Fluxing

[fishboy747]

I am just starting to smely the lead that I have been collecting how much do you flux and is it a large tablespoon or more to about 20 lbs of WW. My turkey burner will not put out enough pressure or something is blocked I could not get my pot hot enough to keep the temp above 600 took forever to melt down WW ingots were frosty.

[warf73]

I don't think you can flux to much if anything most people don't flux enough when smelting down raw WW's.
So to answer your question I don't know (probly not) if your adding enough flux or not because you didn't say what your flux was.

[D Crockett]

not seeing your turkey fryer I would bet you have the same problem I had I think you burner has rust in it and it needs to be taken apart and with a wire wheel on a side grinder clean it real good with the wire brush I did that to my turkey fryer and it sounded loke a jet engine on take off when I was done and another thing I would check is the end of the hose to see if any bug has built a nest in it D Crockett

[fishboy747]

I will do that today it has some surface rust on the outside
Now I will find out what is inside. Now for the flux answer
My question was vague do you constantly flux a bit at a time
With saw dust or just add a handful at once. I have 2 more buckets
To smetl an may resmelt the first load

[bumpo628]

You might just need a new regulator hose. That silver thing in the middle of the hose can shut off the flow of gas when it goes bad. A new hose is around $20 at home despot. I have had that happen twice in about 10 years with my bbq.

[fishboy747]

The turkey burner is fixed just a bit of elbow grease and wellah flames a plenty. Now
how much should I be fluxing with saw dust and how much sawdust do I add. that is the question of the day from me thanks.

[dragonrider]

I use it by the handful when smelting, usually two but I am smelting 50 to 70 lbs at at time so less will do well for you. Toss it on top of the hot lead, let it burn to ash before you mix it into the lead, that last is very important, sawdust is never dry until after it burns to ash. when is stops burning and smoking then you can mix it well, do this before you remove the clips and other trash so that the fluxing will release the lead from the clips. After mixing well and removing the clips and dross, repeat the process again. This should result in nice clean lead. I flux only in my smelting pot, never in my casting pot, there I just stir it up occasionally with a very dry wooden stick, which is fluxing the melt but doesn't make near as much smoke. Always bear in mind that moisture and hot lead hate each other intensely and cannot occupy the same space without violent interaction.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

You can put a boat load of sawdust in it. I usually put about a half inch deep on top of the lead and then light the sawdust. DO NOT push that sawdust down into the melt right away. There is moisture in the sawdust and lead will splatter all over the place (and you) . I stir the ash from the sawdust into the mix.
edit: Dragonrider got me by two minutes

[Duckiller]

Or you could just stir your melt with a dry stick. 5/8 or 3/4 dowel works great. Keep stirring and scooping dross until melt is CLEAN. This a neat and clean way to flux.

[10 ga]

A good coating, 1/4 " or more, of flux material like sawdust or shredder shreds is good. If using wax, oil, tallow etc just enough to give a thin coating is plenty. Burn off to carbon and ash and then stir the carbon through the mix. Then skim off the clips, and detritus that comes out. ((Save the "dross" and when you get a bunch resmelt to recover the lead and tin etc... that is in it.)) Then I flux again and leave the layer of ash on top as I ladle the smelt into ingots. Just push the ash layer back with the ladel to get to the lead. Keeping the air away from the melt is the secret to keeping your alloy mix consistent. The air will oxidize the tin, lead etc... out and you will skim it off as dross. That is why you resmelt dross to recover that stuff. 10

[fishboy747]

I appreciate all the responses this week I will attempt another smelting or when weather dictates I have to have the garage door open as no windows will open in my garage that may be another project later. Thanks

[ColColt]

This may sound like a silly question and in all actually I guess it is but, where are you to find sawdust if you're not a carpenter, building something or know where a sawmill is? Moreover, what of the moisture content in freshly cut lumber or trees? Would that not cause a problem being mixed with hot lead?

[dragonrider]

Lowes or home depot have saws for cutting lumber in the stores, ask them for a bag of sawdust.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

You have to watch out that the sawdust is not from treated lumber. (toxic smoke). You can find large bags of sawdust at farm stores or where bedding for pets is sold.

[ColColt]

Good ideas...many thanks. There is a Lowe's about five miles from here and another pet store I go to that sells all manner of things for dogs, cats and horses. Surely they'll have a lead on that. I'll check this Saturday...it's one of the few places they welcome dogs here so, I take my boy there frequently.

[bobthenailer]

Another gremlin found ! I hooked up my turkey frier this year to smelt lead and the flame was low , I couldent make it change with the regulater adj ? tried another propane tank , same problem . I tried a regulator ass from a old style gas grill , it worked as a big hiss came from the hose .
IN short the new style fitting that has a coller that goes over the tank threads wasent pushing in on the check valve enough on the tank . I switched to the old style fitting that screws inside of the tanks fitting to the newer hose assy , and fixed the problem .