beeswax

[popper]

Never used it before, sure looks different from candle wax. Got mine @ Hobby Lobby - a little pricey but I'll support them. Ok, stirred and scraped all the crud out so a nice shiny surface but do you scrape the beeswax off before cooling or just let it stay on top? Seems like it might prevent oxidation between casting sessions but does it cause a problem? It's a BP pot so leave it there while casting? I dump sprue in a batch and scrape the top before casting again. It's a dark brown coating this morning - seems to get darker with time.

[Beagle333]

I leave it in there during sessions, and then usually put the sprues back at the end of the session and add a little more beeswax, stir and let cool until next time. I'm one of the "leave the pot full" guys. :)

[Half Dog]

I tried it once. Everything that oxidizes seems to come to the surface and then gets skimmed out.

[Scharfschuetze]

Leaving it on it on is fine. It will seal the melt from O2 and thus prevent any oxidation at the surface. As it's getting expensive, this will allow you to use it several times as flux too.

[bedbugbilly]

I have used beeswax for over 50 years to flux my casting metal - I'm using a pot/propane hot plate/bottom pour label. I just take a small piece of it - toss it in - let it melt on top and then stir the pot with my preheated/hot bottom pour label. Then skim the slag off of the top and start casting. Sometimes when it melts on the top of the molten lead, it will flame up - I still just stir it in, skim and pour boolits. I'm sure everyone does it differently and probably makes a difference if you are ladle pouring or bottom pot pouring.

[runfiverun]

I want my wax on fire.
the fire creates the oxygen free barrier needed to return the oxides back into the alloy.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Popper, Are you Ladle casting?
I don't recall if you've mentioned ladle casting it the past?
anyway, I don't use a ladle, so I can't help with that.

For bottom pour casting, I leave a layer of dross (up to 1/2" thick) on the top of the melt. It insulates the molten alloy and helps keep the temperature more consistent. It also keeps more dross from forming. I don't really flux in the bottom pour pot. I scrape the sides and bottom and sprinkle a small bit of saw dust on the surface of the dross, then start casting. I generally empty the pot between casting sessions.