smelting the afterflux

[ddeaton]

Is it worth resmelting the crud that is skimmed off after fluxing? I notice a good bit of lead in the mess. And if we want to melt lubed and sized boolits that are not up to par, do we smelt them, or just throw them in the pot while casting?

[Chunky Monkey]

Is it worth resmelting the crud that is skimmed off after fluxing? I notice a good bit of lead in the mess. And if we want to melt lubed and sized boolits that are not up to par, do we smelt them, or just throw them in the pot while casting?

I smelt the crud I skim off if it appears there is lead in it. Boolits go back in the casting pot.

[redgum]

I usually wait til I have accumulated a coffee tin full of skimmings.
I empty it into a bucket, then run water over it while swirling to flush away most of the lighter stuff like ash & dirt etc. (sorta like a gold panner does) what's left goes back into the smelter and usually yeilds another 2-3 pounds of lead.
I've always wondered what the make-up is though. Wether it's mainly tin, antimony or what
Perhaps somebody has more idea?

[Rick N Bama]

I usually wait til I have accumulated a coffee tin full of skimmings.
I empty it into a bucket, then run water over it while swirling to flush away most of the lighter stuff like ash & dirt etc. (sorta like a gold panner does) what's left goes back into the smelter and usually yeilds another 2-3 pounds of lead.
I've always wondered what the make-up is though. Wether it's mainly tin, antimony or what
Perhaps somebody has more idea?

I smelted down a coffee can full of skimmings last summer getting about 3 pounds of usable lead. To me it seemed to be rich in tin, so I just used it as a sweetner for my WWs.

Rick

[runfiverun]

i always save the skimmings and re-run them.
some foundries will buy the skimmings from you and reclaim the alloy in them.
if you put them in a pot and hold the temp down, it seems to yield the best resuls.

[GSM]

The skimmings can be a little like "plus metal" in linotype, especially if you dip heavily to get the crud out during fluxing.

Waste not, want not.

[montana_charlie]

Assuming you are talking about the 'crud' you skim off of clean casting alloy - not scrap smelting residue...
If you use the wooden stick method of fluxing, you never take metal out of the pot...only fine dust.
CM

[leftiye]

Yup, and you can leave the fine dust there to keep oxygen from getting in contact with your metal - if you use a bottom pour.

[JSnover]

ddeaton, what are you working with? Scrap, wheelweights....? Before you toss that dross or casually dump it into the next melt, go to www.castpics.net
Hit the "Articles by Members" link and read "Fluxes for Casting Alloys." You'd surprised by what you might be removing.....

[hydraulic]

I use the "stick" method of fluxing, too. I cover the melted lead with a handful of kitty litter and stir through the litter with a cedar stick till it is smoking good. After I'm done casting I let the pot cool and then dump whatever doesn't stick. My drip o matic doesn't drip like it used to when I used commercial fluxes.

[leftiye]

Marvelux has a goodly percentage of borax in it. When Borax cools to room temp it resembles glass, and sticks to your pot like porcelain does on pots. I've got a 30 year old can of marvelux that is still almost full.

[mold maker]

I'm tired of saving 3-1# containers of marvelux, a 15 # tub of borax, and a tub of stearic acid.
Other than trash it is there a reasonable use for any of it?????
Does anyone have a cheap source for carnuba wax??

[mto7464]

I think borax can be used as ant poison.

[hydraulic]

I thought Borax was that guy from Kazakhstan.

[cohutt]

I think borax can be used as ant poison.

The cockroach powders like Roach-Proof are basically weak boric acid.

[Newtire]

Does anyone have a cheap source for carnuba wax??

Try this link. I've been putting this into my "Felix Lube" mix from a can I got at the recycle shed at our local dump.

http://www.trewaxdirect.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?item=887101016

[Lead melter]

mold maker,

Johnsons Paste Wax. Not available everywhere, but can be found at most honest-to-God hardware stores.

[leftiye]

Borax is a primo annealing, and heat treating bath. Cover yer item with powdered borax (enough to still cover it when the Borax melts, heat to 1350 degrees F, and Viola (v -oil - ah). For heat treating it must be above its melting point, heat to desired temp, and dip part to heat to desired temp, quench. To reuse, you have to grind it up some. It makes a lump of what appears to be glass when melted and then cooled.

[odoh]

mold maker,

Johnsons Paste Wax. Not available everywhere, but can be found at most honest-to-God hardware stores.

Found it at Home Depot also ~

[Recluse]

I smelt the "after flux" and pour it into the little 1/2 pound ingot moulds that are on the Lee ingot mould. Like someone up above, I use the half-pound bars as "sweetner."

[Beaverhunter2]

Found it at Home Depot also ~

And Lowes!

John