Melting set up/pot Ideas?

[Nvreloader]

Guys

Thanks to DEz and Rocker 1 and others, we now have a place for this stuff,

So let's get some info/Ideas out there for the other lurkers,  ,
maybe we can draw them into another Dark Hole etc. 

I got several tanks/bottles,
5 gal LPG type sawed in half, had a brass plug/valve that is cut off, hole in the bottom, insides very rusty,
smaller LPG tank 9" dia/15" tall, complete with no alterations, unknown condition inside,
and a Helium tank, same size as the small LPG tank, that was used to fill balloons,
complete with no alterations, unknown condition inside, etc.

I want to make a couple of melting pots,
to reduce WW= wheel weights/lead into lead ingots and maybe mold pouring, using LPG as the fuel type etc.

Anyone have any Ideas on how to safely convert these tanks for the use intended?
This build will be a complete build up to replace the Lee electric units I have, that quit working.

Would like to have a controllable valve type pour system,
hands/wrists are not in great shape, at this time, so I prefer not to use a big heavy lade etc,
and have the way to use these tanks (smaller ones) to pour direct into the molds.

I have an Idea on a built in valve, that is heated via the burner, no freeze up,
but still can used to pour ingots, and is very controllable for use with molds etc,
think along the lines of the long water valves that fit into a wall, cold weather types.

Just not sure about the valve outlet, and how it works,
I'll have to take the torch to the Lee pot and drain the tank etc

Have complete shop with lathe/mill, wire welder, power saw, torch set up, drills presses,
so I need some Ideas to get the best results, the first time around, if possible.

Any suggestions or Ideas and thoughts........or photo's would be a BIG help, on the valve outlet.........

Thank you,
Don

[Xptical]

Talk about apropos...

Not 3 days ago, I watched "the king of random" on YT talk about converting a mini foundry to propane.

I can't post links, but google for "king of random propane forge" and it should get you there.  Or just discombobulate the following:

www DOT youtube DOT com SLASH watch?v=eO8NwseRxSA


If you know about making pellets, can you offer any inputs on casting an aluminum pellet/slug?  Final product could have lead or steel wire "core" to bring weight up.




I just re-read your post.  Pro tip: fill LPG tanks with water prior to cutting.

Angle grinder + cutoff wheel + what I thought was a completely empty LPG tank == very short barreled gun firing big brass plug at crazy velocity

Thing musta been like a million FPEs man...

[Wayne52]

I try to keep it simple myself Don as I'm still using my old original small Lee pot and ladle I bought years ago, they still work good so that's what I use.
I only use pure lead, it's the best to use on airguns, wheel weights are loaded with antimony which are good for fishing weights or as many do use
it in their powder burners.

[rintafile]

I use smelting lead and fluxing it just a stainless steel kettel. And gas burner of course. Here is picture of my set up


On picture is end of smelting process. Just waiting all sawdust to burn.... Then collect all dross off and used that scoop to pour lead on muffin pan. Cheap pans cost few € and there is 12 holes to fill and got about 500-600 grams ingot from each hole.Got 6 those muffin pans to make job faster

[KnifeMaker]

Easiest way to empty a suspect propane tank is set it out on your range and put a bullet (Lead only), thru the top porton. If any propane remains, it will escape immediately. LOL

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Micheal

I think, you are leading me down the garden path?............

I don't think a lead bullet will hole a 5 gal LPG tank..........Will it?

I have been down that path before,
when I was young dumb and did not KNOW.....anything,
now I am OLD and still don't know anything, but I am smarter?

I had a Trail 90 Honda, early 60's, the seat tank hold down bracket started to crack and leaked some gas,
drained the tank, and then washed out the tank with hot soaping water, to clean out the gas, I THOUGHT...
you can see where this is going, can't you..............

I fired up the electric welder, turned the tank the correct way, had the gas cap off, and set down on the tank,
to hold it from moving, attached the ground clamp, put on the hood, and struck an arc, and then......
KABOOM, flame out both ends, and there I set with a WTH look on my face........... among other things,

End result was a 2 gal tank now held 2-1/2 gallons, I learned another lesson............,
fill the tank with truck exhaust and you can weld kinda safely...... sometimes.

