Saving an older plumber's furnace

[tomf52]

For anyone who may encounter an older plumber's furnace that does not have the OPD (overflow protection device) rendering them unfillable at propane stations, all is not lost. The threads where they screw into the bottle's is 3/4 NPT. The burner can be removed from the bottle and a stand built for it. Then with use of a 3/4 elbow and a high pressure line to a current OPD bottle (20 lb barbecue tank) you are back in business. I'm in the process of doing one now and will post pictures asap.

[45 2.1]

Please do as I have several old tops and no tanks with the correct valve to attach them.

[HTRN]

Have you tried checking McMaster Carr? They have a decent selection of propane fittings.


HTRN

[Four Fingers of Death]

The 20lb(9kg here) tanks are as cheap as chips here, why fiddle around? Mick.

[tomf52]

Mick - It isn't the tank that creates the problem, it's the valve assembly which in the case of the plumber's furnace is big bucks. About $130 to buy one, $10 to convert (with a little fabricating for a stand to replace what was the tank).

[bravokilo]

I believe he is refering to one of these...


http://photos.gunloads.com/images/bravokilo/pf1a.jpg



And the valve looks like this...


http://photos.gunloads.com/images/bravokilo/pf2a.jpg


BK

[powderburnerr]

I went to the propane co. and they refilled my tank . as is . it is a dedicated tank for the purpose and cannot fit a barbeque and such so it is exempt ...Dean

[357maximum]

I recently aquired one just like the right one pictured in bravo's pic, holy cow does that thing roar. Its like smelting on the **** end of the space shuttle. I too was wondering about filling the tank once it is empty. I hope my propane guy will fill it also, if not I will have to make a base for it and plumb a hose to my grill tank. One thing I need to do is modify the area where the pot sits, you should see what 50 pounds of melt will do to a moist concrete floor, on second though maybe you don't wanna see that. No one was hurt, by pure luck alone, so be careful out there gravity works sideways too. I may just make a base and run a hose for safety reasons alone..

Michael

[pjh421]

Very interesting reading. My plumber's furnace developed a leak around the pump leather which allowed raw fuel (Coleman white gas) to leak up the pump stem. I first noticed this when the flame from the burner engulfed the fuel tank and rose maybe 12 feet in the air. I put it out with a CO2 extinguisher before any undesireable consequences developed. Figuring that I had simply over-pressurized the fuel tank with a few too many pumps I proceeded, with great intrepidity, to re-light the furnace...this time with much less fuel pressure. I was wrong.

I retired the burner, searching for replacement pump leathers over a number of years. I don't think anyone makes these furnaces anymore. A toolmaker friend of mine generously wasted some of his time fabricating a cap for the fuel tank which will accomodate the CO2 cartridge holder Coleman sells at WalMart for use with their white gas-powered lanterns.

I haven't attempted to use this setup yet since I've still got about 40 ten pound ingots in the garage, but when I do I'll make sure to have a fire extinguisher handy. One other thing...If you smelt or cast inside the living area of your home, you are just asking for trouble. If you are lucky enough to be able to smelt scrap and cast your ingots over sand or soft dirt (outside), so much the better.

Paul

[grumpy one]

I recently aquired one just like the right one pictured in bravo's pic, holy cow does that thing roar. Its like smelting on the **** end of the space shuttle. I too was wondering about filling the tank once it is empty. I hope my propane guy will fill it also, if not I will have to make a base for it and plumb a hose to my grill tank. One thing I need to do is modify the area where the pot sits, you should see what 50 pounds of melt will do to a moist concrete floor, on second though maybe you don't wanna see that. No one was hurt, by pure luck alone, so be careful out there gravity works sideways too. I may just make a base and run a hose for safety reasons alone..

Michael

To be stable, the center of gravity of the whole tank/burner/pot of lead has to lie inside the support ring on the bottom of the tank. To find out how much trouble you are in with these rigs, just try putting a fifty to eighty pound weight on top of your lead pot, with the pot on top of the burner, and just give the whole thing a moderate bump with your knee. It isn't any of my business, but I personally wouldn't stand within ten feet of that thing when there's molten lead on top of that teeter-totter you're using. Even at ten feet distance I'd be up on my toes and ready to jump for it.

Please, just think about what you're doing. If a big accidental bump on your rig can cause a dangerous incident, change something. Take the burner off the bottle, and put it on a stand that is at the very least, two feet square where it sits on the ground. Even then the smaller of those two burners needs a support ring around where the pot sits on top of it, unless you're using a little fifteen or twenty pound pot, which seems unlikely.


Geoff

[357maximum]

To be stable, the center of gravity of the whole tank/burner/pot of lead has to lie inside the support ring on the bottom of the tank. To find out how much trouble you are in with these rigs, just try putting a fifty to eighty pound weight on top of your lead pot, with the pot on top of the burner, and just give the whole thing a moderate bump with your knee. It isn't any of my business, but I personally wouldn't stand within ten feet of that thing when there's molten lead on top of that teeter-totter you're using. Even at ten feet distance I'd be up on my toes and ready to jump for it.

