$1 Lead Smelter

[Tom W.]

When in my foolish and misspent youth I melted lead for my Ragnose on the electric kitchen stove, I always ended up blowing out elements. Finally got a cheap LEE pot, and did better. Now I have two. For Melting down WW and such I use a turkey fryer.

But for a dollar you can't beat your project.

[cropcirclewalker]

I will probably ketch he doubletoothpicks fer this but I have been dreaming about wood gasification.

http://journeytoforever.org/at_woodfire.html#woodgas

Is a flaming liberal tree hugger site but scroll down till you come to

"A Wood-gas Stove For Developing Countries" and click on the .pdf which shows how to build a slick wood gas stove made out of coffey and paint cans and burns for 35 or 40 minutes, smoke free equivalent to an electric stove burner.

Hey,

If it melts a pot of lead for smelting and works on scrap lumber........I will be happy to post a message to the site telling how it would be great for boollit making.

I just don't have the time right now.

[scrapcan]

cropcircle walker,

you just have to look at it in different perspective. Some parts of the country (CA, CO, OR) you would be a tree hugger/environmentalist/etc..., in another part (MT or AK) you could be considered a survivalist or seclusionist or ... well you get the picture.

If it comes to the dark days you may have heat and the people who thought you were in a some named camp above will be looking for you to help them out of the pickle.

By the way, I want to know how this type of stove works for you. I have been watching items on Journey to forever, homepower, and many other sites for many years, wish I had more time to build and work with some of the ideas that are brought up.

[Shawrco]

RE the where of plumbers pots etc..

Try

Bullet Metals
Bill Ferguson, Metallurgist
P.O. Box 1238
Sierra Vista AZ 85636

This guy has a wide array of pots & accessories. I never actually ordered anything from him due to the poor man syndrome but have his flyer. It is a few yrs old so hopefully he's still around. Sorry I couldn't find a phone number for him in his lit.

Bill is a good guy, the Rowell ladles are the best! I thought Plumbers pots could be had via Buffalo Arms but I guess they've stopped carrying them. I just looked and no joy, but here's something like the turkey fryer/fish cooker setup that I use:

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,4500.htm

[Dale53]

You can get a turkey cooker for a good bit less than that:
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...=SearchResults

This one includes a cast iron Dutch oven (8 qts). Just make sure that ANY cooker you buy is sturdy enough not to collapse when you have 100-200 lbs of molten lead on it.

Dale53

[Edward429451]

My 8 qt dutch oven was about 3/4 full sittin on the side burner of my casting grill when it told me to make some legs for that side. I didn't know I could leap that far dancin with the tinsel fairy.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

You can get a turkey cooker for a good bit less than that:
http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/st...=SearchResults

This one includes a cast iron Dutch oven (8 qts). Just make sure that ANY cooker you buy is sturdy enough not to collapse when you have 100-200 lbs of molten lead on it.

Dale53

I have this setup, have modified it to work very much like a plumber's pot. It's pretty efficient now.

Regards,

Dave

[HTRN]

I'd like to point out that MSC sells Plumbers Pots.

Note that it's A) $140, and B) only 43K BTU.


HTRN

[alamogunr]

I'd like to point out that MSC sells Plumbers Pots.

Note that it's A) $140, and B) only 43K BTU.


HTRN

That is exactly what Bill Ferguson sells. Don't remember what I paid for it. I got mine from him several years ago along with a 40# cast iron pot and shield that fits on top. The shield helps to hold the heat close to the pot. I use it for ladle casting rather than smelting. My smelting pot holds 250#+

[454PB]

A bit of an update here.....

I made a new ingot mould the other day and decided to try it out. Yesterday I fired up my $1 smelter and melted 106 pound of WW and cast into ingots. It took an hour and 45 minutes. The heating element is still working fine, and has now melted right at 400 pounds of alloy.

[Old Ironsights]

I will probably ketch he doubletoothpicks fer this but I have been dreaming about wood gasification.

http://journeytoforever.org/at_woodfire.html#woodgas

Is a flaming liberal tree hugger site but scroll down till you come to

"A Wood-gas Stove For Developing Countries" and click on the .pdf which shows how to build a slick wood gas stove made out of coffey and paint cans and burns for 35 or 40 minutes, smoke free equivalent to an electric stove burner.

Hey,

If it melts a pot of lead for smelting and works on scrap lumber........I will be happy to post a message to the site telling how it would be great for boollit making.

I just don't have the time right now.

Fun thing about wood-gas stoves is that if you gassify Alder you are also making the world's best charcoal for making Black Powder...

[Trez Hensley]

Talked to Bill Ferguson last night, he is alive and well. Seemed very helpful, me being a new guy and all. Even suggested less expensive tools to start out with as opposed to trying to sell me his top of the line outfit. Enjoyed talking to him. He does have some nice stuff for sale on his web site.

Nice job on the smelter. I already had propane before I started or I'd make me one.

[smokemjoe]

Would the control out of the hot plate work in my bured out Lyman pot ? Thanks

[smokemjoe]

Would the control out of a hot plate work in my burned out Lyman pot, just a idea. Joe

[OeldeWolf]

I would like to point out that "wood gas" is the same as the old "water gas" used in the days of gas lighting, and is basicaly carbon monoxide, which is EXTREMELY poisonous. Even if you have good general ventilation, a release can concievably cause health problems (aka death). Remember, CO works by taking up the hemoglobin sites used to carry O2 around the body, so there are rarely symptoms before you are headed to see father grandcaster.

[MT Gianni]

I would like to point out that "wood gas" is the same as the old "water gas" used in the days of gas lighting, and is basicaly carbon monoxide, which is EXTREMELY poisonous. Even if you have good general ventilation, a release can concievably cause health problems (aka death). Remember, CO works by taking up the hemoglobin sites used to carry O2 around the body, so there are rarely symptoms before you are headed to see father grandcaster.

400 partsper million [ppm] causes a headache in 1 hr exposure, 625 ppm causes nasea, vomiting and disorientation, 800-1000 ppm is lethal for 1 hr exposure in air for the average human. [160 lbs, 39 years old, reasonably good health]. Those #'s equal 9ppm in blood for those studying to be an expert witness in CO, not that I would recommend it. Gianni

[454PB]

Funny you guys would be talking about CO poisoning. It's one of the reasons I like using an electric smelter. The only possible source of CO is flux or the grease on the wheelweights.

[Saint]

I used to cast in a cast iron frying pan on an electric hot plate and my bullets came out wrinkled no matter how many balls i ran through it. Finally bought a cheap lee lead pot and found that I should never have tried electric to begin with. It was a night and day difference. The frying pan does work ok for smelting, but if you are going to be working with any alloys that have a higher melting point it gets more difficult.

[DLCTEX]

I just read this again today and it appears the old pressure cooker pot is aluminum. If so, that is courting disaster as it will weaken over time and may collapse.

[Chill Wills]

I have been told that Bill's health and age have ended his business. However, his web sight is still up
http://www.theantimonyman.com/schuetzenbook.htm

RE the where of plumbers pots etc..
Try
Bullet Metals
Bill Ferguson, Metallurgist
P.O. Box 1238
Sierra Vista AZ 85636

This guy has a wide array of pots & accessories. I never actually ordered anything from him due to the poor man syndrome but have his flyer. It is a few yrs old so hopefully he's still around. Sorry I couldn't find a phone number for him in his lit.