oven set aside for the purpose, by all means feel free to use it. They can be obtained in various sizes- a real plus since most of us do not work with several hundred pounds at a time.
But if you need a large capacity pot for serious backyard melting, don't overlook the "tank pot". Properly constructed, it is safe. It is also quicker, and seems to be easier to obtain "clean" lead.

I have a few "professional" units at my disposal- one of them takes up a corner of my shop and holds 2000 pounds. But if I were starting out and simply wanted something larger than a dutch oven, I would certainly spring at the offer that D Crockett has mentioned- that is one heck of a deal. The only suggestion I would have is to add angular tabs to the bottom so as to provide more stability on the resting surface.

[D Crockett]

ROB45 WOW what a report that was great what I do when I melt lead I lay 3 pieces of angle across across the burner and it has a good place to sit as far as the wields go I have only seen them wielded in the middle of the tank there is a round piece of metal spot wielded on the bottom of the tank I leave that on if not damaged and my burner I have wielded a piece of angle to the legs and around the top and bottom to reinforce it D Crockett

[Mntngoat]

received D Crockets smelting pot. and i can tell you this thing is nice. I poured 170 lbs of muffins this weekend.

It will hold about 80 lbs without any trouble at all.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/Mntngoat/Firearms/Casting/Smelt-2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v648/Mntngoat/Firearms/Casting/smelt.jpg


ML

[Gswain]

How much is the shipping on one of those tanks?

[cgm]

nice selection for sure, but what i do not understad is why people spend big bucks for cast iron pots when they make ammo cans in all kinds of sizes, they have flat bottoms and they are CHEAP!


I'm with you. I use ammo cans too! They work great. I even use the lid to keep the heat in the can. Amazing thing is that the rubber gasket is still functional after a lot of smelting! When I'm done smelting, I transport my ingots home in the can (I live in an apt.... smelting on the balcony would be bad thing with the neighbors.....).

[bumpo628]

received D Crockets smelting pot. and i can tell you this thing is nice. I poured 170 lbs of muffins this weekend.
It will hold about 80 lbs without any trouble at all.
ML

Can you take a picture of the pot from the side? I would like to see how it sits on the turkey fryer.

Thanks

[Ziptar]

guys there is a easy and cheep way to make a smelting pot purge a 20gal propane tank cut it off and melt your lead in it I will make one for anyone that wants one for actual shipping and $10.00 or for around $24.00 total they work great I have been using one for about 10 years now with no problem any takers D Crockett

Now that I've had a chance to smelt using a Dutch oven and the bottom half of a propane tank. I have to say not only is propane tank cheaper its much better.

I found it much easier to get the gunk out of the bowl shaped bottom of the propane tank pot than the square bottomed dutch oven.

[MGySgt]

guys there is a easy and cheep way to make a smelting pot purge a 20gal propane tank cut it off and melt your lead in it I will make one for anyone that wants one for actual shipping and $10.00 or for around $24.00 total they work great I have been using one for about 10 years now with no problem any takers D Crockett

D Crockett - got any left? I could sure use one.

[cajun shooter]

You have to be careful when looking at iron pots and the price. They will kill you on shipping. Second, to answer a posting about why people pay so much for cast iron pots when they are sold new so cheap. The iron pots of old were all American made with the finest products and labor. After years of cooking they develop a seasoning that is the best coating to cook with. A good seasoned pot will not let food stick nor burn. All the iron ware you see today is made in China using their materials and labor. If you know how to season one correctly then it will work. It will never be as good as the American ones. Also once you use a iron pot for smelting lead,it may never be used for cooking food again as the lead is in the iron. I have several iron pots that are now cooking food for the 4th generation.

[Dale53]

cajun Shooter;
My grandfather was a master molder in a gray iron foundry. He worked for nearly fifty years. He was written up (complete bio profile) in the National Iron Workers Magazine.

He molded cast iron skillets for home. I grew up with these. My wife bakes cornbread in an iron skillet.

I use a Chinese cast iron pot for smelting lead simply because of their cost from Harbor Freight. They are "dedicated" to LEAD ONLY.

My family owned a hardware store. Many of our customers were of Appalachian background (as were we) and cornbread is a staple. Iron cookware was VERY popular in this whole area. We sold Griswold cast iron cookware in the store - they were pre-seasoned and FINE in every way. To the best of my knowledge, we NEVER got a complaint regarding the Griswold line of cookware.

Since my grandfathers iron skillets of various sizes were "green" when brought home, my grand mother taught us all how to season them. Her method was to boil potato peelings in them in a hot oven. It turned them dark. Then they were used (mostly with lard as the frying medium). They were not washed after using but wiped out with a clean cloth. The melted lard kept them from rusting and seasoned them pretty dern quickly.

My wife regularly bakes cornbread in this household. She is from northern Ohio and really didn't know what real cornbread was. I told her when we were going together that I wouldn't marry any woman who couldn't bake REAL cornbread. My mother never measured anything (a pinch of this and a pinch of that) so my wife (with a graduate degree in Home Economics with minors in dress making, etc) set up shop next to my mother (in my mother's kitchen). When my mother picked up a "pinch" Mom worked with my future wife and had her measure all of the "pinches".... She then was able to routinely duplicate my mother's cornbread in a very short period of time. In time, my wife's bread was more consistent than my mother's (rest her soul).

Ah-h-h, cast iron cookware and cornbread...:drinks:

Dale53

[lts70]

I have a propane tank that I have taken the valve out of and filled with water and left to sit for the last few nights. I plan on cuting it in half to make a melting pot out of the bottom. What height are you guys suggesting? Are you welding on any feet? Any pictures would be appreciate by a guy that is trying to get started in this hobby.


A little off topic but I would love to build one of these cowboy cauldrens, see link below

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYIjzmjDV4s

[cajun shooter]

HEY Dale, Thanks for the POSTING. The pots that I spoke of that are in the 4th generation are all Griswold. They sell for big dollars when found. I have two of the divided section cornbread skillets that were made just for cornbread. Here in south Louisiana it will have you thrown from the Catholic church if you serve RED BEANS and Sausage with out cornbread on the side. I also use the Chinese cast iron from Harbour Freight for smelting. I was camping in the San Juan Mountain area just outside of Ouray,CO. and another camper saw my cornbread skillet. He finally broke down and said that he had to know what in the world you did with such a skillet, I had to laugh. I gave him some cornbread later that day and we became friends that stayed in contact for years.

[Boolseye]

+1 on the 20# propane tank.

I had shot mine before I got into casting–one neat little through & through from a .22 jet. I had also shot the valve (yeah, yeah, I know. I was kinda hoping it would blow up!) Anyway, out comes the valve and scour it with soap and water (they say even the propane residue can ignite, so don't take any chances). Cut it in half with a circular saw and a cheap metal cutting blade, took about 20 minutes. Filed down the sharp edges and had my dad braze the bullet hole. Here it is, full of accessories. I gotta get busy–I must have 500# of mixed lead to smelt.

[cajun shooter]

Ziptar, Living on the upper East Coast I can understand that you may not cook the way we do in South Louisiana. A cast iron pot that we have in many sizes and we call a Dutch Oven has a round shape and is not square in any shape or form. With my ladle I am able to collect all the alloy from the pot except the last few ounces. I allow this to cool and simply turn the pot over for it to drop out.