Melting Pot for Wheel Weights

[carpediem]

:grin: Greetings:

I have been using a cast iron pot with lid on a 60,000 BTU propane stove for melting and fluxing wheel weights.  The pot holds about 60lbs. of lead after all the clips have been removed.  The problem for me is 60lbs. at a time is too slow and tedious.  When melting and fluxing I like to do 500 to 1000 lbs. at a time.  Does anyone have plans for a pot that will hold up to 200lbs of lead at a time and, how would you pour such a large quantity into ingot molds?

[Ka6otm]

Seize The Day,

I've been looking for a pot to do about 40-60 lbs at a time and having a heck of a time finding one for a good price.

Where'd you find it and what did you pay?

Ka6otm

[Omaha Poke]

Carpedium, give Bill Ferguson at www.theantimonyman.com a try.  He has commercial size pots and furnaces of all sizes.  I got my plumbers furnace from him and have been very happy with it.  He also sells pure metals and alloys.  Omaha  

[carpediem]

:-D

Thanks for the info Omahapoke.  I will get in touch with that guy and get him to send me a larger furnace.

Kindest regards,
Carpediem

[Leftoverdj]

I've got a couple of yard sale cast iron dutch ovens. The one I have been using does 50-60 pounds at a batch. The other is at least twice that but I have not smelted in it yet. Think I paid $15 and $20.

[hammerhead357]

If you really want a large pot serch out a print shop that used to use hot type and see if they might have one for sale. I have purchased a few over the years. I have found them is 400 lb., 1000 lb., and 5000 lb. sizes. All were gas fired with bottom pour spouts and thermostats. Great furnaces if you need to melt lots of metal.  Wes

[sundogg1911]

A cast iron Skillet works on a pinch. I use one with a propane stove.    i can do about 20 lbs. of wheel weights at a time. (I dont have enough ingot moulds for more than that anyway) I usually make ingot while I do yard work or somthing else. I can get a lot of ingots in a day that way. just staring at the pot will bore me to tears in about an hour. (unless I'm casting bullets) :roll:

[blackthorn]

I took a 20lb propane tank,removed valve,filled with water,used a cut off wheel in my small hand held grinder to cut a 4" hole in the top.  Grind off paint around the top edge of tank,mark a line around tank and cut off top. Weld 2 LARGE washers to hold handel. You may also want to weld up the "ring" on the inside of the tank for "looks".  Use on a propane burner such as is used for a "turkey cooker".  Should hold more lead than you will care to lift.

[carpediem]

:-D  hey blackthorn:

Why is it that the easiest solutions are always the hardest to find?  What a great idea.  I will cut up a propane bottle later this afternoon and let you know how it works.

I haven't been this excited since my little brother fell into the buzz saw and therefore didn't have to paint the barn.

Carpediem :-D

[Kragman71]

Another good idea is to buy one of those outdoor cookers.The rage now,is to deep fry a whole turkey in a big pot.
The furnace part of this system is ideal for heating a large cast iron pot of lead. Just hook it up with a propane tank.
I bought a cast iron pot roast pot that holds about 60 pounds of lead,at a yard sale,for a buck.
Frank

[carpediem]

:-D Greetings from the Great White North.  Yes, there is still snow in my back yard.

Blackthorn:  Thank you for the suggestion of using a 20 lb. propane bottle for melting wheel weights.  I followed your instructions and just finishes melting up a small test batch.  I think this 20 lb. tank will hold a couple of hundred pounds at a time.  I am using a propane burner that puts out 60,000 BTU'S, and that should be plenty to melt the lead.  GREAT.  Again, thank you.

Kindest regards,

Carpediem

[Goatlips]

Like some others I got tired of waiting for my propane stove to melt the wheelweights, float the clips and ignite the occasional valve stem in my old dutch oven smelt pot.   Had to assist with a propane plumbing torch until I picked up a weed burner/flamethrower at a garage sale.  Now I just blast everything down to lead soup in a few seconds!   :eek:    Still need the stove though to keep everything molten while skimming and ladleing into muffin tins.

Goatlips