Gents!
I have now acquired some lead (2 buckets) and am about to start melting it down in the cabin on the countryside when we go there to burn the weed & grass, twigs etc after winter.
It is usually a big bonfire every year, which I intend to use to melt the lead in and cast into ingots before melting these to cast bullets later on.

So, for melting outdoors over an open fire, Shall I use a cast iron pot, or is it also possible to use a Stainless steel one (18/8-18/10)?

I have looked at the RCBS Cast iron lead pot, and it seems small, since it only takes 10pounds, or a pint of lead. I would need to melt it in 15 sessions with that one...

Sincerely
Daniel

I am using a old pressure cooker to do my first smelt. I think you will be unhappy with the open fire thing. I need more controll over the smelt and I need to flux. I don't think I coul do that over a trash fire. Ron

Daniel
I second Ron's suggestion about the brush fire to melt the lead. You may not be able to get the heat focused on the pot, unless you can build some sort of fire pit.
For a lot of years I used a stacked arragement of fire bricks, you want it steady, to contain the fire. But I used coal and had a blower. I had a miniture blast furnace.
Jim

A cast iron pot is thick and can take lots of heat, even up the sides. The stainless pots I've seen, even the expensive ones with aluminum or copper layered into the bottom, have thin sides. I could just imagine the sides getting so hot as to melt the SS.

If I wanted a bigger lead pot, I'd go looking for a dutch oven. Then you could put the cover in place to keep flying debris out from that bonfire...thick cast iron top to bottom, made for hanging in an open fire. But, instead of moose stew you've got molten lead.

I use a 20 pound propane tank cut off at the top shoulder. Just screw out the valve, fill the tank with water in case there is any remaining gas inside, use a hand held electric cutting wheel to cut out about a 4 inch square opening. Dump the water and use the wheel to cut the tank off at the shoulder. I welded a couple of big washers to the tank to atach a handle, made a top as well. I use a propane fired 3 ring cast iron "stove" as a heat sourse. Works great but I need to make a heat shield to block the wind.

Gents!
Thanks for replies!
I think that it might be possible to focus the heat somewhat since I have access to bricks to build a furnace or protected fireplace.

I would want to use wood for the first melting since it is a larger pile that is to be melted and cleaned. As well as there are a lot of "rubbish" on the farm land that needs to be burned each spring, so this is combining 2 purposes.

When it is all in ingots it is easier to use an electric melter, and cheaper too.

Sincerely
Daniel

Gents,
I have now found some cast iron pots designed for normal household use, but the new ones are coated with enamel.
Will the enamel be a bad thing when melting lead in them, if so, how to remove it with as little effort as possible?

Sincerely
Daniel

An old Dutch Oven works well. You can find used ones at yard sales cheap. Harbor freight sells them pretty cheap too.

I had a friend(who is a union trade welder) build a pot for me out of 12 inch SS pipe. He welded a flat piece of SS for the bottom, and put SS handles on the pot. The pot is 6 inches tall. It is the berries. I prefer SS to cast iron. And as far as SS melting?? I do not think so. Tom.