Casting Questions

Napp,

I use a 2-quart cast iron pot; it sits on the stove nicely. You can pick up the cast iron pot and stove at an army surplus store at a good price. You should also get a large spoon with small holes in it to scrap off the dross with.

As for pure lead. Google for some lead fabricators in your area or roofing company’s that have lead flashing. You can usually buy the scrap lead at a good price. Here in So Cal I can get the scrap for $1.00 a pound.

I would also suggest getting Lyman’s casting book it will help explain things better.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=796528

Good luck and be safe!
 
I'd be concerned about the small footprint of a small one-buner Coleman stove when we're talking about the weight of liquid lead. If that thing tips over, you've got a huge potential for injury. I('d want something with a more stable base.

I use a propane fish cooker, sort of like this set-up. I'm always very careful when I'm using it and I don't even think about firing it up to smelt when the grandkids are about.

Another thing to consider is that once you use a cooking implement, whether the pot, or a spoon or ladle you might use as a stirrer, it should never again be used for food preparation.

I get my pure lead from a variety of sources, mostly roof flashing. I pick it up when I can, and over the years, I've gotten a bunch of it for just the cost of hauling it off. Right now, I'd down to less than 200 lbs, so I may actually have to buy some in the future, but so far I've been lucky.
 
Paw,

The fish fryer looks like a good rig for smelting scrap lead. But here is another thing to consider for actually casting. The smaller opening and deeper pot of a Lee or Lyman bottom pour pot exposes less of the molten lead to air thereby keeping the temperature more constant and producing less 'scum' on the top of the lead. You are always pouring from nice clean, consistent temperature lead. Casting is easier and faster with a bottom pour pot.
 
I originally started casting about 30 years ago on a Coleman 2 burner gas stove
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And, 30 years ago, I used a single burner Coleman and it worked fine but as mentioned, I did have slight stability problems and My cast iron pot was really too big. I know some of us can relate to this but molten lead can really leave some nasty burnes. How about getting a hot drip into your boot. That sucker couldn't come off fast enough and took a heck of a long time to really heal. Sure did a jigg on that one. .... :eek:

If I wish, I can make my propane fish-fryer, ROAR !! and it's stabile fast and safe. ....... :)


But don't start telling someone new to all this that something is just fine to do without explaining a few things they really should be aware of--even the simple things.
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Very good point and we have to be careful of what we post and teach. I teach Muzzleloading during our Hunter Safety Classes and there are things that I personally do, that I will never teach during our classes. Just can't afford to even get close to anyone getting hurt. I am aware that over the past years, we have all developed "Personal Techniques" and perhaps it's wise to keep them there. ...;)


Be Safe !!!
 
junkman_01 said:
The fish fryer looks like a good rig for smelting scrap lead. But here is another thing to consider for actually casting. The smaller opening and deeper pot of a Lee or Lyman bottom pour pot exposes less of the molten...
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I concur completely. In an earlier post I mentioned that I use a big fish fryer pot for smelting and a Lee Production Pot for actual casting. One I've got the raw alloy in usable ingots, the bottom pour pot gets the nod for bullet making.
 
....and so it begins. I picked up 50 lbs of salvage roof flashing lead yesterday (seventy cents per lb). Additional purchases, so far, include a two burner liquid fuel Coleman Stove, welding gloves, face shield, el cheapo stainless steel spoons/ladle, and muffin pans for molding ingots. I will try and find a suitable cast iron melting pot today.

Have ordered a Lee Production Pot IV, Lee Round Ball molds, Lee ladle, and RCBS lead thermometer. Hopefully, I can mold some clean ingots before this stuff arrives.
 
Thanks Junkman. By the time you posted about the plumber's pot, I was already on the hunt. Picked up this little beauty at a local thrift store for $17.
Manufactured in the good ol' U.S. of A.

P1010396.jpg
 
Another Question

When I watch video of guys fluxing with candle wax, the pot almost invariably flames up shortly after the wax is dropped into the molten lead. I'm not wild about the thought of those flames smoking up the exposed lid and wind baffles of my new Coleman stove. If I remove the lead pot and set it aside before dropping in the lead, will the lead stay hot enough for the flux to do the job? Obviously, I would return the pot to the stove after the flames die out.
 
I don't like the idea of you moving a pot containing 10-20 pounds of molten lead for safety reasons, but I do believe the lead will still stay hot enough to flux it. Personally, I never tried to move my pot off the Coleman stove.
 
junkman

How badly did the flux flames mess up the stove? I suppose I can live with cleaning smoke residue from the exposed parts; but I worry that the paint might blister and peel after exposure to flames.
 
I don't find the wax makes any more or worse smoke than the rest of the gunk burning off the wheel weights.

No matter how you cut it, you're going to be producing some vile smoke. By the time I get to fluxing the worst is over. I throw in a pea-sized piece of beeswax and it smokes but has not burst into flame. They say you can intentionally light it off with a lighter to minimize the smoke but I don't bother.

Frankly, I'm a little leery of using this stove for cooking food on ever again. I mean, it probably shouldn't be a big deal, as the food will be in its own pot, but I've already got a tiny drip of lead on the edge of the stove from when I was ladling out the lead into my muffin pan to make ingots.

Steve
 
napp,

The only problem I had with melting lead on the Coleman stove was the grate will eventually sag due to the heat and weight. Yes it did soot up a bit, but paint didn't blister. I had no qualms about using it for cooking food as you are not placing the food directly on the stove. If you dribble a little lead on it, just peel it off and don't be so paranoid about it. Make sure you have adequate ventilation for the whole lead smelting/casting operation.
 
First off, you don't need more than a small piece of wax to flux. There are many basic fluxes that you can use and yes, most do create smoke. There are also many commercial fluxes available. One that I use of Frankford Arsenal flux that I get from midway. Again, a small amount will do and I stir the pot to make sure to get max effect. A small container of this flux, lasts a long time and there is no smoke, just a vapor of sorts. I only use this flux in the smelting process.



Be Safe !!!
 
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I know smoke is to be expected. I was more concerned about the flames from the flux. I will be casting on my patio which is open...but under roof. I do have a stand-alone fan that can be positioned to blow fumes and smoke away from me.
 
Marvelux does not produce much smoke, does not burn, but attracts moisture to implements it comes in contact with, and requires a larger volume of it than bee's wax or paraffin. Bee's wax can be used, but paraffin is cleaner, especially when ignited to keep it from smoking.
 
How badly did the flux flames mess up the stove? I suppose I can live with cleaning smoke residue from the exposed parts; but I worry that the paint might blister and peel after exposure to flames.
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Coleman uses a high-heat paint that a moment of flame exposure isn't going to hurt it.
 
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