Home smelting question

[David LaPell]

Now that I am getting into casting at least in the next few months, I was wondering about smelting. I don't have alot of room and I can't use the stove in the house. Can I use one of the little electric furnaces like the Lee for melting down the wheelweights into ingots?

 

[41 mag fan]

I have done that in the past but it is slow. You also should really clean your pot well before you cast. I switched to using a turkey frier base a few years ago and it works great.

 

[contender]

I would suggest a different approach. The "crud" in the WW stuff can get down into the pour spout and cause clogs, freerunning etc. Spend the $30 or so to get a cheaper turkey fryer and find a cheap cast iron pot. MUCH better in the long run. (I use to do my casting in my driveway,, off the tailgate of my truck as I lived on the side of a hill,, and no garage,,! )

 

[Rainman]

1+ on Contender's suggestion on getting a turkey fryer / fish cooker base and an old cast iron pot. Once you get the temp just right you can skim off the zinc ones as well as the metal clips. Be sure to flux as you go to keep from separating your desirable elements such as atimony and tin. Pour up your concoction in an ignot mould for use later in your furnace. I usually make a day of smelting wheel weights then I can cast a few bullets anytime later by chunking some ignots in the furnance.

It's not rocket science and really fun once you get it down pat. Just make sure you do the smelting outside. It's messy!

Dan