what using a clay pot may "lead" to.


 
J

Jacob Samarin

TVWBB Member
so i decided to go waterless due to recommendations here on the site.although i noticed someone mentioned the fact that some clay pots have lead in them.well i checked home depot,lowes,called many nurseries in the area and nobody could give me a definite lead or no lead in their clay pots.

well i bought a pennington pot (made by norcal in italy).when i got home i decided to check the companies website and here is what i found.

http://www.penningtonseed.com/section/pottery_01.asp?type=FAQs

(from the site)

Q:can i bake food products in your planters?
A:We do not recommend baking in our planters. Some manufacturers may use lead in their clay.

i called the company and got the same answer.

so it looks like back to the drawing board.(unless someone can find a clay pot that is 100% sure no lead is in the clay.)

anyways
could i just stick my weber water pan inside my brinkman and get the same type of affect?like this?

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b38/djodeed/bbq01/IMG_0115.jpg

this would be basically the "piedmont" method would it not?(without actually bolting it together.i think if i just foiled them together they would stay put)

help?

Note from Moderator: Changed inline photo to link due to filesize. See "Posting Photos" link on BB homepage for guidelines. Thanks!
 
Get a lead test kit. They should be easy to find now because of the lead chinese toy scare of 2007.

If it tests negative for lead then use it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Branon S.:
Get a lead test kit. They should be easy to find now because of the lead chinese toy scare of 2007.

If it tests negative for lead then use it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


good idea,will do for sure.
 
What do people think of this idea? Will it work as well as using 2 water pans or 2 Brinkman charcoal pans?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">anyways
could i just stick my weber water pan inside my brinkman and get the same type of affect?like this?

this would be basically the "piedmont" method would it not?(without actually bolting it together.i think if i just foiled them together they would stay put)

help? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
 
I had the same concern as you when i looked for a clay pot. All of the flower pot bases I found had a glaze on top. This is probably good for waterproofing, but I did not like the idea of sticking it in my WSM.

Luckily I found 12" clay "deep dish" pizza stone in our kitchen. My wife ordered it years ago from 'The Pampered Chef', and rarely uses it.

I suggest that you go to any store with a good selection of cookware. Take your "leaded" pot and you should find something that is close enough in size and mass.
 
For the sake of conversation...are you "...really baking food products in your planter"

I have an unglazed clay pot that I wrap in aluminum foil and then place onto/into a Brinkmann pan. Are you saying that lead can leach into/onto your food from a wrapped clay pot 12-14 inches below your food, that never comes into contact with your food?

I'm throwing out all my pencils.
icon_smile.gif
 
That's a good point Bruce. Will the lead leach out from just the heat? I would like to know the answer before I use my base.

Also, where do you get a lead test kit?
 
I have no idea whether or not the lead would leach out or vaporize and get into the smoke.

My claypot base is lead free. I got a lead test kit at Ace hardware, it was $8.99
 
While I am really not trying to make light of the concerns about lead in toys, or other articles recently imported from China, I find that many concerns such as these tend to have a life of their own. What I mean is that some times we now look for lead in everything and are worried that its everywhere and it's going to jump at us and attack us.

Yet we use pencils, our kids use them in school, they probably touch the lead in the pencil. There is no evidence that by simply being in a room that has lead paint on the walls that it will leach into our system, now if we consume that paint...well OK.

I just think that at times our society "looks" for things to worry about. Now we've created a whole new industry...lead testing kits.(that we probably import from China)

How about all that smoke thats landing on your food...no problem there.
 
i think my main concern would be along the same lines as "dont use galvanized or zinc coated metal in your cookers"
nobody is really sure when the zinc will vaporize and turn into fumes by why take a chance?
i guess i feel the same way about the lead.because lead fumes are toxic,and i bet right above my lump charcoal (where the pot would sit)it gets pretty damn hot.so again,instead of guessing or taking chances,i think ill go out and get a lead test kit.

now on my other note.would the two pans stuck together in the picture work?anyone?
 
The "lead" in pencils is made of graphite. Zinc vaporizes at 1663°F, and the vapor is toxic.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jacob samarin:

anyways
could i just stick my weber water pan inside my brinkman and get the same type of affect?like this?


this would be basically the "piedmont" method would it not?(without actually bolting it together.i think if i just foiled them together they would stay put)

help? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes. My setup uses the WSM pan on top of a Brinkmann pan, and while I did install four small bolts to support the WSM pan, I think it would work without them. I attached the pans in such a way as to create a gap between the rims at the top; my theory was that this would allow air to flow between the two pans, keeping the top pan as (relatively) cool as possible so the grease dripping down into it would be less likely to burn. But it may work just as well without the gap. Try it and see.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Larry D.:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by jacob samarin:

anyways
could i just stick my weber water pan inside my brinkman and get the same type of affect?like this?


this would be basically the "piedmont" method would it not?(without actually bolting it together.i think if i just foiled them together they would stay put)

help? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes. My setup uses the WSM pan on top of a Brinkmann pan, and while I did install four small bolts to support the WSM pan, I think it would work without them. I attached the pans in such a way as to create a gap between the rims at the top; my theory was that this would allow air to flow between the two pans, keeping the top pan as (relatively) cool as possible so the grease dripping down into it would be less likely to burn. But it may work just as well without the gap. Try it and see. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


cool thanks larry,now do you put any foil balls in between the two pans,or just leave it empty?
 
Bob,

Where did you pruchase your clay pot and who makes it, since you tested it for lead and your test was not positive? Did you buy the Italian pot from Home Depot?
 
To avoid the whole lead issue, I use just a regular pizza stone wrapped in foil. No messing with clamping pans, sand and all the other heat sinks mentioned in other threads. I subscribe to the KISS method.....

my two cents.....
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Mike Batsarisakis:
Bob,

Where did you pruchase your clay pot and who makes it, since you tested it for lead and your test was not positive? Did you buy the Italian pot from Home Depot? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


I bought the base from Home depot. I didn't test it when I bought it though. I tested it after this thread started. To be honest I had not even thought about there being lead in the pottery.
 
Bob,

Since your Italian clay pot base you purchased from Home Depot did not have lead, I'm guessing that mine should'nt either given that they are likely from the same manufacturer. Thanks, Mike
 
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