lead flux

[fleener]

I will stir the lead with a spoon fairly hard and fast. I get quite a bit of stuff float to the top after I do this. This is even with Doe Run lead ingots.

Fleener

 

[30coupe]

I always used rosin when I was casting CF bullets. I don't see why it wouldn't work for round balls. As others have said, clean, pure lead doesn't need it, but alloys do. On the other hand, if you are trying for softer lead, skimming the alloys off without fluxing should work after a fashion. I may have to give that a try since my previous casting involved keeping the alloys (tin and antimony mostly) well mixed with the lead.

 

[crockett]

M.D.'s point is what I thought, that the only time you needed to flux was with an alloy- something not involving black powder shooters.
Balls/bullets can come out wrinkled or frosted- those are signs the mold is too cold or hot, otherwise I think you just cast. When I get wrinkles or frosts I just re-melt them. Whether the exact temperature of the mold influences the final size of a bullet or ball- I have not heard of that but await any reply from anyone who may know.

 

[mooman76]

heat does affect the size slightly. .001/2 probably at most. The mould expands as it gets hotter. I was trying to get some minies to fit my bore. Coming out too big and wouldn't go in much easier than maxis. I checked and the earlier ones I cast would come out slightly smaller and be closer to what I wanted but as I cast and the mould got hotter, they would come out bigger. Not as critical with RBs but still part of the consistency thing.

 

[fleener]

a cool mold will get you lighter balls.

fleener

 

[fleener]

I have as about of pure lead you can get from the doe run smelter in MO. It is not 100% clean.

Fleener

 

[M. De Land]

Actually two temperatures need to be managed for best casting result.
1. The melt heat is regulated by the thermostat and volume in the pot.
2. The mold temperature is regulated by cadence.
The best ,most uniform balls, will be shiny with no wrinkles appearing.
Lead balls are the easiest of casts to make but still need either a smoking or "use coating" (seasoning) build up to fill out and release correctly.
Shiny lead balls with wrinkles can be produced if the mold is not seasoned or smoked correctly and all else is order and would normally produce keepers.
Smoke enough to do the job does not even have to be apparent. All it takes is pass of a burning wood match under each cavity half to give enough of a coat that will last for thousands of casts.
Actually I always prefer just a hint of frost on my castings with no wrinkles, then I know I have enough heat and am right on the edge of maximum speed of casting cadence. Mike D.

 

[fleener]

after years of casting grease groove conicals, I pulled my RB mold out and thought I would give it a go after 25 years. Could not believe how much easier it was. I think I actually enjoyed casting RB's.

Fleener

 

[Dphar]

Is it ok to burn a candle and let the wax drip into the molten lead to flux it ?

I use Marvelux and/or beeswax.

Just drop a chunk of wax in if thats what you are using dripping in is not nescessary. Stir it in with the ladle. You have to stir it in well to make sure it contacts all the metal. Marvelux requires no burning off of the smoke. However, I use an old table spoon to stir it in. I never get any marvelux on the ladle or on a mould.

Those that cast bullets should buy Lyman's "Cast Bullet Handbook" its got detailed info on preparing the metal and casting.
Dan

 

[Dphar]

Stupid question. How important is fluxing lead considered? I have been casting for a few years. I heat it up. Skim off the slag at the top and get to casting. I havent noticed an issue. Am i missing something?

Its vital. But I use a lot of scrap lead and such. I also like clean bullets.
Not all the stuff you want to remove is on the surface. Its often suspended in the melt.

Dan

 

[Rifleman1776]

For many years I used a commercial black, granular product to flux. Then I used beeswax for a while. Then I questioned why I was putting gunk in the lead at all. Whatever one puts in floats and, IMHO, cannot affect the lead deeper in the pot. So, for about the past three decades I have used nothing. But, I do use a large spoon and stir the pot several times during a casting session and skim the gunk off the top that rises when I do that. Lead looks good, balls look good.

 

[cynthialee]

I have only been doing this for a short time. I have been doing pretty much just as Rifleman does and they come out nice. I also figure that as the flux is floating it can't be effecting the lead in the deeper parts of the pot.

 

[plinking_mad]

I've been using "pure" plumbers lead that I bought in 2lb. ladle shaped ingots. Supplier melts lead pipe & skims the crud off the top, but I find a little still floats up in the Lee pot.

I've been dripping wax in and it flares up for a few seconds, then I skim it before casting and occasionally as I see more float to the top.

After the mold heats up (about 6 rounds) the maxis start coming out bright "chrome" like and no wrinkles. Some seem a little tight to load though. My dipper seems to get a little rusty in storage, even though I spray it with WD-40 and degrease it before use. Normal ?

 

[M. De Land]

I've used Marvelux, bees wax, paraffin, bullet lube, paint sticks, various types of saw dust and what have you. They all work and I don't see improvement of one over the other so I went back to walnut saw dust because it smells good when burning, is free and works as good as anything else thus tried.
It doesn't smoke much if you light the fumes coming off. Mike D.

 

[mooman76]

I'd say it's probably normal. I don't have the problem here but low humidity. I do get small amounts of rust but not enough to worry about it. I wouldn't bother degreasing it. Just stick it in the pot and the lead will burn it off. It Might coat the ladle with something to help prevent rust. WD40 is actually considered a dry lube. It comes out wet but doesn't take long to dry.