Idea for making my first smelting pot the CRB way

[nitesite]

I've accumulated some WWs and have a small bit of bermine. Even if I don't start casting 'till fall, I want your opinions on whether this pot setup will work well.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/nitesite9/Smeltpot.jpg
It's the bottom half of an R-22 tank I cut, some cinder block and a Coleman camp stove that uses Coleman Fuel. The handle is from a cat litter bucket, and it can be removed during heating, but holds strong when the mushroomed ends are placed in the holes. Should hold 25-pounds or more with ease if I want to try moving the pot with lead still in it when it cools.
Not pictured are the leather gloves, apron and eye protection that I will, of course, be using. Still looking for a skimmer, but I have the burned wooden pole, and some candle wax for flux. Also going to look for cast or aluminum muffin pans.

What am I overlooking? Any design changes? I have a couple more R-22 tanks to back up this first prototype.

Thanks!

[yammerschooner]

big lots has wooden handled ladles that work like a champ.

Walmart has these that work fairly well too:
http://i69.photobucket.com/albums/i54/yammerschooner/DSCN4784.jpg

[AdamN]

Im not sure if the Coleman stove will put out enough heat for very effecient smelting/melting.

Is the R22 tank lined or bare metal?

[yammerschooner]

It does look like a whole lotta pumping would be in order.

For a while I used a propane tank that I had cut in half. The sides were too deep to ladle lead out of comfortably, so now it is a dross and hot ww clip garbage can.

[nitesite]

Thanks, yammer and ANeat!

The can looks unlined. I could leave the top half outside to see if rust forms.

But what do you think of the heat source? Size and thickness of the pot, etc? Will it get hot enough? I think I'll only be doing 20-lbs of lead or so in it at a time, maybe less. Are the sides too high?

[yammerschooner]

The sides may be ok on yours. You may have some issues getting out that last little bit, but that isn't much of a worry, as it starts things up more efficiently on subsequent melts.

As Adam said, your heat source may not be enough, but the only way to find out would be to give it a shot. You will definitely go faster with a turkey fryer or similar.

[AdamN]

I wouldnt worry about the sides being to high. 20lbs of lead wont be very much of a puddle in the bottom of a freon can. To high doesent hurt a thing, just more room to stir the pot..

All you can do is try it, if the can doesent suit you get a dutch oven from harborfreight.
If the Coleman doesent put out enough heat get a turkey fryer or weed burner.

[yammerschooner]

To high doesent hurt a thing, just more room to stir the pot..



It makes it hard to get a good skimming angle with your ladle. Getting a ladle full of nothing but shiny lead requires much more effort. If you aren't using welding gloves, it also substantially increases the amount of heat you deal with when dipping or stirring.

That said, I doubt his sides are too high.

[yammerschooner]

Those dutch ovens regularly get to @ $14 or so, and they are bigger than anyone other than Cohutt will ever need.

[AdamN]

and they are bigger than anyone other than Cohutt will ever need.

I guess ya missed this thread Yammer http://www.glockpost.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2794


I see what ya mean about it being too deep for the scooper:sifone:

[yammerschooner]

bastage.

[nitesite]

Well, right after the second or third reply I went out of the house suddenly. Went fishing with the family. So now I'm back and I see more responses.

Thanks for the comments, gents!

[AdamN]

Did ya catch anything?

[RustyFN]

Check to see if you have a resturaunt supply store in your area. I bought these spoons for $3 each at the one by me. The longer spoon is solid and is around 24 inches and workes great. The shorter spoon is slotted.
Rusty
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8db29b3127ccec4448c22257800000016100DZOGblm4Yg9 vPhI

[nitesite]

All I do as the Husband/Dad is put a cricket on somebody's hook about every 45 seconds. And take fish off of hooks.

The rest of them caught a bunch of brim (Southern word for Sunfish, Bluegill, etc) and catfish. Tossed them back, catch-n'release and all.

I bagged two alligator gar. I'm carrying a 4" .38 with 158-gr cast SWCs when we fish, and I'm thinning them out pretty fast. This big creek is about 25' across, and the wife and kids love to tell me when one is cruising up.

Here's how it generally goes:
(Son)- "Dad, here comes one."
(Dad, cocking the hammer)- "Shooting..."
(Everybody puts fingers in ears)- "BLAM!!!!"

Did you know that them big ol' ugly bastages just roll over after being hit amidships, show their white underbelly, and then they sink like a phukkin stone?

In the past three trips I've shot over a dozen! Doesn't seem to slow the fishing down a bit.

I have more fun doing that... :)

[nitesite]

Check to see if you have a resturaunt supply store in your area. I bought these spoons for $3 each at the one by me. The longer spoon is solid and is around 24 inches and workes great. The shorter spoon is slotted.
Rusty
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b8db29b3127ccec4448c22257800000016100DZOGblm4Yg9 vPhI

Thanks for a great idea!

You aren't by any chance smelting at the scene of a recent gruesome murder, are you?

[CaptToyota]

Take your pot and burn it first to get past the burning paint smell.

Take and pound you a pour "V" at the top. I been using the bottom off a R-134 cylinder for couple yr now. I use (2) pair of vise grips as handles when it come time to pick up and pour...


I am wiating to grab the old cylinder of our recovery machine, but it still has R-134 in it that need transfered to new recovery cylinder yet. It bigger around diameter wise, and slight deeper if I cut it right.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/capttoyota/lead/PICT0087.jpg

[uncowboy]

To make things go faster and to save BTU's I like to have my lead pot sitting inside a steel cylinder. I have a peice of sewer pipe cut aboyt 12" high and my pot sits in this flush with the top. ALL the heat goes up in the pipe and surounds the lead pot. No cool spots and the wind be damed it just works better. When I first had this Idea I used a chiminy flu made from bricks but they cracked and the steel works better. J.Michael:wink5:

[AdamN]

That sounds a lot like mine also.

http://www.glockpost.com/forums/picture.php?albumid=29&pictureid=127

[nitesite]

Thank y'all for some very useful ideas!

I still haven't smelted my first ingot yet. Hope to by this autumn when it's cooler.

[uncowboy]

Aneat that is my set up to a T . Holds a lot more heat this way and the cool breeze does not slow you down. J.Michael

[jawjaboy]

A BTU saved, is a BTU earned. :thumbsup:

El_Economy

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