In my introduction thread, here: https://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/hi.1318/ I mentioned that I have a near-term need to melt and cast some lead. (for my sidecar. see https://advrider.com/f/threads/vetter-terraplane-yamaha-xv920-build.1270870/#post-34779192) I started to look into home foundry a few years ago. I bought most of the materials, but then life got in the way and they gathered dust. Since I now have a need, it was a good excuse to build my furnace. Here is the status as of last nite: Top view Underside of lid Side view I'll probably do my lead melt this weekend with the furnace in this state, then add the refractory cement later. Because THIS is not very passenger-friendly!
I melted 60 lbs of lead yesterday. I think my burner needs work. Based on the flame, I'd say I have leaks where my welding-tip-orifice is threaded in. I had expected I would need to throttle back to avoid boiling lead. Instead, It seemed to take forever for the first coffee-can-full to melt, and merely excruciatingly long for the second and third. I never got pourable lead, only lead slush. This is OK since my plan is to leave this 60lbs in the coffee cans. The last 25 lbs, however, I had planned to pour into a loaf pan. Brief video of burner flame:
Your source lead looks like it would have a lot of contaminants in it that would create dross and because the density of clean lead is very high compared to that of the contaminants, the volume of dross could be fairly large compared to the clean lead. I'm guessing if you were to dig through the "slush", you would find it's floating on a pool of clean pourable lead. If you just can't get your lead to do what you need, race cars will very commonly use lead bars to make the cars meet the minimum weight requirements of the class they're raced in. So, drive around our town until you see a garage with a few race cars, introduce yourself to the people there, chat them up, let them know what you're doing, chances are they'll have some extra lead bars or know someone that does.
I listened to your burner running. You can tell a lot this way and yours is not going to cut it. It would be fine for a forge, but not a furnace. I suggest you steal the wifes hairdryer, point it in the hole and crank up the gas. You will be amazed at how much more heat you will create with a little bit of supercharging. Give it a try. Watch one of my videos and listen to what it should sound like.
[re: Rocco] I agree. I was able to see shiny liquid lead when I stirred. but it always felt like I was encountering solid chunks while stirring. When I first loaded the coffee cans as tightly as i could, they weighed 12 to 13 lbs. My calculation for pure lead weight for that volume was 21 lbs. The cans now weight 19.5 - 19.75 each. That's close enough for me. The last load consists mostly of lead roof flashing, and may have less dross. We'll see. I just feel like my furnace is way short of being ready for aluminum.
[re: Jason] I'll fix the thread leak and give it a try. The burner plan I used called for a 0.25 welder tip; i only had 0.035. That, plus the leak, and I imagine I needed more air for that much fuel. I was only able to turn the regulator up to about 1/2 of full pressure (10psi) before the fire would sputter then flame out. The flame was blue, and nearly invisible where it exited the venturi. The fire brick never got red hot. The exterior remained cool enough to touch.
Now you're getting the idea. Keep the .035 mig tip, just add more air. Another issue which I don't think was brought up is if you are going to run propane, you need the correct regulator. Regulators from lowes are not the right ones. You want one that goes much higher pressure and add that hair dryer. THEN you will be ready for aluminum or bronze with ease.
Something seriously wrong if your having trouble melting lead. Could you point us to your burner details again? Wheel weights are free (at least they were for me) but it's nasty work and there is all kinds of trash different materials in them. http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/gettin-the-lead-out.271/#post-4901 I used the lead mostly here, still have plenty of lead for the next time. http://forums.thehomefoundry.org/index.php?threads/furnace-cart-and-lift-build.278/page-3#post-5708 Best, Kelly
"Regulators from lowes are not the right ones." .... Busted! But, it is a relatively hi-pressure one, for a Lowe's regulator... https://www.lowes.com/pd/LoCo-COOKE...e-Propane-Tank-Regulator-with-Hose/1000707156 The burner is basically this one: But I see I conveniently forgot the final straight pipe nipple after the flare...
My burner is pretty similar to that one, I'm using an acetylene regulator, it goes from 0 to 15+ psi, with a .025 mig tip, it will burn well at anything above 3 psi. I've never attempted to use a .035 tip but that's nearly twice as big as a .025 tip, the larger tip would slow down the jet of propane considerably thereby reducing the amount of air drawn in by the venturi causing the burner to run too rich, you can fix that with a smaller tip or, as Jason suggested, forced air.
I've seen it before. Don't feel bad. You are not the first guy here to build a propane burner only to find out it's NEUTERED! And quit looking at anything that says FORGE! A forge and a furnace are 2 completely different animals. That pipe on the end doesn't have a thing to do with your problem. So you have a low pressure regulator, that's not the end of the world. IF you cant crank that thing full open, you don't have enough air. Period! Try running it with the lid OPEN on the furnace and nothing inside but your plinth block. Light it off and slowly get that regulator OPEN! Add as much air as necessary to keep it from flaming out. Have a spare pair of underwear nearby and keep that lid OPEN. A hair dryer should be plenty of air or an old shop vac on blow. You need a loud roar. Remember if you get a flame out and that thing lights off with the lid on, you'll probably put the lid on the neighbors roof.
[Re: Rocco] Son of a ... I have a few of those in a drawer. It never occurred to me to use it for this. It would be too much to expect it to thread into the propane tank... nope: I can work on that, but fornow, per Jason, more air is the answer.
I could be wrong but it looked like the flame was back in the tube. If it had deep pulsing throaty sound it's in the tube. I would get the .025 tip and try again. That style burner should be fine for aluminum.
Yes, it's called a Reil burner. This burner was popularized by Ron Reil's website, it was his modification of an existing design and his name stuck.
OP would be better off to just #60 drill the brass nipple and call it good. There is not enough wall thickness in that brass nipple for proper M6 or 1/4"-28 tapping for a good sealing thread, needs thicker wall.
Correct, Fated58. The leakage was terminal. I used a #65 drill, because that is what my hand touched first. After reassembly, I have the roar. I can crank the 10psi regulator wide open. I haven't tried forced induction yet. My experience with turbocharged internal combustion engines has been that, if it isn't running perfectly before you add boost, it's not going to run very well - if at all - after you add boost. I'll finish my lead melt this way on Saturday, and then finish my furnace. Thanks for the help, everyone.