Old grill to make smelting pot

[wv109323]

With the life of most BBQ grills being about 7 to 10 years, has anyone used the side burner to make a smelting pot? I am talking about the burner for a sauce pot on the side of some grills. I would like to see some pics of a DIY smelter.

[farmbif]

ive got one sitting outside, bbq grill part is pretty rusted out and not very usable but the frame and side burner still good. I would use it to melt potfuls , first testing the weight on it before attempting it, but have several other burners that are much sturdier a couple turkey cookers and an iron framed two burner propane stove as well as the old Coleman standbys

[JimB..]

I’ve used it to make tin ingots, but not lead, too small.

[GhostHawk]

Not enough heat IMO.

For smelting, I would buy a jet type turkey/fish fryer. Lower to the ground, better able to take a load.

[CastingFool]

The side burner on our grill is exactly what I use to melt wheel weights, range scrap or lead joints and make ingots. I don't know the heat output, but things usually progress a lot faster when I use a torch. Once I have a nice puddle going, the torch is not needed. I use a refrigerant tank cut in half as my melting pot, and also use a piece of sheet metal as a wind screen. You do have to watch how much you melt at a time, cuz the wire rack the pot sits on, it's not awfully sturdy, and does bend some.

[oley55]

a BBQ side burner may be adequate for boolit casting, but none of mine seemed to put out enough heat for smelting. I did use one for mixing up a batch of Ben's Red a few or more years ago.

[Sasquatch-1]

For small amounts you can probably get away with it, but if you plan on doing buckets of wheel weights or range scrap save the frustration and get a high BTU turkey frier and a nice cast iron Dutch oven.

[Froogal]

The side burner on ours will NEVER get hot enough to smelt lead.

[bangerjim]

NOT ENOUGH HEAT! Those little tiny things are for warming sauces and the like. You need a TON more BTU's than those to re-melt lead.....at least any decent quantity of it!

Get a turkey fryer like everybody else uses and forget using old recycled junk.

You will be much happier!

banger

[wv109323]

Thanks everyone. I have an old grill that I thought Imight be able to repurpose. I currently use a Coleman stove which is not ideal.

[remy3424]

Not sure that the side burner would be a step-up you want, another vote for the turkey/fish fryer with the cast dutch oven. I am not sure I could trust even 30-40 pounds on the side wing of an old gas grill, and why would you want that piece of fine furniture around? Put it on the curb where it belongs, the recycler will take good care of it.

[Rickf1985]

A Coleman stove puts out a LOT more heat than those little side burners. I have several of them and thought about running one on a 30# regulator but decided the holes are not big enough in the burner and never tried it. Then you would have to build a stand anyway to hold the weight. Might as well start with the right turkey fryer.