I picked up a cheap cast iron pot for smelting. What do I need to keep it in good shape. Is rust a problem?
Thanks All
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I picked up a cheap cast iron pot for smelting. What do I need to keep it in good shape. Is rust a problem?
Thanks All
i guess i wouldent care about the outside,but, spin a wire wheel around the inside to get all you can out. and melt on !!
If it is already rusted, a wire wheel on a drill can clean it up a bit, but melting lead should remove some too. You may have to flux a little bit more the first time. After that just keeping it dry should be enough or you can always give it a light coat of oil, that will burn off the next time you use it.
Just buy a heavy duty stainless cooking pot and you won't have to worry about it. Just don't gt one with plastic handles.
Rust isn't a problem if you keep it dry .
Melting lead doesn't promote rust . Sitting it outside in the rain and full of water will cause rust .
When you get through melting lead , knock out all the slag and put it somewhere dry .
If you have a can of that nasty black spray on Mould release...Drop Out ...the perfect use is to spray inside clean pot and ladle ...lead wont stick and no rust . Don't spray the stuff on cavities of your good moulds ... they grungy it up and the build-up is a bear to remove... but great for inside a casting pot and a ladle .
Gary
your lucky to find cheap cast iron pot, yesterday while in town I went strolling through the big pawn shop, they had a bunch of cast iron stuff, the least expensive was a small frying pan for $20. lots of good suggestions here on removing rust, I like steel wool and then coat with regular or bees wax when not in use.
I am a cast iron collector, and a big problem with old iron is lead residue. We do test these old pots to be sure they are safe, but if and when you get rid of your old pot, please take a hammer to it first, and it will save us time and money.
Yes, I know about cast iron cookware and lead contamination. I would destroy if I ever stopped using it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Keyman
After you finish melting the lead, allow the pot to cool a bit then toss on a tablespoon or so of beeswax to "season" the pan. Will prevent rust and act as flux for the next batch of lead.
The Antimony Man mentioned that often the alloyer's flux was slightly corrosive so it was a good idea to cool the pot, then wash it out to remove the flux residue and then allow to dry well. This was not a problem in South Aridzona. I suppose it depends upon what you are putting in the pot along with the lead and other items.
I have one of the old style plumbers pots with the burner head. These require a special fitting on top of the propane tank that allows the whole burner unit to screw onto the fitting. Both the pot and burner head sit in my garage here in Louisiana. Humidity will cause just about anything to rust except stainless steel. Bad part is that I cannot find a propane tank with the special fitting. Use a wal mart turkey fryer burner unit and 20 lb tank for my melting of wheel weights. Frank
Yeah, I use an old cast iron casting pot but I don't leave it outside when I'm through with it. It is kept in my storage shed (barn) until I need it again. Along with my casting ladle and Coleman stove which is also in the barn unless we have a power failure and need to cook something. Then the stove comes inside after cleaning it up a bit. Never had a problem with rust, but if I did, I'd follow the suggestions above and use a drill and wire brush to clean out the inside. Outside doesn't really matter that much. Just my .2 cents worth. Bullet Caster
After the pot cools a bit spray it and the surface of any remaining lead with Pam cooking spray. Did this when I lived in Texas. Also works well on electric bottom pour casting pot.
Good advise, thank you all
My steel smelting pot will develop a thin coating of rust in-between uses. I put a cup brush on my angle grinder and go after it if it gets rusty enough to bother me. I wear a mask and have a large floor fan blowing from behind me when I do this. If I think about it after I use it I'll spray it with whatever kind of spray lube that happens to be close by.
I have never worried about rust on my cast iron for smelting. If I were, I would just brush on some used motor oil, since I use it to flux with anyway.
Also, the SS pots are OK, but I find the cast iron far superior for melting bulk lead.
Always just used a drill and ball wire and gave a good cleaning like mentioned above. Never thought of putting a slight lube on it. Love reading and seeing idea's that have worked for others...
I live near the ocean. I use copious amounts of vegetable oil and into a plastic bag.