That Trail 90 thought me lots of lessons, most of them the hard way...........

Tia,
Don

Easiest way to empty a suspect propane tank is set it out on your range and put a bullet (Lead only), thru the top porton. If any propane remains, it will escape immediately. LOL

[Nvreloader]

Teemu

Holy Snack bar, are all those bricks lead?
That is your bench, holding everything up?

I sure hope you don't have an earth quake,
as there will be a hole where you had your melting setup   

That is one great set up,
Thank you,

Don

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Wayne

I dug out some of the casting equipment,
3 different elect pots and all 3 quit had working.........

So, I decided to start over and build the proper setup,
a med/large melting pot bottom pour, to render down the pure lead,
make small ingots to use in a elect pot, for pellets etc.

I got a empty HELIUM tank that used used to fill balloons,
used the sawsall to cut it, AFTER filling it with exhaust fumes,
the bottom half is about 6"" tall and 9-1/2" in dia,
and have NO Idea how much lead it will hold, filled up to 4-5".

My question is, the thickness of the metal, which is about .065" thick,
and I have doubts about it being strong enough to work, over time etc.

I have an Idea about how to make a bottom pour, with the pour outlet heated via the LPG gas,
which will be a lapped tapered valve, welded into the bottom, about 1/2" up,
with the usual methods to filling etc.

And then there is a small LPG tank, setting here looking at me,
that is 9" in diameter and 12" tall, that has LPG smell coning from the valve........
that has set open for a long time............

Tia,
Don

[rintafile]

Nvreloader : Nope just stone bricks prevent those wooden pallets burn. I empthy those muffin ingots on top of bricks to cool down. But that pot is full of lead. I have my lead on rolls. About 45kg / per roll. I use tin snips to cut it smaller to fit in pot.

[Nvreloader]

So it appears that no one has built a HD LPG melting pot.............

And Oh Ya, Knife
A lead bullet will NOT hole a standard 5 LPG tank, valve open, set it up at 25-30 yds, hiding behind a large dirt berm,
pulled out the scoped TC 357 mag, 10" bbl, loaded with a stiff 357/158gr load, cast bullet >1800+ fps,
took aim and placed the bullet about halfway between the seam and curved top.

End results was only a lead dimple/dish in the steel.......

Now if, I had used my 22-250, 35gr @ 3800+ fps, there would have been a hole burned in it.....
lots of experience holing LPG tanks with CF rifles/pistols out to 300+ yds.

Off to find more info...........

Tia,
Don

[KnifeMaker]

Odd, my S&W 41 mag has no problem going thru both sides with a 170 gr semi hard cast at 1200 fps. LOL!


the .223 and .308 certainly don't. LOL  But a very empty tank.

[KnifeMaker]

Lots of people have made the pots. Go to CAST Boolets.com.

[Horatio]

Talk about apropos...

Not 3 days ago, I watched "the king of random" on YT talk about converting a mini foundry to propane.

I can't post links, but google for "king of random propane forge" and it should get you there.  Or just discombobulate the following:

www DOT youtube DOT com SLASH watch?v=eO8NwseRxSA


If you know about making pellets, can you offer any inputs on casting an aluminum pellet/slug?  Final product could have lead or steel wire "core" to bring weight up.




I just re-read your post.  Pro tip: fill LPG tanks with water prior to cutting.

Angle grinder + cutoff wheel + what I thought was a completely empty LPG tank == very short barreled gun firing big brass plug at crazy velocity

Thing musta been like a million FPEs man...

I would not recomend and aluminum projectile, unless you were putting into a plastic jacket or something.

[Nvreloader]

Well Guys

I have been staring at this small LPG tank, trying to decide what to do........

Decided to remove the valve, after 1/2 hr trying, it's a no go, can't get it to budge............
that valve is not left hand thread, is it?
A 24" pipe wrench was used.

I want the valve removed, (has a med smell of LPG coming from inside),
so I can pump my trucks exhaust, so I can get it cut in half, and NOT have a KABOOM,
with the disc grinder cutoff blades..

