Smelting lead ????

[1johnlb]

I"ve been smelting lead flashing, 4 pots total about 65#. first two pots were mostly pipe flashing and had what looked like a silver ring around where the pipe to roof pieces were put together. Second 2 pots were all just flat flashing. first 2 pots the ingots came out silver in color, second 2 came out with a dark color rainbow to say. What is the difference if any? Is there some tin in one or was there possibly just a temp difference causing the color difference. All my coww and range scrap always come out silvery.

[txsnowman2k2]

I think it was just a heat issue, got too hot as you progressed in your smelting session. Best to use a thermometer and keep heat just above melting temps as you proceed...keep a smelting...tx.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The colors come from getting the lead hotter.
But you could certainly have some tin in those first 2 batches, since those 'silver' rings didn't have the same patina color of the rest of the lead flashing.

[1johnlb]

I think my temp was pretty uniform,I was casting nearby and watching while casting. Right after the lead flashing I smelted about 125# of coww with all the same silvery color that I normally get. I'm thinking I've got some small amouts of tin in the first two pots which kept it silvery, and the purplish rainbow is closer to 100%. Just scratching my head, because this is my first flashing melt. It's hard to push coww down a CVA muzzle gun. Accurate, but a pita to load.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Yesterday I finally got around to sorting out the funky weights/trash from the pile of pails I have amassed since last year, my guess is 700+ lbs sitting in 5 gal. pails. I`ll do the smelting process when colder weather arrives.Robert

[1johnlb]

Ship it to me, I'll smelt it for you. then let you know how it shoots.

[bangerjim]

Rainbow colors are normal for pure lead! Forget about it!

Those "silver rings" were solder where the pipes were joined together. Adding even a small amount of Sn to your melt will make it shiny and nice. But it will quickly oxidize at normal smelting temps. That is why you need to flux/reduce 3x. You other batch was pure Pb with probably ZERO Sn and was technicolor.

Both are perfectly fine.

Your COWW's have ~0.5% Sn normally.

bangerjim

[cdngunner]

What are you using for your CVA.

My brother bought one not to long ago and I want to start casting bullets for him. Do you use sabots with your bullets?

I think my temp was pretty uniform,I was casting nearby and watching while casting. Right after the lead flashing I smelted about 125# of coww with all the same silvery color that I normally get. I'm thinking I've got some small amouts of tin in the first two pots which kept it silvery, and the purplish rainbow is closer to 100%. Just scratching my head, because this is my first flashing melt. It's hard to push coww down a CVA muzzle gun. Accurate, but a pita to load.

[1johnlb]

Lee's black powder REAL mold 90394/no sabots for me

Clip on wheel weight= way to hard/but accurate

100% lead is what surposed to be used