What equipment do you use to purify WW?

[jpuke]

I picked up a large bucket of WW and I'm wondering how you guys go about purifying them in large quantities?  The last time I got some I purified them in my Lyman 10# furnace but it ended up taking about 6 weeks - I'd like to do it faster this time.  What do you use to get the lead hot enough and what do you melt it in?  Will the burner for a turkey fryer using propane for fuel get hot enough?  My biggest concern is the pot, not sure what to use.  Thanks.

[Brandon Odell]

I use a turkey fryer that I purchased at lows. I had a stainless pot that was junk and it holds about 35lbs of lead at a time. I plan on getting a larger cast iron dutch oven shortly. I use beeswax to flux with and stir it and scrape the sides really well. Just remember to keep the melt at around 650  to keep zink weights from melting.

[**oneshot**]

I started as you did melting them down in a small pot,  took too long.  I went to harbor freight and picked up a cast iron 2qt flat bottomed pot and a cast iron 2 burner camp stove.   I went through a bucket of WW in no time.  I use "used" motor oil to flux it.  Stinks like he** but did a nice job.  One thing I learned is to keep 1/4 of a pot of melted lead when adding more WW's, it helps melt the next batch quicker.  I also picked up a metal (dollar store) cooking utinsel set which included a slotted spoon (for the clips) and a regular spoon skimming.

[Lloyd Smale]

another vote for a turkey fryer and a cast iron pot

[jhalcott]

  Cheap turkey fryer and a deep cast iron fry pan. Don't get too big of a pan ,lead weighs a lot. IF the turkey fryer legs bend, you have HOT lead ALL over the place. Aluminum pots are dangerous because they MIGHT get soft when heated to the degree that melts lead. The effect is a "ballooning" of the metal pot and a rupture. I also use the slotted stainless spoon toremove the clips and weights that do not melt (zinc). I use a stainless ladle that holds about 1 1/2 pounds of molten metal to pour the ingots.

[masek77]

I can tell you from experience that aluminum will bend and deform and quickly fail when you try to melt lead in it.

Get the turkey frier and a cast iron pot. Put a pair of vise grips on the lip of the pot for better control when pouring. Dont melt too much at a time as lead gets real hard to pour when you have the pot too full. I shouldnt have to tell ya never to cook anything with the frier or the pot again right?

There are lots of things that can be used to get the trash and such out of dirty lead. I use 20 Mule Team Borax. For me it works well. Most of the lead I deal with now is so clean already I dont have to flux it but if I did thats what I would use. WW lead will often have a lot of gunk on it so a flux is absolutely necessary.

Do it outside when the ground is not very wet and its not windy.

A propane burner is the most economical way to melt large amounts of lead. I use two and sometimes three at a time to melt my lead. They melt the lead faster than I can pour the ingots and I pour 33 pound ingots usually. With three burners and going for about 10 hours I can melt about 5000 pounds of lead. Thats not rushing it either and taking breaks too.

[Lloyd Smale]

5000lbs at a time!!! There you go making me jealous again!!