I have a pile of preshot bullets that are mixed cast and jacketed that I have recovered from my range and I want to know what types of pots you all have used on a turkey fryier set up as it is to dirty and time consuming to do it in the Lee 4-20 pot and the coper jackets keep getting stuck together....
Thanks for your time Jonathan;}
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Hey 1kshooter
A big, good quality cast iron dutch oven will be your best bet for smelting large and dirty loads of scrap lead. If you will explore this section, there are several good threads on many of the operations being used by our members. You will find enough different methods, one or two will give you enough insight for setting up your foundry.
Most of the pots used are cast iron. Don't attempt using aluminum pots, they will fail. The information you need to guide you to success is here, you will do well. All I can add is my opinion. Best of skill to you.
Roy
Shoot often, Shoot well
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1k, as gunarea has said, I also use a 8-10 qt cast dutch oven. after the pot cools I use a magic marker to mark the melt eg. ww,lino, 50/50 etc. when u use this size pot 2-3 people casting w/ 3-4 moulds each make a lot of bullets. good luck.
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Thanks folks for the replys I am thinking about a large stainless pot or a 10"X 1'section of cast iron pipe welded to a 1/4” steel plate?
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Hey KSshooter
Your pipe and plate solution will work well. Since you have the means to do this work, remember a handle or two, a pour spout and how heavy this will be when full of alloy. While you are at it, make ingot moulds from angle iron. My experience shows that lots of ingot moulds will really speed up the whole process. I would again advise you to take a look at some of the smelting operations the members have been good enough to provide pictures of. My most valued improvement in the last thirty years of doing this, is getting the whole operation up to a counter top level. Keep meltin.
Roy
Shoot often, Shoot well
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1Kshooter; Here is my set up for “smelting":
Here is a ingot mould made from 2” angle iron about 6” long (makes an ingot of about 4.0 lbs). I had a good friend who happens to be a professional welder who made them for me (I have several). Keep in mind, if you make some, that it is necessary to put a bit of “draft” in the ends so that the ingots will release (slightly tilt the 'handles').
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I am no proffesional welder, but I have burned my fair share of rod over the years. You won't get that cast iron to “take” to the steel plate. The the two metals will expand and contract at different rates and crack sooner or later. Your best bet is to find a piece of steel pipe, then you are good to go. You might check a salvage yard and tell them what you need.. Maybe I should not mention this but a google search would turn it up any way. An old 20lb LP tank works fine. MAKE SURE IT HAS BEEN AIRED OUT WELL. I fill them with water and let them set for a month or so, or even longer. I have used these things for a few projects over the years and am still here to talk about it. A sawzall is probably the best/ safest for most folks to cut them with. Just make sure they have aired out a fair amount of time. I would say no less than a month, and full of water. jeff
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Thanks all for your responces wow! some great info
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hi guy, i've been using a stainless pot for many years, just won't hardly wear out. used a cast iron as well. droped once, so long! try finding one at goodwill or something like them, garage sales,estate sale. etc. the angle iron moulds work wonderful,with the draft involved, guess how i found out. muffin tins also work well,same place of finding, kind of like a source of w.w. or any other lead, just keep looking. DEFINATLY++ keep away from alum. WILL NOT HOLD UP!! losta of metal and heat released,bottom will drop out, NOT GOOD!! be careful,safe== molten lead and human skin,, not a good mix..
see ya,
frank l jr :):D
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Beware of some muffin tins, they will only be able to be used once. Let them rust a bit first. What ever you make ingots in, make sure you can get them out and make sure the ingot will fit in your pot. I made mine out of angle iron also and they are a bit long. jeff
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I use Dale's set-up. I got the cast iron pot and burner at Lowes for $40. It's a fish fryer. I melt and clean the salvage alloy (wheel weights, in my case), cast into ingots. Then clean the pot with a wire brush and alloy the wheel weights with what ever I need to achieve the target BHN. This way, you keep the crap out of your casting pot, as well as having 100# of a consistent alloy.
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What ever you make ingots in, make sure you can get them out and make sure the ingot will fit in your pot.
I made mine out of angle iron also and they are a bit long.
jeff
I use the bread stick mold for my casting alloy. They are a bit long, especially in the winter months when I prefer to add small ingots and avoid pot cooling. Bolt cutters make quick work of cutting them down to convenient sizes to add to the pot. And they stack and store nicely full sized.
Those propane tanks seem a bit large so use caution to avoid overloading the burner stand. I try to limit my batches to about 50 pounds because that is a comfortable amount for me to carry in one bucket without undue strain on the old back. It all depends upon the ability of the individual. Duane
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i got a 3” long section of 8” sch. 10 steel pipe with a 1/8” plate welded to the bottom and a 2.5' long 3/4” pipe handle on it, holds 30+ lbs. and the handle still gets a bit warm, i was casting in muffin pans at first then relized that they don't fit in the lee 10lb. that was another 80lbs to melt back down and pour into 1lb ingots.
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I don't attempt to move my pot at all during use. I have a large Rowell Ladle and dip from the pot and fill my ingot moulds (set up on a sturdy table next to the smelter). After the melting pot is nearly empty, then I tilt it to load the ladle.
It is important to protect what the pot is sitting on. You WILL spill some molten metal from time to time. I set my smelter on a piece of plywood to keep the “junk” off the driveway. It is NOT easily removed...
I also have two layers of clothing (no synthetics - natural fibers ONLY as the synthetics will melt onto your skin as the molten metal sinks in). Can you spell “third degree burns"?
I have a dedicated set of clothes used for nothing else. Bib overalls with a shop apron over. It works quite well even in hot weather and yet the two layers are quite safe. Wear eye protection and a hat EVERY time. Remember, Murphy says, “If it can happen, it will". Pants legs over boots...
Dale53
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jppr26, I would love to see a pic of that setup sounds like the ticket for me(pardon the pun..ticket...plumber pipefitter) I am going to have a look around and see what I can come up with... I have a friend that drills wells and I think they use sch.#10 ?? I will find out!
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