which flux is better

[fiatmom]

I have read that was is better than borax since it does not remove tin , and saw dust is even better since it will remove certain impurities. Is this true

[oneokie]

Borax draws moisture, which is not a good thing when it comes to molten lead.
Wax is ok (imo).
Sawdust is my flux of choice. Very good source of carbon which removes the oxygen from the oxides which float to the surface of the melt, thus reducing the metals back into the alloy.

[Ctkelly]

Far from an expert here and in fact just smelted my first pot....they were some pretty clean wheel weight ignots I got from a friend, after using Pats california flake flux I was surprised to see how much more crud rose to the top of the pot. At 22.00 a large box that will probably last a lifetime, I'd say you cant go wrong with it.

[timkelley]

Sawdust from your or your friends woodshop. I like Dougfir or pine (smells wonderful) and works.

[mold maker]

You wont belive how good pecan or peach saw dust works and smells. Cedar smells great also.
Pats saw dust is a great flux, just be sure not to open it in the wind. He packs it so tight in that box, it's like its spring loaded. Moms patio looked like it snowed in JULY.

[azcoyhunter]

I use a tea light.
Waite until the flames go out, and stir with a Juniper stick
Very nice smell, and I think it does a good job

[RayinNH]

Old candle stubbs, color crayons and used motor oil also work well...Ray

[snaggdit]

I will agree with the sawdust, but personally use charcoal from my woodstove. I pull logs that turn to charcoal overnight but fail to burn up. I crush them with a hatchet then use the small chunks as flux (stirred with a wood stick). They never flash, and slowly reduce to ash. I leave a layer on top of my casting pot as an insulator. For "smelting" I skim it off after stirring. It works for me.

[geargnasher]

I will agree with the sawdust, but personally use charcoal from my woodstove. I pull logs that turn to charcoal overnight but fail to burn up. I crush them with a hatchet then use the small chunks as flux (stirred with a wood stick). They never flash, and slowly reduce to ash. I leave a layer on top of my casting pot as an insulator. For "smelting" I skim it off after stirring. It works for me.

Awww, but you miss out on all the great smoke and stink if you do it that way!:kidding:

+1 on the pecan, Moldmaker, I have a good friend/neighbor who has a custom cabinet shop and I get all kinds of stuff. I've used aromatic cedar shavings too, killed every mosquito in my end of the county!

Gear

[hammerhead357]

Gear bring that over here to Medina county. After this rain we have mosquitos that will scare the heck out of a helicopter....Wes

[armyrat1970]

I use MARVELUX for pure fluxing when smelting. I don't worry about oxidation when smelting. To slow oxidation when casting I use CFF and even dried Oak leaves. The Oak leaves leave a nice film of ash on top of the melt and I have a free supply of them. Tried them a little while back and they work great. Never tried them yet for fluxing when smelting but will and if they work, will never buy another flux. If you use them right before they are dried out they still have a little oil or sap in them. I always add a little MARVELUX into the pot if I add another ingot. Then stir and remove whatever may float to the top and then add more CFF or Oak leaves.
If you add solder to your alloy to raise the tin % flux core solder also works well.

[Ugluk]

I have a # or so of Borax I purchased for my attempts at welding in my forge.
Could this be used to make pure from unknown or contaminated lead?

If so, how much would be needed?

[dominicfortune00]

Ugluk

What is your lead contaminated with?

If it's zinc, do a search for removing zinc with sulfur as there was a thread on it recently; or seperate out zinc by temperarture when melting the lead.

As far as unknown lead, melt and flux with a source of carbon, like sawdust, a dry wooden stick, dry oak leaves, etc..., and see what you end up with.

You might be surprised with the results.

[Ugluk]

Hi Dominic
My lead's fine, ww and range scrap. I was merely wondering if it would be a feasible way to get unknowns pure for softpoints, boreslugs and muzzleloader balls and such.
I passed on a few lumps of melted unknown at the tiredealers on my last raid for ww.
If I could use my Borax to turn unknowns into pure for alloying, I might pick them up to.

I read the Zink-Sulphur thread with great interest, and use candles for my fluxing/reducing. Will however try charcoal next time.

[Bret4207]

Ugluk- I don;t know of any way to remove the tin/antimony from a lead alloy. Once they join it is my understanding they tend to stay in solution.

Flux with a stick, stir and scrape your pot with a stick. It works like any other carbon form, (wax, sawdust, etc) to help the oxides reduce back into the melt.

Now if you want and air barrier on top then I can see adding sawdust, etc.

[Blacksmith]

Has anyone tried walnut shells like used for tumbling cases?

[azcoyhunter]

I use MARVELUX for pure fluxing when smelting. I don't worry about oxidation when smelting. To slow oxidation when casting I use CFF and even dried Oak leaves. The Oak leaves leave a nice film of ash on top of the melt and I have a free supply of them. Tried them a little while back and they work great. Never tried them yet for fluxing when smelting but will and if they work, will never buy another flux. If you use them right before they are dried out they still have a little oil or sap in them. I always add a little MARVELUX into the pot if I add another ingot. Then stir and remove whatever may float to the top and then add more CFF or Oak leaves.
If you add solder to your alloy to raise the tin % flux core solder also works well.