Any thoughts or suggestions........would be greatly appreciated.............

Tia,
Don

[Jeff Marshall]

Well Guys

I have been staring at this small LPG tank, trying to decide what to do........

Decided to remove the valve, after 1/2 hr trying, it's a no go, can't get it to budge............
that valve is not left hand thread, is it?
A 24" pipe wrench was used.

I want the valve removed, (has a med smell of LPG coming from inside),
so I can pump my trucks exhaust, so I can get it cut in half, and NOT have a KABOOM,
with the disc grinder cutoff blades..

Any thoughts or suggestions........would be greatly appreciated.............

Tia,
Don

Drill a hole in it, or shoot a hole in it, then toss it into a fire to burn off any LP. Then cut it with an oxy/acetylene torch.

[T3PRanch]

When using LPG tanks for BBQ's they are filled with water to just below cutting line then cut with a plasma cutter or torch.
Many times valves are left hand threaded for flammable and toxic or pyrophoric gasses.

[Jeff Marshall]

A Google search will yield much info.

A jigsaw or sawzall will do a nicer job than a abrasive cut off blade.

[Nvreloader]

Well I tried Cast bullets forum, without much response....................

So I'll post here,
Step 2,
I have the Helium tank cut in half, trued up, cut the top off the tank and split down the side,
this leaves a ring that is about 6+" tall, to use as a wind screen/shield.

I have the (top of the tank) curved section turned up side down and slipped around/up the walls from the bottom,
about 4" to direct the remaining heat to travel up the sides, and this leaves about 2" of empty space below the tank bottom,
where I will mount the adjustable LPG High pressure 4" diameter burner inside this ring.

There is about a 2+" wide opening for the bottom pour pipe, 4-5" long to exit the bottom ring,
with a 1/4" black pipe elbow pointing down.

The valve is SS with a 60* bevel at the top/inside for the stem which will also have a 60* cone to fit inside the valve,
and the top will extend 1" above from tank bottom, and I will lap these 2 together just before final mounting.

There is a 1/8" pour hole thru the valve exit, that has a 1/4" Black pipe elbow is attached to,
and will use 1/4" BP to exit the under the tank with approximately 4-5" in length,
and end in another elbow, pointing down, for filling ingots/molds.

There will be a triangle piece that comes out from the inside of the tank wall,
in which the valve rod will be bored/threaded thru this piece, and go straight down to the valve top,
and be less than 3" out from the inside wall, to leave as much as possible of clear space,
for cleaning the dross/trash out etc.

I plan on adding a 1/2 to 3/4" wide x 1/8" band around the very top,
which will welded along the very top edge to the pot, and will have a 1/4" bail handle attached thru this top ring,
for moving when needed.

Some of the questions, I am not sure about,

Question:
Will a 1/4" clear space around the tank sides, be enough to allow enough good heat to go up the 4" sides,
or would 1/2" space be better?

I can't decide,
If I want a push down thumb lever system with a spring return assist,
or a screw type system for controlling the lead output.

I have not attached anything together yet, as I am NOT sure which way to go,
or if I have the correct/enough dimensions for everything to operate correctly yet.

Any thoughts or suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

Tia,
Don

[KnifeMaker]

I'm surprised you couldn't find anything at Cast Boolits. I found a very large section showing ppts people have made. Odd! Been awhile since I looked it up though. Seems like it was under either "this old pot", or "casting equipment" 


I converted my RCBS Pro Melt to push down rather than pull up for the valve actuation.


Like you, getting old, and the pull up was getting hard on my wrist. GRRRR!!!


Knife

[Nvreloader]

Thanks Knife

When I searched the site, "casting Equipment", it would show numerous pg's of posts,
I would start reading them and after a couple of pg's, I would get the info stating "no info available",
yet it show'd 30+ pg's etc. 

The few posts that looked good etc, had no photo's to be seen what was being talked about with the builds etc,
even thou it showed photo's attached etc..

I wasted almost 2 days searching/reading........so I don't know if it's me/computer, or their site.........

So I guess I'll just build it and then I know what to adjust after testing etc.

Tia,
Don