Redneck Casting

by
posted on January 28, 2013
lessons_ah2015_fs.jpg

I have always had an admiration for what I call redneck ingenuity—basically the ability to make do or get by with something on the ultimate cheap. Often it means a total lack of sophistication, but it gets the job done. Last Saturday I witnessed a classic example of redneck ingenuity.

It was warm and clear, and feeling a bit of cabin fever, I dropped by a neighbor’s place to visit. As I pulled into his yard, I saw what is in the photo above: a stepladder with a weed burner torch held vertically by a piece of baling twine over an iron pot full of wheelweights. The fire was pouring directly into the iron pot, which rested on a railroad tie plate, normally used to set the rail upon the tie.

As the wheelweights liquefied, my buddy, Bill, would scrape the clips and trash from the surface of the melt and discard them. Then he turned off the weed burner torch and carefully lifted the pot and decanted the melt into waiting ingot molds. I laughed out loud, as he did, and I complimented him on his redneck engineering. “You know,” he said, “I’ve always done things the cheapest way possible my whole life. A smart guy would have a regular furnace. I still cast on a Coleman stove, but it’s too slow for this kind of stuff. I just thought I’d try it, and it works!”

His sometimes disheveled appearance and country ways belie his intelligence. Bill is one of the smartest and most analytical guys I know.

I looked over his set up, and crude as it was, I could find nothing that would constitute a safety issue. The set up was outside with plenty of ventilation. Bill used a long-handled spoon to add wheelweights, skim the trash and stir the mix. He was careful to inspect the wheelweights for anything that should not go into the pot. When it came time to pour ingots, he cut the source of heat. Crude? Yep! Effective? Undeniably! Cheap? Oh, yeah! God bless redneck ingenuity!

Latest

Ledehenry SPD HUSH
Ledehenry SPD HUSH

Henry Repeating Arms Launches HUSH Series Optimized for Suppressor Use

Henry Repeating Arms has officially introduced the HUSH Series. This new line of suppressor-optimized lever-action rifle is the debut release from the company’s Special Products Division (SPD), a new R&D initiative focused on forward-thinking innovation.

Member's Hunt: A Tale of Two Treestands

This latest Member's Hunt comes from Erin Prajzner of Glen Rock, Pa.

New for 2025: Zeiss SFL 50 Binocular

Zeiss has presented its all-new SFL 50 binocular, an extension of the company's SFL family of binocular. It combines the optical performance of a 50 mm binocular, with the size and weight category of competitors’ 42mm frame sizes.

New for 2025: Savage AC30 B.O.B. AccuCan Suppressor

Savage introduces the AC30 B.O.B. (Back Over Barrel) suppressor, a great option for those looking to enhance balance and reduce overall firearm length while shooting suppressed.

First Look: Barnes Harvest Collection Ammunition

Barnes has debuted its Harvest Collection line of ammunition, targeted squarely at American whitetail hunters. Topped with the venerable Sierra Tipped GameKing (TGK) bullet, Barnes Harvest Collection is designed for maximal lethality on thin-skinned game, combining near match-grade accuracy with impressive terminal performance.

First Look: BANISH 30-V2

New from Banish Suppressors, the Banish 30-V2 is an upgraded version of the company’s popular Banish 30 suppressor that is shorter, lighter, quieter and more versatile than ever.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.