rookie question-recasting old lead boolits

[cephas53]

Howdy, came across a load of old lead boolits, clean but very sticky from the lube. Can I just recast into something I want, thinking the old lube will be flux, or should I do something to prep them first? Thanks and have a good one!

[oneokie]

Throw them as is in the pot and make what you want.

[mooman76]

I wouldn't throw in too many at a time until you see what the effects of the lube will do when you add them to the melt, but by all means use them. That's the great thing about lead bullets, they can just be re melted if you don't like what you get. No waist.

[TexRebel]

you might want to melt them down in something other than your casting pot, and do it out doors some lubes smoke real good when you melt the boolits down

[waksupi]

Welcome aboard.
Yup, I'd melt them down outside. Pre-fluxed!

[waco]

i agree....waste not.......want not!:drinks:
waco

[Shiloh]

I wouldn't throw in too many at a time until you see what the effects of the lube will do when you add them to the melt, but by all means use them. That's the great thing about lead bullets, they can just be re melted if you don't like what you get. No waist.

I did this with some recycled damaged commercial boolits. I poured a can full into half a pot of lead. It immediately filled the garage with copious amounts of billowing stinky smoke. I ignited it with a barbeque spark lighter to stop it from smoking.

The oily waxy smell permeated my wife's car for about week.
Lesson learned. Add lubed bullets SLOWLY!!

Shiloh

[cephas53]

Thanks, melted them down this morning, coleman stove and old pot, in a detached garage with all doors open. Lots of smoke and I was able to ignite the bulk of it, but as suggested it's an outside job. Don't know what kind of lube was on them, but I doubt I'll ever forget the smell. Have a good one!

[opentop]

I had bought a bunch of reloading stuff from a local gun shop once that had some cast bullets in the lot. They seamed to be lubed with Alox. Well, one day I did some cleaning to my Lee Bottom dribble (was trying to fix the dribble) in the basement. After I got it clean, I decided to try it out on the work bench (in the basement). So I threw the box of lubed bullets in the pot and turned it on. After a while it started smoking real heavy. Then all of a sudden the smoke ignited with out my help, (I about crapped my pants). I let it run its course until it burned out and poured the melt into ingots. My better half came home and was fit to be tied, it took a few days to get the smell out of the house.

So I learnt my lesson to do that kind of stuff out in the garage. [smilie=1:

[mroliver77]

I am wondering. You guys that cast in the garage and or cellar, what do you use for flux? Every flux I have used has made lots of smoke and odor. I cast in the barn so it is not a problem. I do light smoke as soon as I can.
Jay

[Boerrancher]

I am wondering. You guys that cast in the garage and or cellar, what do you use for flux? Every flux I have used has made lots of smoke and odor. I cast in the barn so it is not a problem. I do light smoke as soon as I can.
Jay

I cast inside in the the workshop room. To prevent any smoke I use ashes from the fire place. I toss a small pinch of ash in and stir it up real good. When the dross comes to the top with the ash I start pressing the ash against the side of the pot while stirring. In short order I have a small pinch of ashes floating on the top of a nice silvery reflective pool of molten alloy. The best thing is there is narry a puff of smoke for the wife to complain about.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[jnovotny]

I was sizeing some boolits the other day and was in a good rythem, when the d@#$ container I was putting the sized boolits into fell off the table and onto the floor. A very dirty floor. They are now canidates for a new melt. But that's the great thing about makein boolits I get to have fun makein em all over again!