Melting Babbitt

[Terry]

I needed some way to melt my babbitt.
I had tried a small electric hot plate but it was not big enough.
One day I drove by a house in town that was about to be demolished. There sitting on the deck was a old propane grill with a side burner on it. I called the owner he said take it. So i did. I got it home and took the side burner off and hauled the rest of the grill to the dump.
I had some 1'' square tube and I started building a stand for the side burner. I put casters on the stand so it can be wheeled around the shop and put in the corner out of the way when it is not in use. A win win it even has a spark lighter on it so no match needed to start it.
I think it cane out very good. I used it today when I poured some Babbitt. Worked good.

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[Windcatcher530 Dan]

Nice job Terry and when you're done pouring the babbitt you can throw a pot of chili on their and relax.

[mtblah]

Terry good thinking ! repurpose , resuse , recycle into something usefull . How large was the bearing you needed to pour that quanity of babbitt ?

[Terry]

Thanks. I had thought the same about the chili. Pour a bearing and have some supper.
I had been trying to come up with something that would work. When I came up with the side burner.
I have since found a smaller pot to heat the babbitt. That cast iron pot was to heavy. Plus 5 LBS of babbitt.
I poured the tops of 2 bearings yesterday and one didn't come out very good. So today I started over on the one. I weighed the babbitt before and after
and it used 2.8 LBS for the one bearing. It was about 3'' wide with a 2.5'' dia. cast bearing. It is a good sized bearing. The cap had some wear on it so it took more babbitt than normal.

[Kenneth]

Terry, good idea. I like to repurpose every time I can. I like the idea of being able to roll it around. Very handy.

Kenneth

[mtblah]

Terry , it took me 4 try's to get it right the first time I poured , 1st pour showed all the leaking & skin contact ! melt it out & keep trying , it will be worth the effort !
enjoy the results
Thanks Windy

[Terry]

I took the top bearing apart that I re poured yesterday and it came out good.
That is what is nice about babbitt if you are not happy with it melt it out and the evidence is gone.
I like your ladles.
Is that a bottom pour ladle?
Thank you
Terry

[mtblah]

Yes , upper left ladle is center pour , squeeze the handle & hot molten babbitt runs out .

[mtblah]

I was just thinking the many skills a windmiller must have .
High tower climber
rigger
steel worker
machinest
welder
plumber & well digger
wood worker / carpenter
collector of bits & pieces
above all else , patience

[Wayne]

Forgot one. Idiosyncrasy: a habit or mannerism perculiar to an individual.