Fluxing compound to remove zinc

[largecaliberman]

I read somewhere that NEI Handtools Inc on http://www.neihandtools.com/online_order.html has a fluxing compound that claims to remove zinc and other impurities from lead. Has anyone tried this?:castmine:

[dragonrider]

I have some NEI flux, got it when I bought a 9.3 mold. Thought it was a good idea at the time. Like every other flux compound I've tried all it did was crud up my lead pot. can't say anything about weather it removes zinc or not, don't think I ever had zinc contamination , yet, crossed fingers. If you want some to try I will send you some. PM your address. I'll never use it again, JMHO but sawdust can't be beat.

[LET-CA]

In one of Glenn Fryxell's articles, he claims that sawdust works well for that purpose.

[HTRN]

Sawdust is what the big commercial smelters use, IIRC.

AFAIK, there's no way to remove zinc from the lead mix, at least for hobbyiests.


HTRN

[Ricochet]

I don't believe that any flux will remove zinc. But zinc can be removed, or substantially reduced, the same way the commercial lead producers remove it. Melt the lead. Barely. Let it sit, right above the melting point. Skim the gray crystals that float to the top.

The fact that the zinc crystallizes before the bulk of the alloy solidifies and floats is why zinc's a problem. Makes for inhomogeneous boolits.

[GP100man]

Ricochet thats what Ido except I bring melt up to 800 then let cool slowly with out fluxing to barely melting . then flux &skim you will get some good with the bad but saving majority of the melt .I reserve this melt to casting plinkers only.