Please, just think about what you're doing. If a big accidental bump on your rig can cause a dangerous incident, change something. Take the burner off the bottle, and put it on a stand that is at the very least, two feet square where it sits on the ground. Even then the smaller of those two burners needs a support ring around where the pot sits on top of it, unless you're using a little fifteen or twenty pound pot, which seems unlikely.


Geoff


Trust me...IT WILL NOT HAPPEN TWICE, base is already cut out, just need to do some fabbin, and plumbin...scary shtuff, and I knew better, but I just had to see it work..I saw all that I needed to and more..

[JDL]

Yes, those teeter-totters always scared the bejabbers out of me also, but there is also a funace that sits low to the ground and is connected to the tank via a hose. I believe you are reinventing these by using your existing material which make them much safer to use. -JDL

[fivegunner]

Guys I have 3 of the old plumbers lead melting pots , I went to the store that sells gases for welding and bought the ready made base`s to convert the old bunners to sit on the ground. I think it was about 25.00 for the base and 20.00 for the 10 foot high presure hose, I had a few adjusible regulaters laying around . it is SO much safer than the top heavy old style melters. the man at the propane place said he could screw the old valve on a new tank for about 35.00 but way? throw the darn thing`s away. my 2 cents:Fire:

[askimball]

45 2.1
Do you have a Extra Plumbers Head that you would sell..???

askimball
askimball@comcast.net

DOES ANYONE HAVE A PLUMBERS POT BURNER LIKE THE ONE ON THE LEFT
IN THE ABOVE PICTURE FOR SALE >>???

[Bret4207]

Very interesting reading. My plumber's furnace developed a leak around the pump leather which allowed raw fuel (Coleman white gas) to leak up the pump stem. I first noticed this when the flame from the burner engulfed the fuel tank and rose maybe 12 feet in the air. I put it out with a CO2 extinguisher before any undesireable consequences developed. Figuring that I had simply over-pressurized the fuel tank with a few too many pumps I proceeded, with great intrepidity, to re-light the furnace...this time with much less fuel pressure. I was wrong.

I retired the burner, searching for replacement pump leathers over a number of years. I don't think anyone makes these furnaces anymore. A toolmaker friend of mine generously wasted some of his time fabricating a cap for the fuel tank which will accomodate the CO2 cartridge holder Coleman sells at WalMart for use with their white gas-powered lanterns.

I haven't attempted to use this setup yet since I've still got about 40 ten pound ingots in the garage, but when I do I'll make sure to have a fire extinguisher handy. One other thing...If you smelt or cast inside the living area of your home, you are just asking for trouble. If you are lucky enough to be able to smelt scrap and cast your ingots over sand or soft dirt (outside), so much the better.

Paul


Paul, I think you have more than just a leather leaking. Sounds like the little flapper at the end is kaput. Leathers can be made easily with some hole punches. I love my gasoline torches and furnaces. Can't figure out why so many people bad mouth them.

[askimball]

Paul, do you have a extra Plumbers Head to Sell..???

[Ed in North Texas]

Paul, I think you have more than just a leather leaking. Sounds like the little flapper at the end is kaput. Leathers can be made easily with some hole punches. I love my gasoline torches and furnaces. Can't figure out why so many people bad mouth them.

My Grandmother ditched most of my Grandfather's tools (including furnace and torches) a couple of years after his death (died in '57) and I was still too young to claim them, and my Dad wasn't interested in many of the plumbing specific items. I've often wished I had that stuff (like every time I smelt, or had to pay someone to thread a pipe - before PVC/CPVC).

[DavZee]

Would this do the same as that?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-BURNER-CAST-IRON-PROPANE-OUTDOOR-CAMPING-PATIO-TAILGATE-15KBTU-STOVE-SINGLE-/220885013042?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item336dc5d232

I have one and wondered if it would be good for smelting?

[mold maker]

It might do for casting and a small pot (20 lb), but doesn't have the BTUs to smelt large volumes.
This is the perfect time to pick up a turkey firer on sale cheap. Most are not marked as to how many BTUs, but all the large ones will work. Just be sure the base will handle the added weight.

[Mdl_Mkr]

The tank valves for the Plumbers furnace that have the OPD were discontinued about two years ago and you just cannot get them anymore.

You can purchase a furnace with a burner and stand from one of the following two sources.
http://www.circlemfg.com/plmbers_melting_furnaces.htm
or
http://www.plumbersurplus.com/Prod/Pasco-4599-Lead-Melting-Furnace-Stand-with-Valve/229113/Cat/1772

Both sources sell the base with valve for a Std 20# tank (that you can screw the old burner into), new burner and/or furnace for an old tank with the old valve.

There is an exception to the OPD law that says that if the tank is used for industrial uses like welding so you should be able to get the old tank filled (Stencil Welding Gas on the side). If the tank is too rusted they may require you to replace the old tank but that is not too expensive.

Hope this helps some of you.