Me too... been fluxing for 50+ years, not about to change what works for me.
Don't Flux your Lead.
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AZbpBurner said:
Ye still need to pay attention to yer elders. :rotf:
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with all respect, I cannot concur.
once, long ago and far away, I tried casting without the customary pea sized drop of bees wax. maybe I was in a hurry, or perhaps I was just curious, but it was a long time ago and I really don't remember.
the end of the story goes something like " ... and then the angry fellow put everything back into the hot lead pot and said many wicked things, and the neighbors gathered around to watch the spectacle." and to this very day, little children are admonished: "Here, kid, here's some bees wax, now quit swearing like that old fellow..."
no, seriously ... tried your thing and it really didn't work. you can do it that way if it makes you, happy, though ... none of my business unless you point it at me...
make good smoke!
once, long ago and far away, I tried casting without the customary pea sized drop of bees wax. maybe I was in a hurry, or perhaps I was just curious, but it was a long time ago and I really don't remember.
the end of the story goes something like " ... and then the angry fellow put everything back into the hot lead pot and said many wicked things, and the neighbors gathered around to watch the spectacle." and to this very day, little children are admonished: "Here, kid, here's some bees wax, now quit swearing like that old fellow..."
no, seriously ... tried your thing and it really didn't work. you can do it that way if it makes you, happy, though ... none of my business unless you point it at me...
make good smoke!
Billnpatti
Cannon
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To flux or not to flux, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the minds of men to cast into the pot a dab of flux or simply to cast the ball and be done with it. To cast, to flux no more, and by flux, to say we end the heart ache and thousand natural shocks that oxidized lead is heir to, 'tis a consummation devoutly to be desired.
With my sincere apologies to Shakespeare. :haha:
With my sincere apologies to Shakespeare. :haha:
:haha: :thumbsup: :surrender:
I have some very clean lead I acquired from a member of the forum. I have found no real need for fluxing, just the occasional skim.
But I am sure if my lead was not as good as it is I would probably have to flux.
But I am sure if my lead was not as good as it is I would probably have to flux.
:rotf: :rotf: :bow: :hatsoff: !!
hanshi
Cannon
I'm an elder sage :yakyak: and I know for a fact that fluxing lead is a waste of time and will prevent you from going to Heaven. Nuf said. :blah:
I guess I'm a Fluxer.
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Ever seen lead boil? that will scare ya.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Pretty sure that the ingredients of WW lack the principle of the actual fusion of the atoms making up the mixture. That's per an explanation from Veral Smith of LBT.
I'm pretty sure that there quite a few things that may keep me out of heaven. Fluxing will be way down the list. :grin: :surrender:hanshi said:
Heaven for the climate, hell for the company.
Your lead furnace is WAY too hot if you are achieving nuclear fusion. That, and you probably won't have normal children. ;-)
Your lead furnace is WAY too hot if you are achieving nuclear fusion. That, and you probably won't have normal children. ;-)
I know it sure would scare me! :shocked2:colorado clyde said:
The boiling point of pure lead is 3,182°F (1,750°C)!
Carbon steel melts around 2,597 °F to 2,805 °F (1425°C to 1540°C) so the carbon steel melting pot would be liquid before the lead boiled. :shocked2:
Boy! That would sure get my attention!
robinghewitt
62 Cal.
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Stumpkiller said:
Made me laugh :rotf:
I give my pot a scrape particularly around the spout at the bottom. The slag seems to cling to the sides and floats to the top when you disturb it. If you don't loosen it around spout it can block.
Flux is a surface thing not an alloy thing, it can't reach under the surface no matter how much you stir.
Gotta agree with you Squire about the flux being a surface thing.
A piece of steel will float on top of melted lead like a rubber ducky in a pan of water.
I wonder why anyone would believe their fluxing material, which is far lighter than steel would get under the surface far enough to do anything?
A piece of steel will float on top of melted lead like a rubber ducky in a pan of water.
I wonder why anyone would believe their fluxing material, which is far lighter than steel would get under the surface far enough to do anything?
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Fellas, the recycled chemical plant lead pipe I've been melting down for dead soft round ball and muzzleloading bullets has metallic elements in it that float to the surface. I skim it off and use the mystery metal elsewhere, including making hard ball.
Said that to say this:
1. Fluxing your lead just puts stuff where you don't want it. If it's for a muzzleloader that needs an adjunct to the lead then yeah, you need to flux.
2. What's melted into lead can and does separate out, to varying degrees at various temperatures, making fluxing a necessity for some applications. And because lighter stuff floats to the top, you have the opportunity to lessen the concentration of hardening adjuncts if you choose to do so.
Said that to say this:
1. Fluxing your lead just puts stuff where you don't want it. If it's for a muzzleloader that needs an adjunct to the lead then yeah, you need to flux.
2. What's melted into lead can and does separate out, to varying degrees at various temperatures, making fluxing a necessity for some applications. And because lighter stuff floats to the top, you have the opportunity to lessen the concentration of hardening adjuncts if you choose to do so.
The Bard must be rolling over in his grave! :haha:
If you're using pure lead (and I mean stuff that is already clean) then it can be argued that fluxing isn't really necessary - the bit of oxidation on the top isn't worth worrying about, just skim it off.
Using alloyed lead - wheelweights/range scrap - is a completely different proposition. Fluxing, with wax, will be required to keep the alloy homogenous. If you keep heating (cooking?) such a mix the tin will keep slowly separating out and the wax is needed to "dissolve" it back into the mix. This, by the way, is one way of reducing the tin content, by continuously cooking it, stirring a lot and scooping of the resultant gray "porridge" that forms, but the antimony will not be affected by anything you do and will still be there.
As for zinc, if you have a mix that is contaminated with zinc it can be reduced somewhat by fluxing heavily with copper sulphate (from the garden store) or straight sulphur, but the latter is apparently a pretty obnoxious process :barf: . You won't get it all out, but it will reduce it.
If you're using pure lead (and I mean stuff that is already clean) then it can be argued that fluxing isn't really necessary - the bit of oxidation on the top isn't worth worrying about, just skim it off.
Using alloyed lead - wheelweights/range scrap - is a completely different proposition. Fluxing, with wax, will be required to keep the alloy homogenous. If you keep heating (cooking?) such a mix the tin will keep slowly separating out and the wax is needed to "dissolve" it back into the mix. This, by the way, is one way of reducing the tin content, by continuously cooking it, stirring a lot and scooping of the resultant gray "porridge" that forms, but the antimony will not be affected by anything you do and will still be there.
As for zinc, if you have a mix that is contaminated with zinc it can be reduced somewhat by fluxing heavily with copper sulphate (from the garden store) or straight sulphur, but the latter is apparently a pretty obnoxious process :barf: . You won't get it all out, but it will reduce it.
longcruise
70 Cal.
Hmmm! And you are saying this happens without any sort of nuclear fusion? I simply contend that in the case of a true alloy this separation won't happen. Therefore, wheel weight is not a true alloy.
Amen, Bro Robin. That is why I quit using 'stuff' to flux. 'stuff' just stays on top and makes a mess and sometimes stinky smoke. I simply stir well and skim crud that comes to the surface.
Works for me.
