I'm needing a bigger "pot"

My present smelting pot is a large, sturdy sauce pan I got from Goodwill. I'm wanting something bigger.

How sturdy do you go???

I've seen these helium tanks people throw out and I've thought of cutting one of those into a pot but they look pretty thin.
I have a good size cast aluminum Dutch oven but I'm afraid to use that because the melting point of aluminum and lead are too close for comfort.

I live along a large river and every so often a propane tank will float up on the shore. Thought about scrounging one of those. And yes, I'm aware of the precautions needed to cut up something like a propane tank.

The reason I need a bigger pot is I've been using some really dirty backstop lead. It would greatly aid efficiency if I could melt down larger volumes of it. I do my melting over a turkey/fish fryer.

thanks

Old propane tank, about the best you could use. Me personally R-22 50# tank for last 5 years, holds several hundred # with room to skim and flux. Thin but wont melt, just need sturdy enough cooker to set on.

I made my pot from an old 25 lb propane tank. A little tip.when you lay it out to cut leave enough for a 3" ring to be made remove the small dia base ring and replace with this full dia ring this makes the pot much more stable on the stand. It also holds the heat in

When I made my pot on the ring I cut 1 1/2" holes 8 of them around the top edge. These were cut so that when the ring was removed it left half holes around the top.

Use tape around the tank to get a good square cut line.
And please follow all the safety precautions

Propane tanks are a real favorite for that.

Not to sound like a broken record but, I also use a 20# propane cylinder that has been cut. My local propane company removed the valve for me and the GAVE ME the cylinder for free. It pays to talk to the people that actually do the work on the dock.

I doubt my Turkey fryer burner stand could handle more than 1/2 or 2/3s a pot full with a big old Dutch oven. I had a brand new rusty one given to me and already had a cooking one so it was 'sacrificed' to the smelting operation.

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Originally Posted by hades

I doubt my Turkey fryer burner stand could handle more than 1/2 or 2/3s a pot full with a big old Dutch oven. .

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Depending on which one you have, some are stronger than they look.
To test it, I stood on mine I got at Home Depot. I'm 260 soaking wet, and it held me.
I used it to put a 15 gallon tank of 'contaminated' water on it to boil off,,,, ahhh,,, 'impurities'.

ive got an old k size oxygen tank ive been thinking of using to make a melting pot out of the bottom foot or so go it and making a giant bell or gong out of the top.
but before I cut it up I keep thinking maybe I can make an entertainment cannon out of it. just a thought ive had about old stuff laying around.
I've not used either but would think an old propane tank would be much stronger than the freon tanks I've seen lately.

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Originally Posted by Winger Ed.

Depending on which one you have, some are stronger than they look.
To test it, I stood on mine I got at Home Depot. I'm 260 soaking wet, and it held me.
I used it to put a 15 gallon tank of 'contaminated' water on it to boil off,,,, ahhh,,, 'impurities'.

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It just wobbles a bit and makes me uncomfortable with a 100+lbs of 7-800° molten metal. I've got it in mind to add some bracing and never got around to it yet.

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Originally Posted by farmbif

ive got an old k size oxygen tank ive been thinking of using to make a melting pot out of the bottom foot or so go it and making a giant bell or gong out of the top.

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A few guys use the bottom of one for a pot.
They're about 3/8" thick and will last forever.

Save the top part for something more practical,,,,,,
like a Civil War replica siege or coastal defense mortar that fires bowling balls about 1200 yards.:bigsmyl2:

Why not just steal the Mother'in'Laws cauldron?

This is what I use.https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tra...7?athbdg=L1600 Its cheap and it works. I would just reccomend removing the silver metal carrying handle so you don't accidently try and pick up the pot with molten lead in it because the handle will NOT hold the weight of the pot with lead in it.

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Originally Posted by OS OK

Why not just steal the Mother'in'Laws cauldron?

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It seems Mother'in'Laws get a bad rap.
I guess I was lucky, mine was a real sweetheart, she passed the same day 911 happened, God rest her soul.

Another vote for a 1/2 propane tank pot, especially with country gent’s ring modification.

Hades, if you want strength, stability and mega BTU’s, get you one of these: https://www.bayouclassic.com/product...926ea2de&_ss=r

I admit the BTU’s are overkill. A thermal jacket and a weed burner make a bigger difference than the high output burners as far as melting time.

I use a Dutch oven that meets my needs, but I often look at our stainless steel pressure cooker we no longer use. If you could find one in a second hand shop and the price was right, something to consider.

I have used a SS stock pot, cut off freon tank (basically the same as the propane but smaller) and cast-iron Dutch Oven. The cast iron is by far the best I have used. It seems to heat the lead faster and hold the heat better than the others.

I got a cast iron 6 qt dutch oven at a yard sale that I use for smelting reclaimed range lead.

Get 150 to 180 lbs out of my cut off propane tank, depending on how brave I am.

Go to a heating cooling dealer an get a empty refrigerant tank cut it in half . I did, it works great best part it will cost nothing.

I hope you guys are beefing up your propane burner stands with gussets to prevent twisting & collapsing, adding adequate feet with a wider footprint and also welding the joints of the platform your going to place these new DIY HIGH VOLUME MAGNUM MELTING POTS on.
Not only the added weight but the stresses you will be subjecting the burner stand to when your stirring that heavyweight lead...
IT SEEMS THAT THE MAJORITY OF THIS CLAN ON THIS FORUM ARE 'CHEAPSTERS' WHEN IT COMES TO SPENDING MONEY ON TOOLS & ACCESSORIES...THESE CHINEEEE'CRAPPO & HARBOR FREIGHT PRODUCTS OUT THERE WILL NOT STAND UP TO THE WEIGHT OF WHAT THESE DIY MAGNUM POTS ARE GOING TO SUBJECT THEM TO!

https://i.imgur.com/3qealHU.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/BPwQDgh.jpg

I used the bottom half of a Freon tank for a long time until I got a Propane tank.

The bandsaw guy cut it just above the seam on the freon tank. It will hold about 120# of range scrap but would only do
about 90# at a time.

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Originally Posted by kentfielddude

This is what I use.https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ozark-Tra...7?athbdg=L1600 Its cheap and it works. I would just reccomend removing the silver metal carrying handle so you don't accidently try and pick up the pot with molten lead in it because the handle will NOT hold the weight of the pot with lead in it.

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I also recommend this $30 pot. 5 quarts of lead is 118 pounds although I wouldn't fill it more than 2/3 full which is still nearly 80 pounds. I bought a turkey fryer at Cabelas when it was on sale for $40, usually $60. I did not attach the side supports for the big pot because the dutch oven fits snugly on top of the base.
My first range smelt of 120# yielded 84 pounds of ingots requiring 2 batches of melts. I hijacked the propane from my grill.

This:

https://images2.imgbox.com/f6/ef/SNxoEG7C_o.jpeg

To this in a couple of hours

https://images2.imgbox.com/e2/02/nUKSJxS0_o.jpeg

I do the Dutch oven and turkey fryer thing too. https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...42d148dcc2.jpg

I know it's been said before...get a 20# propane tank and cut the top off.

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Originally Posted by crandall crank

I know it's been said before...get a 20# propane tank and cut the top off.

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Will do.;)