I also like to use Marvelux, but it gets spendy compared to tea lights.
do you use the 1 pound cans? Can it go bad? I know it asorbs moisture, does that matter?

[Ugluk]

Bret4207, I'm gonna try the stick too. Thanks for the tip.

[armyrat1970]

I also like to use Marvelux, but it gets spendy compared to tea lights.
do you use the 1 pound cans? Can it go bad? I know it asorbs moisture, does that matter?

It cost a little but goes a long way. I have the 1lb. container of it and have had mine for yrs. Can't remember actually how long. With my 10lb Lee pot I just add about a pea sized bit into the mix and then stir. I also use other things to stop or hold off the oxidation, not just the Marvelux. I have been using this 1lb tub for yrs and still have 1/2 left. It may absorb moisture but I have never had a problem as I drop a little on top of the melt and just let it sit until it is dissolved. Then I stir it in with the alloy and remove whatever is floating on the top. I then place a layer of CFF or Oak leaves on top and let them burn down to ash. Once the top of my pot is covered with ash and my mold and alloy is up to temp I start casting. If I add any new ingots, even one that I had already fluxed, I add another pinch of Marvelux, stir, remove any dross, add more CFF or Oak leaves and then continue. Just casted last night and into this morning with my Lee 358-158-RF mold with this process and got very few rejects. Maybe 1 out of every ten. Had to work with the mold a little, but it all worked out well and I have quite a few nice boolits to load for my Marlin Model 1894. I love that rifle and picked it up in very good condition for only $100. HoooAhhh!!
SEMPER FI Marine!

[Shuz]

For general "smelting" I use old candles that my wife has endowed me with. For actual casting, I swear by a pinch of Marvelux and keeping the top of the melt insulated with NEW kitty litter.
For those who have tried Marvelux and don't care for it, I am still a recommended disposal facility, and I don't charge for this service!

[RayinNH]

For those who have tried Marvelux and don't care for it, I am still a recommended disposal facility, and I don't charge for this service!

Now that's what you call a nice guy :-)...Ray

[rjbishop]

Has anyone tried walnut shells like used for tumbling cases?

Yes- I have used "Lizard Litter" for fluxing compound. It seems to work very well- although it takes a bit longer to fully turn to charcoal. You get lots of teeny weeny sparkling embers for several minutes.

The one thing that I didn't like- I ended up with quite a bit of brown residue on the side of the pot. Could be rust, along with some other oxide which I haven't figured out what it is. It's a bear to clean off the pot.

Franklin Arsenal flux compound? Yuck- I didn't like the "tar" that tends to form at higher temperatures. And I am convinced it causes tin and antimony to "leech" out of the mix and show up as dross.

I prefer paraffin now, as well as pine sawdust.

[mto7464]

just say no to used motor oil.:groner: Nasty stinky and smokey. Stay with saw dust charcoal or what ever else.

[armyrat1970]

Yes- I have used "Lizard Litter" for fluxing compound. It seems to work very well- although it takes a bit longer to fully turn to charcoal. You get lots of teeny weeny sparkling embers for several minutes.

The one thing that I didn't like- I ended up with quite a bit of brown residue on the side of the pot. Could be rust, along with some other oxide which I haven't figured out what it is. It's a bear to clean off the pot.

Franklin Arsenal flux compound? Yuck- I didn't like the "tar" that tends to form at higher temperatures. And I am convinced it causes tin and antimony to "leech" out of the mix and show up as dross.

I prefer paraffin now, as well as pine sawdust.

Have read often about sawdust, and kitty litter, and I am sure it works the same as CFF of Oak Leaves. I think any kind of leaf will work. Might even try some Pine Needles as my neighbor has several Pine trees that drop needles all over my yard and in my gutters. They are a pain to deal with. Clog my gutters all the time. If I can find some use for them it might be okay. Pine has alot of sap.
I once left my casting pot plugged in one night after casting with WWS. During the afternoon when at work I remembered that and was in dire straits until I could get home to unplug it. When I got home there were lumps of thick black looking tar like stuff floating on the top. I tried to flux and stir it, over and over back into the melt but got very little done. I am sure it was antimony that seperated from the lead alloy. I finaly just skimmed the rest off as dross. I poured ingots with the remaining alloy and mixed them with more WWS the next time I smelted. Didn't clean my pot as I figured over a period of time whatever remained would eventually melt and mix back in. Won't ever do that again though.

[Junior1942]

I read once that getting tin and antimony out of solution in lead was like getting salt out of solution in water. I haven't fluxed since, and many 1,000s of cast bullets later I am still casting good bullets. IMHO, fluxing is a waste of time. Unless, of course, you like the smoke.

