Tinsel Fairy was too quick!

I've been visited a time or two by the TF and the last two times were caused by some H2O in the scrap and a primer in the bottom of the bucket

Yesterday she was back but arrived too soon to do any damage. I had been given almost a full box of cast bullets and decided to melt them down--they had been sitting open in a garage and the lube was gone on most of them and they were covered in sawdust and the like

Went on and ran down the pot (18 lbs used) and at the end when it was time to refill I dumped the entire box into my casting pot Pro-Melt 1. Now I have a pot full of bullets and am waiting for them to melt.

After about a 1 I hear 3 TF pops--my guess is some primers got into the box along with the dust and dirt.

Since I had about 5 inches on solid bullets on top of the melt all I got was the pops of the primers and a desire to change my shorts.

I did quickly put the lip on and weighted it down with some ingots just to be safe.

Sometimes it's better to be lucky that good.

She is a pretty quick Wench, thats for sure! Glad it was pretty much uneventful and you were not injured.

Reminds me of the time I bought a furnace and some solder snippets from an old rummy gunsmith/shop proprietor. Good thing I checked the snippets (about 4-5 lbs worth). Found 5 SP primers - if I had dumped the whole box in the furnace, I guess the primers would have popped before the solder started melting - maybe...

Only time this has happened is when I get stuff from friends.

There's a lesson in there somewhere but still love free stuff no matter the dangers

I know I have to be careful on humid days. I have one of those flat spoon/ladles from LEE. I just use it to stir my pot. However, I've noticed when its humid out, moisture "settles" on the cold metal of that spoon. If I dip it in too quickly, I can get some minor splatter from the TF. I've just learned to lower it slower into the pot giving the microscopic water molecules a chance to evaporate first.

redhawk

Those lost primers sure find the worst places to hide.

You were indeed lucky! I`ve only had 1 instense meeting with her. Since then, about 15 yrs back, I am overly careful on checking any gift lead for moisture or a possible live primer. People call me foolish for wasting so much melt time checking raw ingredients before going into my smelt pot. But I haven`t had a date with Miss TF since our first encounter!Robert

The lesson, trust your friends BUT check their lead carefully. glad your OK

I had a brush with her, but not an intimate date, when I put some Marvelux in my pot. In areas of high humidity, the moisture will collect give in the powder and when it is in a clump, look out. Don't use it any more for other reasons but this is certainly one of them.

The last time I got a visit the remains are still all over the ceiling of my garage the garage door and the wall my blazer got a pretty good shot as well . all curtsey of a inget with a hollow spot in the center that had water in it. All in gets now go in a closed bucket.

I've been treated to the primer or .22 in the pot once and come off lucky. Not fun.

I have heard that the Tinsel Fairy's name in ancient Gaelic is pronounced "Aiieeegh Suunove Bieech". I was surprised to find that I seem to be fluent in ancient Gaelic.:bigsmyl2:

Marvelux is evil!

might as well drop an ice cube in

Not going to us it anymore. It makes a mess that is a pain to clean out of the mix. I will stick to alox and bees wax from now on. It has been working for 40 yrs.

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Originally Posted by OS OK

Those lost primers sure find the worst places to hide.

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Yep, they seem to find hiding places that only my wife can find with a vacuum. Even the spent ones rattle around and annoy her. The one time it was live and went off, let us just say I don't want to have that conversation again.

Worst i ever had was some lead rods that turned out to be thick walled tube,with water inside .Never seen 1/2" lead pipe before or since.But the explosion would not have happened if I had started the melt with all the scrap in the pot,and not added scrap to the melt.

Glade to here you were not hurt. One thing I do is put Pb in a cold pot or ingot on the edge for add in.

BigSlug I thought I was the only one that knew that language. I did not know I knew it till I met Miss tinsel Fairy like many others I did not check some free lead one day. but on that eventful day I met her I had about 1 inch of lead in the bottom of my smelting pot dumped it that free stuff next thing I know I was laying on my back about 6 ft from where I was standing. I was lucky the bucket that it was in caught most of the blast but I still had lead in my beard on all my close and the best thing anyone can do is ware a safety shield because the one I was wearing was covered I would say 80% in lead. from that day about 8 years ago I take all my lead and put it on a sheet of tin and hit it with my weed burner. and have not had the tinsel fairy back and DON'T WANT HER BACK EATHER D Crockett

I've met her but not bad luckily. However her cousin Welding Slag has given me some scars!

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Been wondering where that wench wandered off to! Had a date with her awhile back and I hope she understands she's not welcome here again. She was on my mind tonight but I was casting with some low-risk ingots and proper gear so she wouldn't have had her way with me.
Glad you're OK!