1st smelt

[toddx]

I HAD MY FIRST SMELT TODAY.
I took the crud off the top but it seems there was always a "skin" on the top. I cleaned out all the steel and such from the ww's and then poured them into my wifes mini muffin tins. shh don't tell.
Can any of you look at what I am doing and tell me how bad I am screwing up?
I plan to cast and do some more removal of crud but thought this was an OK start.
I can hardly wait to cast.
I plan on making my own Lee mold lube using 50% Alox and 50% bees wax. Is that OK to do. I cant bare to wait for another order.
Thanks for looking
t

[Jal5]

Flux flux flux to get all the impurities out. People use lots of different things to flux with: candle wax, lube that didn't turn out good, sawdust, shredded paper even. Do a search on here about flux and you will get all you ever wanted to know.

Joe

[imashooter2]

What kind of alox do you intend to use in your 50/50? The LLA won't work.

[toddx]

I looked on the Lee site to see what the 900007 lube was made of and they said Lee Alox and bees wax 50-50? The 900007 lube is recommended for the mold?
Am I missing something, I don't know what I'm doing really.
t

[imashooter2]

I looked on the Lee site to see what the 900007 lube was made of and they said Lee Alox and bees wax 50-50? The 900007 lube is recommended for the mold?
Am I missing something, I don't know what I'm doing really.
t

Alox is a brand name sold by the Lubrizol company. They sell a number of products. The original 50/50 was beeswax and Alox 2138F which was discontinued. Current 50/50 is made with Alox 350. LLA is solvent cut back of Alox 606.

[Bulldogger]

It looks like you need to remelt and flux those skimmings (dross, we call it). I made the mistake my first smelt of not fluxing enough before skimming, and removed a lot of tin from my lead, stuck to the clips. Now I have fillout trouble in my castings. Not terrible, but I throw more boolits back in the pot than I'd like.
No worries about the added time of doing it again, your're investing in valuable learning.

Unless you're sure there's no goodness left in that dross, I'd melt it again. I flux with parrafin, just canning wax, nothing special. Candle wax would work too, just a small bit will do. Stir all that back in and squeeze all the goodness out. I wish I hadn't thrown my dross away...

My 2c, Bulldogger

[toddx]

Alox is a brand name sold by the Lubrizol company. They sell a number of products. The original 50/50 was beeswax and Alox 2138F which was discontinued. Current 50/50 is made with Alox 350. LLA is solvent cut back of Alox 606.

Thanks for the info. Do I take that as wait and order the exact stuff or can I make it with 90007 and beeswax on hand?
Lee made no distinguishing notes between their "Alox" and 90007 with the ALox in it.

[imashooter2]

Thanks for the info. Do I take that as wait and order the exact stuff or can I make it with 90007 and beeswax on hand?
Lee made no distinguishing notes between their "Alox" and 90007 with the ALox in it.

You can't make 50/50 with Alox intended for tumble lube purposes. Lee Liquid Alox is Alox 606 (solvent reduced). 50/50 from Lee or any other supplier is Alox 350 (or old stock Alox 2138F) plus beeswax.

[toddx]

Thank you imashooter2,
I will be on the hunt today to find some.
Thanks for your help.
t

[imashooter2]

If you want Alox 350 you can get it from Larson Gun Works (lars45 here on the forum). Google "White Label Lube."

[Doby45]

If you are going through the process of contacting Glen at White Label Lubes go ahead and get you some BAC or Carnuba Red. Ready made EXCELLENT lube and you can't beat the price...

[Cherokee]

I vote for Carnuba Red from Lars45, can't beat the price and performance is great.

[GLL]

Can any of you look at what I am doing and tell me how bad I am screwing up?

Just wait until she starts looking for her muffin pans and you will learn just how badly you screwed up ! :) :)

+1 on Carnuba Red !

Jerry

[dart55]

Last Fall I did some serios smelting too:mrgreen:
http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc365/dart552/Photo058.jpg
Pouring 60 pounds of lead into an old chevy valve covers at 700 degrees was TOUGH. I used two pairs of welding glooves and still burned my hands[smilie=w:

Anyhow, it was stupid trying to pour such a big pot.

Anyhow Keep it up and Throwing Lead Boolits!

Dan

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

i smelted for the first time 2 weeks ago , i had a 2 quart pan a laddle and a spoon , i fluxed with candle wax that made for a nice fire ontop of my melt as i was pulling the clips out
it looked good all melted clean no dross left then it started to form a film , i figured it was lead oxide or the cold as it was about 20 degrees and i was outside on the camp stove.

i poured a bunch of lee r.e.a.l s and they filled out ok, i thru soem back in for nose wrinkles i had a heck of a time keeping the mold hot enought at 20 degrees with a breeze but if i dipped a corner in the pot for a few seconds just before pourd i would get a nice boolit
i did about 50 that way from a single cavity , havn't had a chance to test them at the range , they load fine , a little stiff on the start but not to bad, rifling engadged all around.

can't wait to start reloading cartrige , and then cast boolits for cartrige

[imashooter2]

LOL! I'm a Carnauba Red fan myself, but I'm not the kind of guy to discourage a man that wants to make his own...