Lead Melter for Boolits and Fishing Weights?

[WaltWhite]

I asked my father what he wanted for Christmas and he said a lead melter for making fishing weights. I said I'd buy him one if he cast me some boolits.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a decent pot that will serve for boolits and weights? Ideally something good for a beginner and not too expensive.

 

[MEHavey]

Anything from a cheap WalMart (steel) 1 qt sauce pan ($15) on a Coleman Stove (if you already have one); to the primo Waage 20-lb furnace at $240.

Best bet for starting out:
- Simple 10-lb Lee pot ($40) (Req'd)
- Lyman Lead Dipper ($21) (Req'd)
- Lyman Lead Thermometer $38 (important, if you can afford)

 

[Blue68f100]

I use an old Lee Bottom pour pot. They come in different sizes. The only problem with them is keeping the thing from leaking as it heats up. Best to do the smelting in something else and just use the bottom pour for clean lead.

 

[lightman]

I'm thinking on the low end, a 10# bottom pour Lee. Mid range would be a 20# Lyman or RCBS and top end would be a 40# Magma. If he is casting big weights, you might want to go up to a 20# pot. The RCBS Pro Melt is a favorite with bullet casters.

 

[MichaelK]

I'd go with the Lyman if you want quality, Lee if you're cheap. I've had both, and I threw my Lee pot in the garbage can.

BTW, the lead alloy for making fishing weights is not going to be the same as the best alloy for making bullets.

What's your source of lead? Raked berm lead bullets will mostly be the correct alloy. Wheelweight lead is very good if you add a few percent tin to it. Old fishing weights most likely are pure lead, and you'd need to add about 5% tin to get an acceptable shooting alloy.

To 10 lbs of wheelweight lead, I'd mix in 1/4lb of lead-free tin plumbing solder. To 10lbs of fishing weight lead I'd mix in 1/2lb of the same lead-free tin plumbing solder. Note that there may be two different kinds of lead-free solder at the local hardware store, tin and silver. If it's labeled "tin" or :"Sn", it's the one you want. If labeled "Silver" or "Ag" it's the wrong one. Some tin solders have a small proportion of Antimony, so if you see something like 95:5 Sn:Sb, that's the right stuff. It means the solder is 95% tin and 5% antimony.

 

[41 Mag]

Initially I bought my Lee 4-20 expressly to pour fishing weights. Well then I just had to go and pour up a bullet, and it went down hill from there.

Seriously though the Lee bottom pour is simple to use and can do either well. I use mine for both bullets and weights now.

If you end up getting one shoot me a PM and I will walk you through raising it up enough to clear any fishing weight mold and give you a better sight picture on the mold cavities as well.

 

[MEHavey]

My Lee 10-pounder bottom-pour is now vintage 1983. (Also an RCBS Pro-Melt and two big Waages)
Still have/use the Lee for specialty alloys, but plugged the bottom spout and simply dip (like all three other pots as well).

There is good reason to get that simple dip pot vice a bottom-pour as the start.
- It's far less expensive
- It doesn't clog up/leak or require maintenance
- And sooner or later you're going to discover standard dip technique anyway and never go back.

 

[Captcurt]

A Lee has lasted me for years.

I have used the 20# Lee for 35 years and have literally poured thousands of jigs, spinnerbaits and boolits. I finally had to put a new thermostat in it but I am still using it.

 

[BoltLover]

Yep the LEE bottom tap is the simplest and most efficient, I use one to cast all my bullets and as long as you regulate the temp. right you are golden. 20# pot runs about $60.00. I disagree with the dip method as your pot will have to maintain a consistently higher temp. which will burn out your thermacouple a lot faster.


Bolt

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

Anything from a cheap WalMart (steel) 1 qt sauce pan ($15) on a Coleman Stove

DO NOT USE STEEL they can and will break use cast iron in old dutch oven
will work

 

[clearcut]

the Lee pro IV is what I use for casting,I clean all my scrap in a old pot and a rose bud torch from harbor freight, ingot mould is a muffin tin from big lots it all works for me.
CC

 

[MEHavey]

DO NOT USE STEEL they can and will break...

Funny, I've been using a steel pot [from KMart] since `85 for all my smelting.

Hmmmmmm.....







Well, I admit I threw away the handle and use two visegrips, but......

 

[LUCKYDAWG13]

MEHavey
Member


Join Date: July 27, 2010
Posts: 1,215
Quote:
DO NOT USE STEEL they can and will break...
Funny, I've been using a steel pot [from KMart] since `85 for all my smelting.

Hmmmmmm.....



then your Lucky

 

[jmorris]

I didn't want to spend much money when I started casting so I built my own pot.

It is 3/8" thick steel pipe that I welded a bottom on. A 3500 watt oven element is used to heat it. The valve is just a 1/4" stainless steel rod turned to a point.



There is an oriface disk that bolts under the bottom. It allows me to make one stream of lead for a single cavity mold or swap it out for one with two holes for a double cavity.




Besides time I have less than $20 in it.




I don't think you could hurt the steel pot if you threw it out of the truck going down the highway.