Share your favorites on Show & Tell

Cast iron pan for lead shot?

In Tools and Hardware > Show & Tell.
Tools and Hardware4789 of 9815vintage girl scout knifeStar Green Glass Insulator CD 162
7
Love it
1
Like it

Irishcollector.Irishcollector. loves this.
GeodeJemGeodeJem likes this.
ravage60ravage60 loves this.
vetraio50vetraio50 loves this.
TassieDevilTassieDevil loves this.
blunderbuss2blunderbuss2 loves this.
CaperkidCaperkid loves this.
EfesgirlEfesgirl loves this.
See 6 more
Add to collection

    Please create an account, or Log in here

    If you don't have an account, create one here.


    Create a Show & TellReport as inappropriate


    Posted 8 years ago

    rogerp1970
    (1 item)

    Hi - at my Dad's place, he has this old cast iron tool that no-one is quite sure what it was for. About 10" in diameter, and all of the "spokes" are grooves that lead to central collecting area with a runoff for pouring. Date uncertain but early 20th (if not 19th) century likely. Current theory is it was used to melt lead shot, but then why the spoke design? Location, if relevant, is farm in Northern Ireland. Any help appreciated!

    Unsolved Mystery

    Help us close this case. Add your knowledge below.

    logo
    Tools and Hardware
    See all
    17
    17" Valley Pro AMERICAN HICKORY Woo...
    $32
    WORKSITE WT3940 Woodworking Jack Plane Hand Planer Shaver Carpenter Woodcraft
    WORKSITE WT3940 Woodworking Jack Pl...
    $17
    28
    28" Single Bit Boys / Hudson Bay / ...
    $28
    Hand Axe Hatchet Splitter Firewood Log Chopper Rubber Handle 600G Steel Head
    Hand Axe Hatchet Splitter Firewood ...
    $13
    logo
    17
    17" Valley Pro AMERICAN HICKORY Woo...
    $32
    See all

    Comments

    1. UncleRon UncleRon, 8 years ago
      Laying lead shot in the grooves would be tedious and they would all roll down to the center anyway. On the other hand, I have no idea what it is. :-)
    2. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 8 years ago
      Agree with Ron.
    3. TallCakes TallCakes, 8 years ago
      I'm guessing a stove top boiler/grill that worked with a cast iron pan or ring...
    4. UncleRon UncleRon, 8 years ago
      TC - I thought of a grill idea but why the drainage to the center? It has to be to collect something. Most of the fat would drip through the vanes. And why the concave shape? A grill would be flat. It has to be to collect something that would only lie in the grooves and be "rendered" out. And not much of it either. A few tablespoons is all that would collect in the center depression.
    5. blunderbuss2 blunderbuss2, 8 years ago
      I'm with you Ron. It is to collect a small amount of liquid while the rest burns off.
    6. rogerp1970, 7 years ago
      That's what we couldn't work out - what would it be that you would want to catch some of it, but you would be OK with letting what you didn't catch fall through? Maybe if you were roasting something over a fire, it would let you catch the drippings without completely shielding the meat from the fire?
    7. TallCakes TallCakes, 7 years ago
      many of these old design concepts are dropped simply because it turns out they don't work. This is similar but opposite the Griswold domed broiler which worked by sitting in a pan. This would require a deeper pan or ring to sit upon; similar to some of the Mongolian stove top grills.
    8. GeodeJem GeodeJem, 7 years ago
      Perhaps a whey cheese collector for scouping the whey of cheese making.
    9. Irishcollector. Irishcollector., 7 years ago
      These items seem to be quite rare, this is only the 4th I have ever seen. Presumably they were placed over a skillet type pot to steam food while the juice was gradually collected for later use. I have 2 in different sizes but I do not know how many sizes were available. Each of mine has a number under the handle, a 7 and an 8. This seems to be the diameter of the pot in inches which it was designed for because each item is 3/4 of an inch wider than the number on it. Does yours have a number under the handle?
    10. rogerp1970, 7 years ago
      Yes it does - a 9 , and it is 9 3/4 inches wide so fits your description .

    Want to post a comment?

    Create an account or login in order to post a comment.