I got my hands on an old SAECO Melting Furnace. It's rusty, has some lead still in the bottom and I want to bring it into service. I plugged it in and the lead partially melted, but not near the drain hole, and then it stopped working. Any ideas from the lead casters out there on how to proceed? It's cooling now, and I will take the front plate off to inspect the thermostat and wiring, but I'm not sure what to look for other then broken connections. I hope to use this pot to cast bullets from wheel weights, or other scrap lead I can get my hands on. I also have some old (50s/60s) musket bullet molds that have a little rust on them and hope they can still be used. Any help will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Keith

Could be a bad heating element . Not sure but there could be two inside and one might have burned out if partial melting occurred! I always used Colman stove and Dutch oven with a bullet ladle till I upgraded to Turkey fryer burner it's SUPER fast ! I even poured counter weights for my tractor with it.

Hi Keith,

While using a pot, a crust will fo on the sides and bottom. It looks like reddish burnt toast crumbs. They will pack and insulate the pot from the lead. They do NOT want to come off. Like barnacles.

To keep it from forming, I use a scraper (inch wide flat iron bend 90 degrees with a wooden handle riveted on the half tang of the bent section. I also rounded the bottom corner to match the bottom contour of the pot corner).

Now - it's possible your pot was just used and used til it wouldn't get hot any more. Scrape that crap off the sides a d bottom. If there is some lead in it that melts - obviously be careful big it's liquid it's 450 degrees F. I just used a screwdriver and a whacker to chip some of the crap off of mine b

Other things - wheel weights are very hard. A lot of tin and antimony. If you are used to shooting. Particular size - you must "undersized" hard slugs. Otherwise you Re asking the gun to displaceuch harder materials. Black Powder shooters like the harder lead cause it resists the hotter charge and pressure.

Recycled lead is always a crap shoot. My rule is my thumbnail should be able to cut a groove when pulled in a linear stroke - not a plowing stroke - use the edge of your nail. Also, if you case hard slugs, they will be lighter. If you put three hard slugs in your hand and jiggle them, they will sort of ring. I have made some that soundedime bells! Haha.

Good luck.

Gary

Heck Gary, we made some that could be reused! Those .87s made out of the "pure medical lead" would practically bounce off a concrete floor back into your hand and sing a tune.

If you need to get the remaining lead out of the pot to complete maintenance, use a torch to complete the melting and then do the clean up and circuit checks.