new guy to smelting casting a few questions

[ahhbach]

just got started... a question to those that have done this before.
just made ingots using old lead telephone cables what is the bluish tinted crud oon top?

ahh

[Alchemist]

Welcome to the site....what you have is pure lead...it has that blue tint to it, especially when the pot temperature is a little high.

What boolits are you gonna cast? If for muzzleloaders, what you have is perfect. You'll want to harden your alloy for smokeless loads. Search the threads for hardening alloys.

You'll get a lot of help from the folks on this site. A great bunch here.

Alchemist

[GabbyM]

Do you mean the powdery stuff that floats on top of the melted lead?
If so that is impurities you can skim off with a spoon.
Did you flux the metal?

[ahhbach]

Thanks for the welcome. I really have no idea as to what the heck i am doing.

I have not been fluxing i figured i'd do that when I melt for casting. Should I be fluxing at ingot stage?
also I have old Splice sleeves which seem to be harder than the cable sheath. When I let my cast iron skillet cool what is left has that blue tint. Could this be arsenic and cadmium coming to the top?

Again thanks

ahh

[Down South]

I’m sure that someone that knows better than me will chine in. Fluxing (Well) should be done when making your ingots. This way you won’t wind up with as much crud in your casting pot. I’d flux again when you start to cast. I don’t know what you are going to cast for or what velocities you are shooting for but at least ½ mixture of WW and a little tin would go a long way. The pure lead that you have is good for muzzle loaders or lower velocities in handguns or rifles.

[runfiverun]

a shiny blue kindagold like color indicates pure lead, if you gota funky purpleish color
it usually indicates zinc it is usually followed by an oatmeal lumpy junk on top of the mix.
you want to turn your pot down to bout 650 after you get everything melted,and cleaned
[fluxed] this will allow zinc to float and help everything else come up.
i tyr to clean my ww's sheet lead etc before i put it into the pot, and once it's melted
and at least once again when ready to cast, and as needed when casting.

your sleeve pieces probably have tin mixed in them that is why they are harder.
if the pure is all you can get then a mix of 20 lead to 1 tin will do most of your pistol
and a lot of your pistol caliber carbine shooting.
you can go 16/1 if you need to go harder.
or mix ww's50/50 with pure and water quench for magnum pistol or hunting boolits.
if you have tin in the mix you often will get a gold color to your mix depending on temp.

[Buckshot]

..............Those joints are EXTREMELY high in tin, or well over 50% anyway. Very valuable to have. Cut them out and melt them by themselves.

Pure lead will get that lizard belly (pretty colors) action going while smelting. Definately flux it back into the melt. Besides ML'ers, your good soft lead makes excellent target wadcutters.

..............Buckshot

[dromia]

Welcome to the forums Ahhbach. :drinks: