Melted Lead Dross

[Harold1950]

Seems like everywhere I read about casting lead balls or lead whatever, just lead casting, I read to save the dross after skimming the melted lead. Why? Is it so that once you get quite a lot of it you can remelt it and skim it again to salvage what little lead that was removed with the dross? I know another question, but I had to ask..I'm learning by doing and asking....thanks Harold

 

[Many Klatch]

I have never saved the dross. It is lead oxide and other things that you don't need around the house so wrap it up in newspaper and put it out with the garbage.

Many Klatch

 

[crockett]

Same thing- I never save it, you have no idea what it is.

 

[bob308]

i save it in cans then put it junk cars adds weight.

 

[Harold1950]

I don't have any junk cars so I think I'll toss it, it really is ugly stuff and I was careful skimming the molten lead and there is very little lead in the dross......thanks guys for your help.....Harold :hatsoff:

 

[buttonbuck]

I got overly frugal once making ingots out of probably 60 lb of casting I had maybe 10 lb of dross and it was full of really nasty stuff I should not be around without a resperator or at all So I melted it and got at best a pound Just not worth it.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I believe the reason behind saving it is because it is nasty stuff. Arsenic as well as the various oxides and bad a## acids released should it get wet. One book (can't remember which) recommended saving it in a paint can to take to the annual fireman's chemical disposal day for unwanted garden poisons and such.

 

[Deadeye]

If you have pure lead you can just throw the dross away but if you have a lead-tin-antimony alloy for hard bullets then you need to flux the mix because some of the tin antimony will be in the dross. after mixing throw what's left away.

 

[Emet Huntsman]

by definition -- dross is what you throw away as worthless. Learned that in parson school :grin:

 

[ohio ramrod]

the dross is worhless but still toxic. It should be treated as toxic waste, not thrown in garbage.