cleaning flashing lead?

[riarcher]

Some of this is really nasty looking stuff.
Could I just use a cheap stainless pan on a wood fire to melt this down? And why are all the melting (w/fire)pots made of castiron? Stainless sure is cheaper and easier to find in yardsales.

 

Most comercial electric melt pots are sheet metal or alloy.

Most reproduction lead laddles are hammered from sheet metal.

As long as the lead melts before the pan does you should be safe.

Back when I started out cast iron was the cheap stuff at the yard sales! Times change!

 

I prefer cast iron because it holds the heat better. Stainless steel will shorten melting time, but in the same instance shorten cooling time. Bottom line, its your call.

Just :m2c:

 

[Wanders]

:m2c:
I think that one of the main reasons cast iron was used was because of its weight. If you're dipping a ladle into a pot of molten lead you want something that is going to be stable regardless of how much lead is in the pot, and not tip over in spite of being bumped. Other than a fondue pot ( :hmm I can't think of a stainless pot designed like that.
Bill :thumbsup:

 

[silverfox]

Wanders: Need or want a stainless pan or pot to melt lead in just try your local medical supply house. They should have any number of heavy duty pots and bed pans that won't tip over. Mine is about 4" deep by 9" wide very stable with 2 to 3" of lead in it. Heavy stainless but lighter than cast. Just not the salad bowl type they are to thin. Fox :thumbsup:

 

[Wanders]

:hmm: Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..........
We were talking about flashing lead. If use a bedpan to melt it, does that make it flushing lead? :crackup:
Seriously, I've got a couple of old cast iron pots that were either used for making jigs & sinkers, or for melting lead for old telephone cables. They're not lightweight, but they're a good size- about 6" in diameter and very stable. That's important to us not too graceful types. I like the bedpan idea though!
Bill :thumbsup:

 

[riarcher]

I'm thinking more like a big old heavy "Spegetti Boiling Pot". Got lots of lead (and still coming from 4 dif. roofers) Probably when cleaned I'm talking,,,,, 150#s as of now with more on it's way. Pot is flat bottomed, and while it may sit a bit "asqued" on the coals, shouldbe stable. Thinking about 30-40 lbs going into ingots at a time(?).
By the way, some of these guys get a percentage of lead back for their own shooting ("one hand washes the other" thing).
Anyone use "muffin tins" for ingots? Do they fit into the 10# Lee melters? (The ingots,, not the "tins" :

 

[silverfox]

Wanders: I didn't mean a bedpan as most people think. There are several round pans with flat bottoms and straight sides that work fine. Flushing lead yea that would fix the plumbing alright. I have used some of the flashing before and one batch was really dirty. Glad I was in the back yard when cleaning it. Got tarpaper on everything what a mess, but a lot of good cheap lead.
Fox

 

[silverfox]

riarcher: Yep muffin tins work but can't tell you if they will fit in #10 Lee melters. They make 3 to 4# muffins and come out of the tins nicely.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[sequoia]

I've been using a small muffin tin for years. (too cheap to buy a real ingot mould) They fit right into my little lead potand for trekking I just pour on 1/4 inch of lead in the bottom to make a lead "coin" that fits in my ladle.

 

[mowolf]

Question 1: The muffin tins are the ones with a teflon coating?

Question 2: Has anyone tried using a porcelein (sp) coated pan? Or would a small, 6 inch, cast iron skellet be better?

Waya :what:

 

[silverfox]

mowolf: Don't know if the teflon coated tin would work but I bet it would only take one try to find out. If the teflon burns off then you have tin and should work fine from then on.(2) haven't tried porcelein with lead. I was out at the local Petsmart getting stuff for the animals and found that they have some heavy duty stainless bowls that look like they would be stable and hold 15 to 20 lbs. at a time. As for the 6" skillet it'll work but I use more lead than it would keep hot at a sitting. When I run lead I look to make 3 to 400 balls before shutting down. I also heat my lead with the before mentioned Turkey cooker and butane tank. I used to use the coleman stove it worked but its like driving a model T compared to the turkey cooker. Just get a rythem going when you start so that you keep the mold at the right temperature to get smooth shiney balls.
Fox :thumbsup:

 

[Bigblue250]

I have a few pots I use depending on what is being done. For melting wheel weights and nasty stuff in to ingots I use a big cast iron dutch oven on an old plumbers burner. When I am casting balls, bullets, sinkers and jig heads; I use a nice little aluminum sauce pot on the Coleman stove.