I might attempt ingots again, maybe....

[blueline541]

...which should be easier to do since I finally acquired a propane turkey fryer.

Fluxing: I have the Harbor Freight DO and sawdust. After the lead melts I put in maybe a big tablespoon of sawdust and stir it around until stuff rises? Then skim off the stuff on the top? Is that pretty much it? And should I repeat this step again or is once enough?

[yammerschooner]

You've got the right idea. Do it until you aren't getting a lot of crud. I normally judge by how hard it is to keep the non shiny stuff out of the ladle as I pour ingots.

You should hijack all of your wife's old candles and such. If she isn't craftsy, I am sure you both have some friends who are.

Once upon a time I hit up Rockin C's wife for her old candles and came out with more than I will be able to use in a few years, and I melt a lot of lead.

[cohutt]

i flux once sirring then again where i just let it sit without agitation for about 5 minutes

[Glooooock]

Watch the temp ( keep it low ) and over zealous spooning out slag /dross . Some of that is tin - antimony .

[blueline541]

So once I skim off all the crud and the top has a nice silver look then I'm ready to pour ingots?

And how much stirring should I do? Just till crud stops rising?

[Glooooock]

The lead will continue to oxidize ,you can skim all day . After the fluxing , get to pouring . You will re- flux in the lead pot while casting . I like the smaller ingots ,like cup cake trays ( it wont even burn off the teflon ) ,

If the alloy is hard the ingots ring when dropped .

[cohutt]

So once I skim off all the crud and the top has a nice silver look then I'm ready to pour ingots?

And how much stirring should I do? Just till crud stops rising?

you'll figure it out i promise. too windy today though

these pics are from the great bermining escapade of '07 but the ww will look pretty similar, just with clips floating and not jackets.

once it is all melted out the crud, ash and jackets/clips will float up like this:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bermining021.jpg

use a slotted spoon or the deep fryer sifter like i have the lift out the clips/jackets. if they feel reay heavy there may be lead stuck in them; i push them all under a few times, then once at temp any lead is molten and runs out if i bounce it over the pot a little.

Once the clips are sifted it will have a granular/ash cover on it like this- prolly less than this shows due to the fact this smelt had gravel in it.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bermining022.jpg

At this point i start stirring with an old broomhandle that is VERY DRY. it helps begin the flux process alowing some of the oxidized stuff in the floating crap let go and return to the mix.

next, i skim this dusty stuff off with a ladle or slotted spoon, drain it against the side and go easy or you'll pull more lead out than you need to- if the ash feels heavier than dust you have too much lead in it and need to adjust your technique.

you could do a rough skim and then do a flux now - stir your sawdust or wax or tumbling media (or anything that burns) in really good, scraping sides and bottom of the pot well. let it sit a minute, maybe skim the dust off again

Once skimmed it will begin to look purdy- something like this. I scrape the bottom and sides again really well then do one more flux and really only stir a little as i toss it in and then let it sit for 5 minutes of so.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bermining025.jpg

You don't need or really want flames, although sometimes it poofs up pretty good. fluxing looks like this as it is smoking off:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bermining029.jpg


Mmmm, lead, ready to pour:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/bermining030.jpg

[cohutt]

Nuther smelt:

Soft stuff not hot enough yet:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt011.jpg

better but still has way too much lead in the dross- the lumps.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt012.jpg

After stirring some with the stick and working the lead out of the dross:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt013.jpg


Better again ready for a rough skim and then a flux. (i used wax)

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt015.jpg

Fluxed, ready to pour. Note this is very soft lead and the closer to pure you have the bluer the surface looks, ie less silvery....

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt016.jpg

[cohutt]

pouring....

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt017.jpg


pourring.....

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt018.jpg


Lead on the half shell......


http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt019.jpg


Ingots.....

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/Smelt%20101/smelt021.jpg

[cohutt]

your WW ingots won't be as blue as those above.

would look more like this:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/smelt%20102/smelt015.jpg


or a slightly more matte silver version of these monotype ingots:

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/smelt%20102/smelt017.jpg


also, the surface won't look as blue either; much more like this surface- sliver silver shinin silver

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/smelt%20102/smelt014.jpg

[cohutt]

I be done now, hope it helps.


:cohutt:

[RustyFN]

This is what it will look like with the WW's and clips. Keep the smelt around 700 degrees or a little less and you can throw everything in the pot and scoop out the zinc with the clips.
http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8d739b3127ccec5715473cfb900000040O00DZOGblm4Yg9 vPhI/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

http://im1.shutterfly.com/media/47b8d739b3127ccec570860b6ed400000040O00DZOGblm4Yg9 vPhI/cC/f%3D0/ps%3D50/r%3D0/rx%3D550/ry%3D400/

[Crazy4nitro]

I will look again when Im at home and can see Cohutts pics but is it OK to have a Blue and or Purpleish color to the Surface?
I had that once at the End of a small Batch so I singled them out due to possible contamination.
I think I have pics somewhere.

'Nitro

[Crazy4nitro]

I just found this..Check it out.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=37137

'Nitro

[cohutt]

soft stuff or close to pure is blueish, with purple/copper rainbows sometimes

the second set of pics was pure shielding scrap iirc. you cans ee the saome hue in the ingots

contamination of the worst king looks like below. i had a big ingot once that i was sure was babbit but it was zinc by the best i could tell AFTER attempting to smelt. lot of work to clean up everything....


http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/funkyalloy9907005.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/funkyalloy9907009.jpg

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m284/cohutt/funkyalloy9907007.jpg

[Crazy4nitro]

I will check out the pics once I get home.
Only photos host here on Glockpost are displayed on my work computer.

'Nitro

[Crazy4nitro]

Wow...Beauty AND Horror in the same post...

'Nitro