I have heard that I could use a hot plate and cast iron plate to melt lead? Is this true or not?
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I have heard that I could use a hot plate and cast iron plate to melt lead? Is this true or not?
You can but it will be very very slow process,make sure to have good ventalation and moisture free.
I have a old and I mean old cast iron pan not a skillet but a pan to cook maybe a pint or so in. I do use it to melt lead in and it takes no time at all. Take the advice already given and you will be ok. There are alot better things to melt lead in than a cast iron pan. But then I cast decoy and trot line weights with it and it works great.
Redman
Yep it'll do it but it takes a while though. Best for pouring big sinkers and stuff, you likely won't get precision casts from it.
There a lot of ways to melt lead, but some are not the safest, or best idea for pouring certain things. When we pour decoy weights, and large river weights, all we use is a metal coffee can with vise grips on it, over a propane turkey frier. Not the easiest or most effecient, but we dont do it very often, and it works for our intent.
I use a coleman stove and a cast iron pot about 12" across and about 4" deep. I use it out of the wind but lots of ventilation. I can stack it up cold and put the heat under it and do something else. This keeps the trash out of my pouring pot and heats the wheel weights or other lead slowly to avoid the blow ups. I don't use much wheel weights on the smaller jigs, but get good results from 1/8 up. It's lots easier to find than pure lead. A commercial strainer spoon and ladle help pour ingots and strain out the steel and other trash. Flux and stir and pour to ingots and it works OK for me. Coleman fuel is lots cheaper than propane.
I was looking at doing the same thing, I found a guy on youtube.com that did it this way with a dutch oven. I will post the link below.Quote:
Originally Posted by skeetbum
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4ZKRrrOOho
My pot is about the same but has a handle instead of the dutch oven style. Never used a lid on mine, and I empty it completely every time.
Years ago when I made my own salt water sinkers I used a Coleman camp stove and an aluminum pan. It worked great.
Just remember that you have to dedicate the cast iron to lead. It can NEVER be used for any thing but lead. My old pan has been with me for at least 25 years. If I last 25 more it will still be with me. Wish me luck. With the cost of a good cast iron Dutch Oven would hesitate to use one.
Coleman stoves are great for melting lead. My catfish buddy from Nebraska cast all his river weights using this method. And Old Richard has to use some big ones on the mighy Missouri River and he catches some truely big Flatheads and Blues. Uses the Coleman stove sumer and winter.
Redman
I went to goodwill to drop some stuff yesterday and found 2 brand new cast iron skillets. I bought both for $5. Even if I don't use them to melt lead I couldn't pass the deal.
He gives all those safety tips, and yet why didn't he leave the lid on the pot when he started. Any splatters or moisture in that pot would have been stopped by the lid. Other than that it wasn't too bad.
Mister Shawn you are a lucky man to find two at that price. Guess I better start to look at the Goodwill when I hit Shreveport to see if they have any deals like that. I can never have too many cast iron skillets.
Redman
I got lucky to. The other day a guy was cleaning his garage and pitching some old fishing stuff so I stopped to chat a bit. Upon looking in this box I saw an old cast iron tea pot with a square spout, and the handle had a heavy spring like wire wrapped around it. I asked the ol boy if he was tossing that too. Yea he said, its no good anymore my father used it to melt lead in for fishing sinkers. Really I said, then I picked it up and it was half full of lead. Hold it, I would take that off your hands and I would use it for just the same. So, he gave me the tea-pot and all I'm gonna say is THAT THING MAKES MELTING EASY FOR INGOTS. Its almost like having a robot do all the work, You can pour downrigger balls fast with this, and the square spout makes pouring a dream. I love that thing, no more handling hot anything, the handles still holdable when your pouring molten lead, barehanding if I wanted to.
Good finds guys.
All I can say is some of you lead a charmed life!!!!! So what is your secret ??? Remember I am a old geezer and can't last long.
Redman
I just stop by the Goodwill every once in a while, you never know what might be sitting on the shelves when you go. Most of the time i walk out with nothing, but I have gotten a brand new Carhart Jacket still had the tags on it.