Smelting Procedure??

[Gliden07]

I'm gathering info on smelting WW down so I can start casting my own Boolits!! I've done a lot of YouTube viewing of people processing WW and came across one that seemed to address all the issues for the wheel weights. They cooked the weights down and fluxed the big mess with the clips still in the pot! They stated that this was the best way to do it since it would not remove as much of the trace elements in the lead (Antmon and Tin) when they skimmed out the clips. They also fluxed the mixture with saw dust and Parifin wax. I knew about the Wax but was wondering about the sawdust (I know you want some carbon for fluxing too)? Also they fluxed the mixture 3 or 4 times. Then poured the ingots. Was wondering if this procedure is a good one? Also if the sawdust was a good practice or if I would be better off with the wood stir sticks for the carbon?? Never done this so any info would be GREAT!!

[Gliden07]

The Official HOW-TO Smelt Wheel Weights Into Ingots Video

This is the title on You Tube of vid

[zxcvbob]

I'm gathering info on smelting WW down so I can start casting my own Boolits!! I've done a lot of YouTube viewing of people processing WW and came across one that seemed to address all the issues for the wheel weights. They cooked the weights down and fluxed the big mess with the clips still in the pot! They stated that this was the best way to do it since it would not remove as much of the trace elements in the lead (Antmon and Tin) when they skimmed out the clips. They also fluxed the mixture with saw dust and Parifin wax. I knew about the Wax but was wondering about the sawdust (I know you want some carbon for fluxing too)? Also they fluxed the mixture 3 or 4 times. Then poured the ingots. Was wondering if this procedure is a good one? Also if the sawdust was a good practice or if I would be better off with the wood stir sticks for the carbon?? Never done this so any info would be GREAT!!

I haven't seen the video.

Sawdust works better than just about anything. Lard or Crisco (imho) does an even better job of reducing the good metals back into the melt and gathering the dirt and stuff together so you can skim it out, but they don't do as good a job of removing traces of calcium and zinc and other metal impurities from the alloy.

Using a wooden stick is the same as using sawdust, it just doesn't have as much surface area.

[dragon813gt]

Read this: http://www.lasc.us/Fryxell_Book_Contents.htm

Actually read it a few times. If you have questions after reading please ask.

I don't flux until after the clips are removed. They just get in the way and I don't see the melt losing anything by doing it this way.


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[Springfield]

With wheelweights there is usually so much oil and stuff on the weights themsleves I find I need very little flux. I did about 450 lbs last month and used maybe a handful of sawdust.

[David2011]

What Springfield said. I've had the same experience with the "provided" oil.

David

[shadowcaster]

Fluxing with Sawdust is an excellent practice for fluxing any form of scrap lead. I rarely use anything else. Sometimes I flux clip on WW, and sometimes I don't. Yes.. there is grease and other things already there, but each bucket is different. Some just need it worse than others. Also my Smelting pot is large enough so that I have room to Flux, stir, and scoop the clips, dross and dirt without problems.

Happy smelting/casting

Shad.

[clodhopper]

STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER!
Go boldly where all us bullet casters have gone before.
get you a steel or cast iron pot, put some lead in it, apply heat, and figure out what works for you.
Be carefull.
If you get burned, then you should be smarter next time.
Saw dust, works good if you live in a dry climate, or at least have dry saw dust

[Gliden07]

STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER!
Go boldly where all us bullet casters have gone before.
get you a steel or cast iron pot, put some lead in it, apply heat, and figure out what works for you.
Be carefull.
If you get burned, then you should be smarter next time.
Saw dust, works good if you live in a dry climate, or at least have dry saw dust

LOL!!! Your right I'm over thinking this!! Typical me!! So thats what I'm doing tonight looking for a cheap potto smelt the lead in and some muffin tins!!

I'm still fluxing mix though!! LOL!!

[evan price]

I run a 3-gallon stainless steel cooking pot. 1/2 a 5-gal bucket of weights. Fire the burner up. Pour a cup or so of used motor oil over the weights. Put the lid on. Wait a half hour, then stir it with a large paint stir stick (Free from Home Depot, the kind for 5-gal buckets) and wait for the burning oil fire to go out. Skim off whatever floats, scoop off the dirt, pour ingots. Repeat as needed. Keep temp under 700 degrees so any zinc floats and does not melt.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

as a newbie, you might want to sort out all the Zinc WW
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=139839
If you accidently melt a few in a batch of WW alloy,
you'll have problems when trying to cast boolits with it,
you'll have major fillout problems.

Zinc contaminated WW alloy will have what looks like
silver/grey oatmeal on top of the melt.

I posted photos of Zinc contaminated WW alloy ingots,
it gives you an idea.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=155778
Jon

[lwknight]

Light the fire and git er done.

[a.squibload]

I flux before scooping out the clips, seems like
less lead & etc. stuck to the clips.

[DarthTater]

I flux before scooping out the clips, seems like
less lead & etc. stuck to the clips.

This is what I, too, find. I end up with a fairly clean pile of steel clips to take to the metal recycler.

[ilcop22]

I pick out the clips with a pair of needle-nose pliers. Take a bit, but nothing gets stuck to 'em.

Fluxing to ingot the melt I just use paraffin wax, sometimes coupled with a wooden stick to stir.

When fluxing metal for boolits, I use marvelux, and when that's settled, I add paraffin to congeal the dross. For me, that's turned out to be the best way to only scoop out dross, and leave the metal intact.

[leadman]

After smelting several tons of wheel weights over the last couple of years I flux with sawdust if I have it, along with candle wax with the clips in the melt. The first time I smelted a large batch I pulled the clips out with a magnet. Got to looking at the pail of clips and saw the lead stuck to them. I reheated the clips later and got about another #20 of good lead.

I too flux several times, up to 5 if needed. With paraffin wax if you still get black on the surface of the lead after fluxing it means there is still contaminates in the melt. Flux again.
You can stop early on the fluxing if you want but you will have to flux a couple times before casting at least. Towards the end of a #1000 batch I would be tired and skimp on the fluxing. I would put a black marker stripe on it to clue me to make sure I fluxed well in the pot.
With the wax I used a 2" X 2" x 4' chunk of pine to stir it with. I was able to stay a little farther back from the flames with this.

There are many ways to do what we do and most of them are "right" as long as they work and you stay safe.

[303Guy]

Whatever you do, just make sure no smoke, fumes or dust drifts your way. Don't smelt or melt with the breeze to your face or to your back. Let the breeze be side on so no vortex forms between you and the action. Stirring with a stick is great but it does kick up a little dust and/or whatever else. Do all the other precautions too. Keep a bowl of cold water nearby to dip burned fingers into when you pick up a shiny new ingot or boolit to admire it. I don't know why we do that but we do. Oh, molten lead splashes in the face do happen so it's best to wear eye protection.

[a.squibload]

This is what I, too, find. I end up with a fairly clean pile of steel clips to take to the metal recycler.

I was reading your response, when I looked up & saw your handle
I almost fell over laughing, the wife came to check on me...

[max it]

hi Gliden, I bought a thermometer from Rotometals.com for this purpose.
Lead melts at around 650 deg F and zinc at over 1,000deg.

Max

[zxcvbob]

hi Gliden, I bought a thermometer from Rotometals.com for this purpose.
Lead melts at around 650 deg F and zinc at over 1,000deg.

Max

You're confusing zinc and aluminum. Zinc melts just under 800 degrees.