What heat source for smelting?

[creature]

I'm thinking I'm going to buy a dutch oven to smelt lead and am wondering what sort of heat source I should use. I've looked at "banjo burners" but some of those can be expensive. Anyone have any ideas?

Am I even going the right way by using a dutch oven for smelting? If you guys could give me some ideas as to how to get a good smelting setup I would greatly appreciate it.

[Sensai]

Look at the fish fryers at Bass Pro and that type of stores. The thing that you want to look at is the BTU rating and the strength of the stand. I had one that I just didn't trust the stand, a dutch oven full of wheel weights is a lot of weight. I sure wouldn't want that much molten lead to go spilling all over the place! The BTU rating normally just translates into how long it takes to melt the lead. The same burner and stand will sell for less money as a fish fryer than a turkey fryer, go figure!

[randyrat]

Turkey burner or turkey fryer and put a 10 PSI high output regulator on it. I think they come with a 2-3 psi regulator on them from the store. Cut some sheet metal around it to keep the heat on the pot and the wind away from the flame. It will last for years and tons of alloys.

[dbosman]

I currently use a Coleman stove so I can safely say that won't work for you.

[dgill99]

I use a Coleman stove and an iron skillet

[creature]

Thanks for the input gents. Do you guys think a hot plate and a dutch oven would work? I'd prefer to use electricity but it's not a must.

[Dan Cash]

Thanks for the input gents. Do you guys think a hot plate and a dutch oven would work? I'd prefer to use electricity but it's not a must.

No. If the hot plate got hot enough to melt any lead in the pot, your electricity bill would put you out of the casting business. You can get a banjo burner for about $50. and a new gas bottle for about a hundred for a 20 pound unit. It is fast and ecconomical.

[creature]

No. If the hot plate got hot enough to melt any lead in the pot, your electricity bill would put you out of the casting business. You can get a banjo burner for about $50. and a new gas bottle for about a hundred for a 20 pound unit. It is fast and ecconomical.

Are you talking about propane grill type gas bottle? If so I'm already good to go with that.

[RP]

Wood or coal it alone will melt lead but add a fan to the mix and smelt time is done in record speeds and I really am talking about record times.
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You don't have to put it down in the fire its just the way I do it. For time ideals a five gallon bucket of range bullets thirty mins. Five gallon bucket of WWs no more then ten mins. A way to move hot pots in and out of the fire helps a lot for me for the amounts I am doing at a time or run.

[wv109323]

Yes ,he is talking about a common 20 lb. propane tank used for gas grills. You can hook them up to a fish fryer BUT the metal structure of the fish fryer needs to be strong enough to hold up a molten dutch oven of lead. Also remember that the heat may turn the metal structure red hot and it will loose it's strength. Try a reduced amount on the first run.

[creature]

What banjo burner are you guys using? Anyone have a recommended model/brand? Thanks a bunch for the help!

[fishin_bum]

I use a hot plate and a medium size dutch oven in the garage for melting wheel weights and pipe that I cast into ingots, it works good you just have to make sure it has a high enough BTU setting. If I am doing a lot, more than a five gallon bucket I use my turkey fryer with a large dutch oven out.

[markshere2]

I used to use a cast iron pot. It cracked. I switched to a stainless steel stock pot.
Works fine
$6 at wally world.

[Sasquatch-1]

When I first started thinking of getting a turkey frier I was told to get one with the RED regulator. It is supposed to be the high pressure. The one I purchased is suppose to reach 100,000 btu's at full open. I have never tried this. I think I payed less then $65.00 and it came with a fish fry pan and basket. Unfortunately the pan was aluminum and could not be used for smelting.

As for smelting pots, see if you can find a AC repairman and ask if you can have an empty refrigerant tank. The rounded bottom makes it easier to get at the last of the lead with a laddle although you can't get it all without tipping the pot. Cut in half they make great smelting pots and when cutting in half you don't have to worry about falmmable gas left in the tank.

I also have a few cast iron pans for smaller amounts.

[Dan Cash]

Are you talking about propane grill type gas bottle? If so I'm already good to go with that.

Yes. The bottle used with grills is about half the size of the 20 pound bottle but will do your melt well. Just have to fill more often.

[RickinTN]

I have a turkey fryer and a dutch oven which I've yet to use. I've read where the cast iron would crack easily when hot and this made me shy away from using it. I decided to try my Coleman stove (which I already had) and a 4-quart stainless pot I bought at the local thrift store for $4. I can smelt about 25 lbs with it heaping full of raw wheel weights. Of course they "cook down" considerably when melted and I end up with about a half of a pot when melted and clips removed. The Coleman stove seems to support the weight just fine. I did buy an adaptor hose in order to use a 20lb tank. The disposable 1lb tanks go pretty quickly.
Good Luck,
Rick

[detox]

My Walmart has 4 different turkey and fish friers (5 psi regulators) to choose from. These will put out enough heat to melt 100lbs of lead guaranteed. If not just return it no questions asked.

I like their King Kooker version. Comes with shallow fish fry pan and strainer, thermometer $49.00 They also have cheaper version that cost $29.00.

[Iowa Fox]

Turkey burner or turkey fryer and put a 10 PSI high output regulator on it. I think they come with a 2-3 psi regulator on them from the store. Cut some sheet metal around it to keep the heat on the pot and the wind away from the flame. It will last for years and tons of alloys.

This sounds like my set up. The turkey cooker with nice heavy stand was about 30 bucks when I got it at Wal Mart years ago and the sheet metal really helps control the heat. Also this day and age you have to have a thermometer to control the melt. I try to sort as hard as I can but it seems like I still miss one or two zinc weights. I usually wait until I have 9-10 sorted five ballon buckets before I smelt. When I first started smelting I used a cast iron pot in a coal fired forge at home on the farm but the heat was hard to control. At least in those days there were no zinc weights. I got a free supply of coal along the Union Pacifc tracks from coal falling out of the coal trains traveling on the north side of the farm. The good old days but the turkey cooker with LP is the best way to go.

[mold maker]

Some of today's China made cast iron pots may not be up to par, but I've used a dutch oven for over 40 years. Common sense says not to bang on a hot lead filled pot. The only down side of cast iron, that I know of, is the added weight on the heat source.

[Lead Fred]

Used a propane camp stove for years.
The Lee 20lb pot is just so much more economical to use.