For those who flux with a stick...

[jonk]

What am I missing here? When I've tried this even if I ease the stick in, the melt starts to bubble and pop from the residual moisture in the wood. I'm scared to go further than an inch or two. I've used both a pine untreated paint stirring stick and an oak dowel with no finish on it. Same result. What gives?

[Ole]

I think the bubbling sensation that you are feeling is the lead burning the wood.

I use a pine dowel and haven't ever had a problem.

[arcticbreeze]

I flux with a stick. I have used pine and oak. I leave the stick laying on the rim of the pot while is is melting and it usually evaporates all the moisture before its time to stir the pot. If it does bubble if i ease it in a little at a time so the bubbling is only at the surface it usualy stops pretty quick. I use what ever scrap i have laying around because when i am done the wood looks like charcoal. Hope this helps.

Marc

[Heavy]

Just go slow and push the stick in as it starts calming down. Before long it will stop the sizzlies. If you do not use the stick again for a few days it wil draw mositure then repeat the process.:mrgreen:

[dubber123]

Use a long enough stick... Seriously. Try to get the dryest wood possible, and slowly deepen your stir in the pot. I have never gotten any more than the sizzle and minor sputter your mention, if it's an explosion you are worried about.

I was talking a friend who just got his first lead pot through the stick fluxing routine, and before I cound say anything, he had snapped his stick into convenient 6" lengths. He found out why I suggested longer sticks pretty quickly!

[Recluse]

It's part of the mysticism and black magic. . . you know, standing over and stirring a boiling caulderon.

Sort of like when we get to cooking our own boolit lube concoctions.

:coffee:

[Randall]

Just ease the stick in slowly and watch for any sudden increase in activity,I have a pecan tree I use for scrap just because it smells good.

[waksupi]

Yes, that burbling is a bit disconcerting. As was said, just go slow.

Back on one of the previous boards, there were those who were using a small piece of potato on a wire plunged into the alloy to flux it. I never tried it, as it sounded like things could get too exciting with that much moisture in the pot.

[blackthorn]

I have used a small piece of potato that I pushed under the surface with a looong piece of rebar. It burbled a bit and seemed to work OK but I have since found the DRY stick method more than adequate.

[montana_charlie]

I'm scared to go further than an inch or two.
There are lots of activities that can be scary. If nobody ever tried to control the fear and press on, we would still be sitting in caves wondering if fire could be of any use.

Knowing how many of us use the stick method should inspire enough faith in you to press on...no?
CM

[wmitty]

Try crumbling a handful of dried leaves into the melt and stirring it in. Works very fast and it's cheaper than sticks. Red oak leaves work great.

[357maximum]

Try crumbling a handful of dried leaves into the melt and stirring it in. Works very fast and it's cheaper than sticks. Red oak leaves work great.

:kidding:WHAT??

I spent my whole life thinking they both came from the same free source..edumicate me please:kidding:

I shoot alot of cedar arrows and I use the ones that do not make the grade when sorting raw bulk shafts...works good and smells good...and it was something of basically no use.

[superior]

I found a brick of compressed very fine sawdust last time I was up in the hills shooting. It had the word BEAR impressed into it. I pinch off a chunk and it crumples up easily into the melt. Seems to flux as well as my stick if not better. The tiny particle light up nicely and bring a smooth satin finish to the melt.

[waksupi]

wmitty is right. If it is carbon base, it will work.

[jsizemore]

I have a pile of heart pine and cypress sawdust that I tried to flux with but my problem was forcing the sawdust down into the melt. So I tried the stick and the rest is history. If you have too much moisture in your stick try drying it near a vent in the house before you use it. NOT on top of the vent but beside it so a little of the air from the vent blows over it. I always wear a welders glove when I stir the pot with my stick.

[Beerd]

I'm sorry, but I just have to say it ......


Stand upwind if you stir with the dirty end of the stick! [smilie=1:
..

[oldtoolsniper]

I just melted 250 lbs of sewer pipe and the little logs in there fluxed it just fine. Reminded me of Iraq. Hope it dosen't make poopy bullets!

[Ole]

Has anyone here ever tried miniature bamboo sticks?

A buddy of mine gave me a bag of those many moons ago. I figured they should work ok, since they used to be part of a plant/have carbon.