[Shuz]

I read once that getting tin and antimony out of solution in lead was like getting salt out of solution in water. I haven't fluxed since, and many 1,000s of cast bullets later I am still casting good bullets. IMHO, fluxing is a waste of time. Unless, of course, you like the smoke.

You are correct that tin and antimony do not "come out of solution" once mixed. However, I flux to clean the melt of impurities. I've found that stirring the melt while adding flux, causes bits of grit and other impurities to easily float to the top and either be skimmed off, or be incorporated into the kitty litter, to be skimmed away later.

[sheepdog]

Best flux for your pour pot is just a good hardwood stick. If you're fluxing your big melt pot all though free crayons from kids meals work just fine or big ugly candles for 59 cents at goodwill.

[dragonrider]

When I got my new Lee 4-20 pot I have used nothing but sawdust and a stick, it has never had oil, wax, boolit lube or anything but wood. This pot is clean, there is nothing on the sides that has to be scraped off ever. In addition I began useing sawdust and a stick in my older Lee 10 pound pot that had had every kind of crap you can think of for flux, including Marvelux. Since switching to sawdust and a stick that pot has cleaned up and is now pristeen as my newer pot. IMHO sawdust and a stick is the only way to go. Use the species of choice however do not use pressure treated wood for this purpose.

[XWrench3]

i started off using parafin. like many others here. it seems to work just fine. at first, i thought the flames were kind of cool, but after it started singeing my leather gloves, i changed my mind about that. after reading several posts about fluxes, i tried sawdust. the thought of leaving it in the pot at first seemed a little weird. but it works. my family also like is, they tell me it smells like i am roasting marshmallows. i still use parafin sometimes, especially when i am smelting. when smelting i usually flux twice. once with parafin, and once with sawdust. scrape all the junk off, then i pour ingots. my father in law is a carpenter, so sawdust is no problem! last time i was down to his place, he gave me a 5 gallon pail full, and asked if i wanted more. i told him that this should last me a couple of years.

[Ugluk]

I tried charcoal last night. Completely odorless, no smoke, no nuffin. Seemed to work nice.
Would be ideal for kitchen casters.

[Trinot]

I use wax. I have used all different kinds of wax. Stuff from scented candles, colored candles, birthday cake candles, tea lights, etc. I have found my favorite wax to be the unscented, uncolored squares of wax used to make candles, I picked up a bag for a nickel at a yardsale. Although the differences between the different candle waxes is very minimal. I don't see myself using kitty litter or charcoal because I use a nice newish 20# lee bottom pour pot and I would just hate to put that gunk into my pot and have it clog the works up.

I am interested in giving a wooden stick a try though. Do you just throw a piece in there? I heard some people say they stirred with it but that doesn't make since because it seems like you would just be adding more oxygen to make oxidize the metals?

[snaggdit]

No, you stir with it. Lead is so heavy, it stays level with the pot level on the stick. You would really need to whip the pot to get any air down into your melt. The charcoal I use does not add any mess to the pot. It turns to ashes. I do not let it remain as the pot empties of course. Leave until you get down to the last 1/2 to 1" then remove or add more alloy and flux again and leave it. Combustion of sawdust or charcoal or wooden sticks takes oxygen and releases co2 as a product.

[38 Super Auto]

I have used candle wax, marvelux(hydroscopic), pine resin, sawdust, wood stirring stix, high carbon content deceased rodents, and various and sundry magic concoctions.

By far, stearic acid is the most effective for me. It does the best job of cleaning the melt and generates a fine powder on top that is scooped off and discarded.

It smokes like paraffin - you can light it off to eliminate most of the smoke. As most of us have already found out, it's better to light it that to wait for it to flash.

I bought a few lbs. from an online auction site e**Y

Cheers,

rob

:coffeecom

[sniper]

I have tried motor oil, lube, Marvelux, (didn't like it or the residue it left on the pot) and finally, PatMarlin's California Flake Flux. Try saying that 3 times really fast! Especially after a beer or three. [smilie=l:
I really like the Flake, it smells so nice, little mess, easy, and I stir with a paint stick. They do catch fire fairly regularly, which quickens the pulse till you get used to it.:shock: A clean pot, too!
Why make things harder than they need to be? When I run out, I'll order another box.8-)

[fredj338]

I use sawdust in my smelt & stir w/ free paint sticks for HD. When casting, I use old spent bullets w/ lube in them & stir that w/ a wood paint stick. Everytime you add metal, flux a bit to keep things clean.

[rwt101]

I just started to use a paint stirrer. I saw it on here somewhere. It works great. The pot itself is very clean and no smoke or flames.
Bob T

[twally]

I have heard of several materials that people flux their pots with , but I am still unsure of the procedure to use when doing it.

I have only smelted WW into ingots, and what I did was throw in some bees wax and stir a little, I don't know if this is how you do it or not.
Also some guys say to cover the pot with saw dust.

And last do you do it differently when doing the final bullet casting?

Can someone please tell me from start to finish how to do this process? And how much of the stuff do you put in the pot per amount of lead.

Thank you Wally