New to Casting

[Danner]

Hi all, I'm new to casting and have a couple questions.
1. When fluxing and after fluxing should you skim the skum off the top?
I casted some boolits this evening and the dirtier I let the pot get, the lead keeps sticking to the sprue plate. When I skim it off it doesn't stick.
2. I have very little lead and about 60lbs of WW and about the same of lynotype is there a good mix for lynotype and WW? And do I need to add anything else to it?
This is a great site I'm looking forward to learning more

[Echo]

I would mix lead/lino at 2:1. That will give you sufficient tin to give good mold fill, and sufficient antimony for any level of hardness you choose, given water dropping or oven-tempering.

Or. Mix WW/lino 2:1, and get nearly the same...

[Danner]

I was reading somewhere that if I skim off the stuff thats floating that I was removing the tin and the boolits would lead my barrel. Also, thanks echo for the recipies

[chrisx1]

Negative on the skimming causing barrel to lead. As long as you have the boolit sized correctly to the bore diameter, you will never get leading. Slug the bore to find out what the bore diameter really is.

Keep the pot as clean as you can. What are you using for flux?

[chrisx1]

By the way....welcome to the board. Best forum on the web as far as I am concerned

[Slow Elk 45/70]

Hullo Danner, and welcome. 1st- go the GoatLips sticky and read his post. That will answer a lot of your questions. Also go to the bottom of the page and check out Lar45's LsStuff.

The whole idea of fluxing and string is to keep the tin/antimony/ etc. mixed with the lead.
when you do this the first time on the melt, after removing any clips/zinc/ other garbage, flux and stir, if you still have dross on the pot, you might push it to the side, then when you flux again, about 1/2 way through the pot, stir in up real good again, if you still have scum, remove it.

The best thing you can do is go through the stickies and the threads, there is a ton of information there. If you don't find what you want or need keep asking , lots of people here to help you.

[JIMinPHX]

Fluxing puts the tin back into the mix. If you skim right after fluxing, you are just removing the crud. After time, some of the tin will oxidize again & float to the surface. Flux again before skimming again.

[Russel Nash]

Just curious... what are you guys using for flux?

[45nut]

Anything carbon based will do for flux,, candles,crayons,, oil,, California Flake Flux.. whatever I have. I stir with a wood paint stick and grab the crud with a spoon to remove it from the pot.
Welcome Danner,, have fun and I will second the advice for the classics and stickies area, not much we haven't covered.

[Danner]

I'm using boolit lube and candle wax.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Welcome to the sickness. Bullet lube can be expensive stuff to use as a flux. There are a goodly number of other things that can be successfully used to flux the melt. I just use a small chunk of candle wax and follow it with a match to light the smoke that follows and help burn it off. I stir the melt and scrape the sides of the pot while it is burning and what floats to the surface and accumulates on top is usually oxides and miscellaneous cruds. When skimmed off, the metal should be kind of mirror like and stay that way at least for a short while. I also flux when the metal starts to pour "stringy" or sticky. The fluxing clears that up. Regardless of how well things amy be going casting-wise there is nevertheless a certain amount of crud that is continually building up on the bottom of the pot and eventually it will get into the valve if its a bottom pour. Suggest that you clean the bottom of the pot periodically and scrape the sides at the same time. Whatever your alloy is it should not stick to the blocks anywhere or the sprue cutter either, nor in the cavities as bullets. All are symptoms of something not being right. I strongly second the suggestions to read further on this forum...referencing the stickies and the articles written by other members who have amassed valuable knowledge and experience with many aspects of bullet casting. Readings will answer many, if not all, of your questions and save you a lot of time (and possible frustration) with making good progress. Again, welcome and enjoy it all. LLS

[Danner]

I appreciate everybody's comments I read goatlips sticky and that answered alot of questions I'm sure I'll have more Thanks:drinks: