How to flux a pot?

[brimorse]

I molded up some rounds last night with my old furnace and a spanky new Lyman dipper.

It seemed I had to stop every twenty or so bullets to de-crud the dipper and skim the same yuck out of the pot.

Is there a cheap DIY fix to flux the pot? I'd rather not spend the money on mail order flux...

Thanks!

Bri

[Greg Ogdan 110th OVI]

Try the Wax from a plumbers candle. You should be able to get one at Ace hdwe. Just cut off a small chunk, let it melt, stir and light.

Greg

[Lou Lou Lou]

This is a big topic over on Cast Boolits web site. The "best" flux for cleaning your smelt is sawdust (dry). Dump in a handful and work it in, them skim it off. Do the same on a smaller scale in your casting pot.
Think about drilling out the spout on your dipper. Big help in casting Minies

[John Bly]

You can flux the pot with a small chunk of beeswax about the size of the tip your little finger, adjust as necessary. Flux at the beginning of your casting session and whenever you add lead to the pot. Your dipper does not need to be clean to get good bullets. It is designed to pour the lead from the bottom of the melt in the dipper. Stir the pot slowly with the dipper and raise it in an area free of dross and the lead in the dipper should be clean enough to make good sound bullets. I generally make about 100 bullets with a 20 lb pot before I need to add lead, reflux and skim.

[Maillemaker]

I flux with a pea-sized piece of beeswax, but honestly, with the pure lead I use, I don't think there is much point to it. My only dross is from the lead that oxidizes on the top layer of the lead. I just let it form and leave it, since I'm using a bottom-pour pot.

Steve

[Michael Bodner]

BTW: You 'might' want to determine if the lead you're using might have zinc in it. That tends to float to the top at lower temperatures and cause you to skipm off 'cheese'...

[brimorse]

BTW: You 'might' want to determine if the lead you're using might have zinc in it. That tends to float to the top at lower temperatures and cause you to skipm off 'cheese'...

Gents, I appreciate your input! Great ideas all that I shall try.

My current supply of lead is from underground water service pipe that had been sitting on a shelf for a very long time. All indications to me show it is pure, but it could be alloyed.

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello:
Zinc was mentioned as a contaminant. Once melted into an alloy, fluxing will not remove it! Zinc ruins an entire melt.
Some wheel weights are zinc. Zinc melts at approximately 775 degrees, whereas lead melts at around 625 degrees. The best way to avoid problems if zinc is suspected is to melt in a gas burner pot to avoid having to dump a miss- melted batch from a heater element pot. Reheating empty heater element pots can shock the coils and shorten their life. Use a good lead thermometer that is protected from the burner. Bring the scrap to 625 or a bit higher and the unmelted zinc will float to the surface to be skimmed. When fluxing, occasionally scrape the inner surfaces of the pot to dislodge other undesired material. Remember, the smoke from fluxing contains vapors from whatever is in your pot! Some lead castings, especially LEAD SHOT, CONTAIN ARSENIC! Adequate ventilation is crucial.
Regards,
Kevin

[Ben Nevlezer]

You guys seem quite knowledgeable on troubleshooting odd lead issues so here's another.
my dad and I have used literally TONS of mixed scrap lead for years with great results. Always cleaned and fluxed in a huge pot and cast into ingots before casting bullets with our 20# Lee pot. My question is, what would cause a thick blue and green film to form on the top of the casting pot? Similar looking to an oil slick on a puddle. It is very thick and will clog the dipper. Fluxing with anything you can think of, sawdust, beeswax, and other bought flux has little or no effect. What could cause this and has anyone else had this problem???

[Fred Jr]

I think you will find that the blue, red or yellow color is just a tad of trace elements in pure lead. I have been using virgin lead for years and I have a saying, "If it ain't blue it ain't true!" Lead with tin will usually stay silver colored even after the bullets are cast. Pure bullets will start to darken if left out in the air.

Just my opinion as I have no data to back up this info just forty years of experience!

Fred
1097 V

[John Bly]

Fred is right! Pure lead will get a blue to purplish surface hue when melted. This is the oxidized lead. If it has tin it will stay silver to a much higher temperature.