Need help with my mix

[jimdvan]

I was given a bunch of ingots cast in a Lyman ingot mould but the metal is unknown. I've smelted it and cleaned it quite a bit.

When I put it into my clean Lee 10lb BP pot I slightly fluxed the metal again with a wooden stick then covered the metal with kitty litter.

I'm still getting dros in the bullets and I have to cast at about 850-880 degrees to get the bullets to form without voids and pits. But now I get definate mould lines and a teenie bit of whiskering. I also get bright metal clinging to the side of the pot as the level goes down. Could my mix be contaminated with zinc?

I'm about ready to toss all this metal and start from scratch with known lead and tin from a supplier.

The bullets I'm casting today are Lyman 311041 .30 173 grain.

[jimdvan]

I forgot to add, the bullets are dropping at about 177-178 grains.

[HeavyMetal]

Sounds like stick on WW metal. If your not seeing odd looking wrinkles and such I would think adding about 1% tin might help out here.

The temp is right for mostly lead alloy. The more pure you have, sometimes, the higher your heat needs to be.

If the boolits are clearly filled out and no wrinkles don't sweat the pot temp! In casting it's about what works for each mold / alloy not about it working at some "magic" temp!

Weight is right on for stick on WW as well. as for the metal on the side of the pot? Flux more with that wooden stick!

[jimdvan]

Thanks. I experimented a little more and found I get the best bullets at about 900-910 degrees. There is the occasional inclusion but I can still see the dros mainly forward of the grease grooves.

[jimdvan]

What looked like dros to the naked eye looks more like crytalizing under magnification. Should I add a little tin and cast at a lower temp?

[oneokie]

What looked like dros to the naked eye looks more like crytalizing under magnification. Should I add a little tin and cast at a lower temp?

I also get bright metal clinging to the side of the pot as the level goes down.


A little tin would not hurt, and it will lower the temp required for good fillout and help with fillout.

As to the metal clinging to the sides of the pot, I have good luck using sawdust as a flux and air excluder. Crushed charcoal briquettes work well also. You need a layer thick enough to cover the surface of the melt.

[runfiverun]

tin is definately worth a shot, if you do have some zinc in the mix it will help you be able to cast with it.
i would also look at cutting what you have with a good known alloy.

[HeavyMetal]

I'd consider both suggestions:

First I'd add at leat 1% tin( and maybe 2%) to the alloy as you are currently using it.

Second I'd run it into ingots after I fluxed the snot out of it with sawdust and a good pine stick.

Third I'd then mix it with straight clip on ww alloy. In a 20 Lb pot I'd go 15 lb WW and 4 Lb Mystery metal.

I'd also consider a marking system to ID the Mystery metal for future blending.

[jimdvan]

Thanks, all. You've been very helpful. I fluxed the crap out of a lot of it and was worried I might be removing good metal. I used a pine stick and soft bullet lube to flux. Did it several times and the stuff seemed pretty dirty.

[WHITETAIL]

jimdvan, Welcome to the forum![smilie=w:

[Wayne Smith]

Zinc is easy to diagnose. Let your pot cool. Below about 750 degrees you will see what is generally called "popcorn" appearing on top of your mix. This is the zinc coming out. If you don't have this you don't have zinc.

As to inclusions or junk in the mix. Remember how dense lead is. It is not easy to move all that junk to the surface. I stir the pot well when I am fluxing and try to get the wax melting down in the mix. I still get stuff trapped in the lead.

[crowbeaner]

One thing I do when I'm getting dross in the boolits is take the Lee dipper (not good for much) and scrape the sides of the lead pot as best as I can to get all the crud sticking to the steel to float. I use pure beeswax and then the pine stick to stir. The Lee dipper makes a nice crud scoop though. You could also ladle pour and stir the metal before dipping out a ladle full to fill the mould cavities.