OK boys, have at me

[DaveCampbell]

A while back I mentioned that I would be doing a three-part series on boolit casting. Here's the first installment:

http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/how-to-cast-bullets-bullets-on-cheap/

Be aware that this is intended to be an overview or primer. As we all know, volumes have been written on this subject. I am required by the editors to keep to less than2,500 words.

I am sure there are plenty of criticisms to be made, and don't worry, I have a thick hide.

Enloy!

Dave

[454PB]

Well written, Dave. I question your instructions to remove other elements from lead alloy by "scrapping it off before fluxing" to produce pure lead.

Once zinc, tin, antimony, or copper is alloyed with lead, it can't be "floated" off.

[geargnasher]

There are a few technicalities, like 454 mentioned, and I would have clarified the skimming floating zinc wheel weights vs. zinc that's already melted, and that Marvellux will positively and permanently remove OXIDIZED tin from the melt so use beeswax first to revert the oxides to elements and then remove the trash metals with the Marvellux (or use sawdust instead of either), and you might want to spell "bhn" because the intended audience might not know, even in context, that it's a relative hardness scale, but we can all be critics, can't we? Good on you for putting it out there and getting published.

Now that we beat you up, want to submit installments #2 and #3 to the castboolits crew for editing? :kidding:

Gear

[DaveCampbell]

Gentlemen (454PB and Gearnasher),

Ah yup, I know you won't get pure Plumbum by scraping off the dross without fluxing. I believe that I said so. I mentioned the scraping technique for those who are really on the cheap.

And as far as Marvellux, yes, it has its limitations. In fact, I am using sawdust more often than not, now. But I had to mention a commercial alternative.

Sorry, no pre-editing by the CB crowd. An editor there has all three of them now, and he is "enjoying" the opportunity to "improve" my writing.

Thanks guys!

[mpmarty]

+1 on Marvelux being **** to avoid at all costs.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

from your article:

Short of buying pure lead from a foundry, the only way I know of garnering a supply is to melt alloy lead and scrape the alloying metals off without fluxing. Even then, there will be trace amounts of alloying metals,


Ah yup, I know you won't get pure Plumbum by scraping off the dross without fluxing. I believe that I said so. I mentioned the scraping technique for those who are really on the cheap.

With all due respect, I don't think it's possible to skim/scrape
enough non-lead alloys out of scrap lead alloy, that is too hard
for BP use, to make it soft enough for BP use.
Jon

[leftiye]

Plus 1. If you oxidize concentrated heck out of your alloy possibly by holding it at high heat for hours and skimming constantly, you will bring tin and antimony content down some, but you'll most likely never have pure lead.

Stick on wheel weights are close though.

[454PB]

I've posted before that I tried the process once. I left a batch of alloy in my Lee pot for 48 hours, scrapping and fluxing began after 16 hours and was repeated every 8 hours or so. I never got soft lead, only a lot of dross.

[gabe123]

Dave, read the article, very good information for novices. However, there are quite a few hyphenated words. Additionally, hyphens have been used where a comma is called for.

[pastor]

great write-up enjoyed it, im sure this forum will see some new members!

[LAH]

My hat is off to ya.

[dbarnhart]

An editor there has all three of them now, and he is "enjoying" the opportunity to "improve" my writing.

Ah yes. Don't you just enjoy that? Most editors don't think they's done their job until they've changed something. ;-)

[MtGun44]

There still seems to be the implication that "harder is better" lurking there. IMO this
old wives tale needs a large stake driven through it's heart.

Fit is THE most critical item, with design and lube following right on it's tail. Hardness is
well down on the list - fading into near irrelvance for most handgun cartridges - barring the
pocket rifles. Be willing to say it right out - hardness beyond about 12 to 14 that you get
from air cooled wheel wt alloy is just fine for any pistol purpose.

I am also skeptical/confused by the scraping off of alloying elements. Alloying elements
pretty much stay dissolved and don't much separate, from what I know.

Bill