Adventures in melting lead alloy or "Don't Try This At Home"

[Silver Creek Slim]

Yesterday, I was out in the backyard with the cookfire going making a roast in the dutch oven. The roast was on and going good. I had to stick around to babysit the fire to make sure it didn't become a forest fire. I decided, since I had the fire going, I would melt the lead alloy outta the 3' long by 4" pipe. I took it over to the fire on a handtruck 'cuz I couldn't lift it. I struggled to git it situated in the fire right. I put the closed end on a couple logs and the open end on an 8" cement block so the it angled down toward the open end. I put my smelting pot under the open end. I got the fire going good with pine branches. We have pine shelter belts 'round the yard. The majority of the heat was in the center of the pipe. I tried getting more fire at the open end but it was hard to do 'cuz the cement block was there. The fire started dying down so I went over to the shelter belt to get more pine branches. As I was collecting them, I heard a noice from the fire that sounded like a tennis ball gun. So, I went back to the fire. There sat a chuck of 4" diameter by 7" long lead alloy 3 feet from the end of the pipe.  The smelting pot was covered with lead. Lead was splattered all over the side of the firepit. The pipe had move about 6" backwards. After the chuck of lead colded, I weighed it. It is 28 lbs. My guardian angel was working overtime.

Slim

[sundance44`s]

Wow glad ya didn`t end up in the ER for the Holliday !

[Dick Dastardly]

Ho Slim,

Make smaller boolits next time. . . .

DD-DLoS

[Silver Creek Slim]

Ho Slim,

Make smaller boolits next time. . . .

DD-DLoS

I was trying, but it didn't work out that way. 

Slim

[Dick Dastardly]

Hey Slim,

If ya kin get 'em chunks of pb small enuf to drop into my smelter kettle, we kin render it down into ingots.  PD and RRR want to get together for a casting party anyway.

DD-DLoS

[hellgate]

This is the kind of story we need not tell our wives (lest they disallow such activities).

[Goatlips]

This is the kind of story we need not tell our wives (lest they disallow such activities).

Heck, just tell her that's how you planned to do it. 

Goatlips

[Silver Creek Slim]

Here's a picture of the "cannon" and projectile.

Slim

[Silver Creek Slim]

Hey Slim,

If ya kin get 'em chunks of pb small enuf to drop into my smelter kettle, we kin render it down into ingots.  PD and RRR want to get together for a casting party anyway.

DD-DLoS

DD,
I plan on smelting and casting at my house on Saturday 'cuz I'z almost outta of PRS's.

Slim

[Ozark Tracker]

which one of them civil war battles was you reenacting

[Silver Creek Slim]

Pickett's charge at Gettysburg.

Slim

[Delmonico]

The battle of Silver Creek.

[Silver Creek Slim]

 

Slim

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Does this go in the "How to" or "How NOT to" section?

[Pukin Dog]

Slim,
Lets try to get a castin' party this month sometime at DD's.  He knows what he's doin' (apparently more than you  ) and besides, we can all chew the fat and drink a few good brews while castin' up some fine Big Lube (TM) boolits

[Dick Dastardly]

If we plan ahead, Thursday afternoons are good.  I went to Beloit to do some range work yesterday, but it would have been a great casting day. . .

DD-DLoS

[Silver Creek Slim]

Does this go in the "How to" or "How NOT to" section?

The latter one. 

Slim

[Ozark Tracker]

That's one of them stories that starts,  I hope this never happens to you, but one time------

[Delmonico]

Slim,
Lets try to get a castin' party this month sometime at DD's.  He knows what he's doin' (apparently more than you  ) and besides, we can all chew the fat and drink a few good brews while castin' up some fine Big Lube (TM) boolits

I hope this is figuretivly and not literal, No Food or Drinks in the Casting Area wash your hands before touching and food or yes, any body opening.  One can get a bit of lead into the body by peeing or pickin' yer nose.

Sorry to be such a nag, but I am an ex-painter from the era of lead based paint, what goes for safety there, counts here.

[Silver Creek Slim]

I turned my "cannon" into what's below on Saturday.

Slim