turkey/fish fryer

[bubba.50]

maybe useful info for those who cast their own balls. I just bought one of the gas turkey/fish fryers on close-out at Waldo-World for 15 bucks.

 

[Black Hand]

They are great for frying things too....

 

[bubba.50]

oh, I imagine that fish basket will get an occasional work-out too. :thumbsup:

 

[azmntman]

"SPECIAL TODAY"
Leaded Fish

:rotf:

 

[mooman76]

I prefer Unleaded myself. :haha:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

They are really handy for a quick removal of your garage or your elevated deck, if you wish.

:shocked2:

Thanks for the tip. I will get one to heat up the double boiler for dipping my candles.

LD

 

[Rifleman1776]

They are really handy for a quick removal of your garage or your elevated deck, if you wish.

:shocked2:

Thanks for the tip. I will get one to heat up the double boiler for dipping my candles.

LD

There is a vid out there of some Bubba dropping a still solidly frozen turkey into one of those with the oil good and hot. :youcrazy: Reminiscent of Hiroshima blast. :shocked2:

 

[BrownBear]

I've used one for the last several years and learned more than I realized I needed to know.

It's terrific for melting big batches of lead. I got over a ton of lead (and bullet jackets and dust) from the backstop of our local indoor range. I put about 40# in a cast iron dutch oven, melt it down, skim off the extras, flux and cast ingots. Lotsa ingots.

Temperature is really hard to regulate. The burner controls are courser than course, and trying to hit the right range for ball/bullet casting is a pure PITA.

Small batches of lead, less than about 20# are worse about hitting the right temp than big batches. Keep your melt pot at least half full, and you'll have better luck regulating lead temp.

Can't get by without a good lead thermometer. I use one from Lyman.

Overall, it's the cat's behind for casting big bunches of fishing sinkers or ingots for use in a smaller electric pot.

I now do zero ball/bullet casting with it, instead using its ingots in a 20# electric pot.

Dandy for big batches, stinks for small.

YMMV with a different brand of burner.

 

[ZUG]

I've used one for the last several years and learned more than I realized I needed to know.

It's terrific for melting big batches of lead. I got over a ton of lead (and bullet jackets and dust) from the backstop of our local indoor range. I put about 40# in a cast iron dutch oven, melt it down, skim off the extras, flux and cast ingots. Lotsa ingots.

Temperature is really hard to regulate. The burner controls are courser than course, and trying to hit the right range for ball/bullet casting is a pure PITA.

Small batches of lead, less than about 20# are worse about hitting the right temp than big batches. Keep your melt pot at least half full, and you'll have better luck regulating lead temp.

Can't get by without a good lead thermometer. I use one from Lyman.

Overall, it's the cat's behind for casting big bunches of fishing sinkers or ingots for use in a smaller electric pot.

I now do zero ball/bullet casting with it, instead using its ingots in a 20# electric pot.

Dandy for big batches, stinks for small.

YMMV with a different brand of burner.

As you I use mine for the first & second melt of my scrap lead to make small muffin size ingots. You can get a small fine valve (try ACE hardware) and put in in line with your course regulator this will give you more control of the gas delivery.

 

[BrownBear]

I thought about it, but passed. Working right next to the extra heat and roar of the big burner just takes all the enjoyment out of bullet casting for me. It's another thing altogether to be casting 2-pound halibut weights or 1-pound ingots. Twenty and done, then I can back off while the next batch melts.

But it's a good thought for anyone wanting to use the big burner for balls or bullets.

 

[smo]

I have found using the fryer out in the open makes it extremely hard to regulate the temperature. I had a old Brinkman smoker that I cut a u shaped notch in the side of to allow it to clear the gas connection. Then position the notch to the down wind side and the flame is much more controllable. :thumbsup: I always light the burner prior to putting the cover over it . This should eliminate the chance of gas fumes building up inside cover causing a Big Bang! :thumbsup: They work great for boiling traps and cooking natural dyes also. :hatsoff:

 

[Loyalist Dave]

...,small muffin size ingots...,

:hmm:

MINNY MUFFIN PAN...., BRILLIANT!

:grin:

LD

 

[eggwelder]

avoid the teflon coated ones, they stink bad while the coating burns off.

 

[bubba.50]

But it's a good thought for anyone wanting to use the big burner for balls or bullets.

yeh, I wouldn't try to cast ball or bullets over it. I bought it 'cause I've got several hundred pounds of re-claimed shot & a bucket or two of wheel-weights I need to get in more manageable condition.

 

[BrownBear]

I bought it 'cause I've got several hundred pounds of re-claimed shot & a bucket or two of wheel-weights I need to get in more manageable condition.

You'll make short work of that and be glad of the purchase! That kind of job takes forever in a small pot. I cast up a couple hundred pounds of ingots in my "spare" time one day. Just fill the pot and do something else while it melted. Cast the ingots, fill the pot and repeat. :thumbsup:

 

[Black Hand]

yeh, I wouldn't try to cast ball or bullets over it.

With a small casting pot and a lower flame, mine worked just fine for casting roundballs...

 

[Zonie]

avoid the teflon coated ones, they stink bad while the coating burns off.

I totally agree.

The fumes from burning teflon are extremely toxic.

The temperature teflon starts to break down and make smoke is above the hottest oven temperature so it is safe to use for cooking but, temperatures above 600 F like lead heated to a casting temperature will cause problems.

 

[Billnpatti]

maybe useful info for those who cast their own balls. I just bought one of the gas turkey/fish fryers on close-out at Waldo-World for 15 bucks.

Au contraire mon frère. I have one of those fryers and I tried melting lead in a cast iron pot and casting balls while using one of the fish fryers as a source of heat. The burner is too large and the heat spreads out over too large of an area. This results in fried knuckles very quickly.

 

[azmntman]

Fried Knuckles with "Leaded" Fish...special today! :haha:

 

[bubba.50]

maybe useful info for those who cast their own balls. I just bought one of the gas turkey/fish fryers on close-out at Waldo-World for 15 bucks.

Au contraire mon frère. I have one of those fryers and I tried melting lead in a cast iron pot and casting balls while using one of the fish fryers as a source of heat. The burner is too large and the heat spreads out over too large of an area. This results in fried knuckles very quickly.

maybe the "cast their own" part shouldn't be taken so literally. I don't plan to pour from this set-up but, it will certainly get the 3 or 4 hundred pounds of re-claimed shot I have into workable lead much, much faster than my two Lee 10-pounders.