Hot plate smelting question

[Thecyberguy]

HI all,

Based on things I have read here and other places, I bought a 1000 watt GE Hot plate.

Now, my question is......How big of a pot can I used to smelt wheel weights on this hot plate and how long will it take to be ready to flux and pour?

Thanks for the help and have a good 'un, Guy

[beanflip]

I have a little cast iron pot that holds about 10 lbs takes about 30 minutes on my hot plate. To speed this up a little you can use a propane torch to help out.

[shotman]

cover your pot with a can {steel} to keep heat in, old paint can, rim cut out will work use lid to cover burner and it will last longer

[jmsj]

I've made a 6-7 pound pot w/lid that I use on a Walgreen's 1000w hot plate. I use this for casting slugs and when I'm working on molds and don't want to fire up my Lee 20#. I agree w/ beanflip about using a propane soldering torch just to help get the melt going. I also use it for smelting "mystery lead", junk I find that I don't want to take the chance of mucking up my bottom pour smelter. jmsj

[Guesser]

I'm using a 1500 watt single burner that I bought in 1979 while I was stationed in Hawaii. I use a Lyman 10# cast iron pot to smelt, been doing it that way since 1979. I rigged up a pot hook to pick up the full, hot pot and dump it in my Lee bottom pour and then I fill my ingot mold from the Lee. I've done many, many hundreds of pounds of alloy that way. Tried a Coleman stove; did not like that!!!

[bigboredad]

I'm using a stainless pan I picked up second hand for a dollar. it easily holds 20+ pounds and will melt a full cold pot in about 20 minutes with a lid. I did take a tin that cookies come in that has a circumference about inch larger than the pan and cut a hole in the bottom so it fits over the coils then notched it for the handle of the pan. doing that redirects the heat to the pan instead of wasting it going out the sides. I guess that's why it works not really sure but it did make a big difference

[montana_charlie]

How big of a pot can I used to smelt wheel weights on this hot plate
I can't know which GE hotplate you have but if it looks like this one, the picture shows the proper relationship between plate and pot size.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/GE-Single-Burner-Hot-Plate/12442587

That looks like it might be a 2-quart stainless saucepan with a lid. If you can't find a castiron vessel of the right diameter, the saucepan pictured would be a good alternative.

CM

[Thecyberguy]

montana_charlie,

That IS the one I have. I have a 2 qt. cast iron dutch oven with a lid.

The reason I ask the question is because I put about 20 ponds or clip on wheel weights in the dutch oven and put them on my side burner on my gas grill. It would not get them past a thick plasma stage. I had to scoop the "slushy" lead out and in put in my electric pot to finish smelting and get the clips out.

So, I was concerned that the electric hotplate wouldn't keep a 2 qt pot of lead molten .

The wife got it for me , but I didn't want to use it if it was not going to do the trick.

I have a couple hundred pounds of wheel weights and some other lead and lino that I need to make into ingots. But, I do not have enough to buy a turkey fryer/big set up. If I have to spend that kind of money I would be just as well off to buy ingots, no more that I have .

So if anyone has this hot plate....will it turn 20 ponds of wheel weights into liquid ?

Thanks for the help and have a good 'un, Guy

[WILCO]

The wife got it for me , but I didn't want to use it if it was not going to do the trick.


I'd take it back as it doesn't have a coil burner and it won't get hot enough for smelting. I purchased the one from Walgreen’s for $10.00 based on the recommendations of other members here. I’m also using a cast iron skillet with a homemade steel lid.

[jaguarxk120]

I'd start looking at garage sales/tag sales or flea markets for a used Coleman camp stove. They can be had on the cheap, burns regular gas since there's no lead in it. Really hot fire just waht you need for smelting.