I think I Have Zinc

[huli]

How can you tell if you have Zinck in your Ingots? Please give me the simple way if there are any. It will scratch with fingernail but looks kinda galvanizy? Thanks still learning Steve:-(:-(

[wiljen]

See how it casts, if you have zinc fillout will be lousy.

[thegreatdane]

Would you say they're "Zingots?" haha

[onondaga]

Any of the lead alloys can have surface patterns that look "galvanizy" as you say. The temperature before cooling and the cooling rate cause this. As "wiljen"said, try it and see how it casts.

A metallurgy lab with an electron microscope could tell you about Zinc in your metal but that is a little impractical and a pricey service.. If you are an inexperienced caster and have a friend that is an excellent caster, he could cast some and tell you how cast worthy the metal you have is if you can't get good results.

You could send me some! I'd need at least 5 pounds to run the pot and cast.

Gary

[Daddyfixit]

Wiljen, You could check out this link on using sulfer to remove zink
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=109305
I think you can buy small bags at a garden center ( I think they use it for planting peppers )
Minimal cost and if it's not there no harm done...other than the stink!

[zxcvbob]

If it looks like silvery oatmeal when you melt it, you've been zinc'd. :shock:

If it has a crystalline look on the surface of the ingots, it's not pure lead (also probably not linotype or other eutectic alloy) Most of my ingots look like that. They cast just fine. Some of them have a small-crystal sparkle surface, and some of them are smooth with large blotchy crystal patterns. Just depends on what the alloy is and how fast the ingots cooled.

Don't try to fix a problem until you know there really is a problem. (I know that's why you're asking)

[Bob Krack]

I believe that a drop of muriatic acid will bubble if placed on a zinc surface.

Big box store or hardware store "concrete" or "cement" cleaner is usually muriatic acid. Check the label to be sure.

Bob

[lwknight]

That galvanized look means that you have a very low antimony content alloy. Probably less than 1/2% and zero tin. The larger the mosaic is the lower the antimony is.

[*Paladin*]

All of my WW ingots and rangle lead ingot have that galvanized look. As far as the oatmeal look, just don't be alarmed when you see something like that when smelting. The last time I smelted WW's the wind was blowing hard enough that I got an "oatmeal" look to my smelt along the sides of the pot because the wind was cooling the lead on the sides of the pot. My first thought was "Oh no! I've been zinc'd!", but with a wind block, the edges melted back in no problem. Scared me though, because there was probably 30 lbs in the pot and I didn't want to lose the batch to zinc!

[runfiverun]

and don't confuse un alloyed bubbly antimony for zinc oatmeal or cold alloy temp.

[220swiftfn]

The time that I got hit with zinc, it wound up looking like silver mayonaise that stuck to everything, not the standard oatmeal.


Dan

[lwknight]

A very small amount of zinc will give the silver mayonaise look. More of it willl turn into oatmeal.
The ingots will cast soft and turn really hard within a few days.

[220swiftfn]

A very small amount of zinc will give the silver mayonaise look. More of it willl turn into oatmeal.
The ingots will cast soft and turn really hard within a few days.

I'm not so sure about that "small amount", I pulled out about 30 lbs out of 100 lbs of alloy with sulfur, and there was still more in there....[smilie=b:


Dan

[lwknight]

Maybe your zinc had lead in it.

[*Paladin*]

Maybe your zinc had lead in it.

LOL :drinks:

[220swiftfn]

Maybe your zinc had lead in it.


Grumble....... Yeah, that's what I was thinking at the time.......:roll:


I needed the laugh tho....


Dan