Do your ingots look like this?

[t_dickinson]

I've finished smelting some range lead and have gone through the gamut of discoveries.

I'm finally finished and got 200lbs of ingots from 260 lbs of scrap. I have the dross, dirt, and copper in a bucket. I'm looking for a way to get the copper out but that may be another thread.

No matter how much I skim and flux, I always have some oxidized film on the surface in the ladle so the exposed part of the ingot looks "ashy". None of my ingots are very shiney.

Is this normal and can you show what yours look like? Thank you.

Pics are deceiving but this is 3/4 of a 5gsa bucket weighing 175 lbs.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33107&stc=1&d=1307366751

[Jim]

I use a small cavity muffin pan to pig my WWs. This is what they look like.

http://fgsp.files.wordpress.com/2011/04/photos-027-e1301853722121.jpg

[xr650]

Nothing wrong with your ingots. If you want them to be shinier, you may lower your melt temperature. Shiney ingots don't make better boolits. Cast them and shoot them.

This is what some of mine look like.

http://www.fototime.com/2647A6C2D56E486/standard.jpg

2 rows of clip ons in the back and 3 rows of soft lead in front.
I made ingot moulds out of 2" channel iron.

[Philngruvy]

I've finished smelting some range lead and have gone through the gamut of discoveries.

I'm finally finished and got 200lbs of ingots from 260 lbs of scrap. I have the dross, dirt, and copper in a bucket. I'm looking for a way to get the copper out but that may be another thread.

No matter how much I skim and flux, I always have some oxidized film on the surface in the ladle so the exposed part of the ingot looks "ashy". None of my ingots are very shiney.

Is this normal and can you show what yours look like? Thank you.

Pics are deceiving but this is 3/4 of a 5gsa bucket weighing 175 lbs.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=33107&stc=1&d=1307366751

I am relatively new to smelting and casting (about 2 years) but, I get similar results to yours. When I cast boolits, the ingots are melted in my Lee bottom pour and I flux again with wax and sawdust. The boolits turn out great.

[sqlbullet]

Mine look very different. The letters are LYMAN instead of LEE.

Kidding aside, those look fine to me.

[jsizemore]

I know you probably do it this way and just typed it backwards, but it's flux, stir then skim. If you skim then flux your getting rid of the good stuff in your dross.

Your ingots look fine.

[plainsman456]

Looks like mine when done.
When you cast boolits with them and flux,they will clean up and be good.

[white eagle]

here are a few of mine
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v730/kempobb/abc2.jpg

[gray wolf]

White Eagle !! Is that one of those fake pictures ?
You know the kind that only show the front and the ingots are actually only 2" long.
Just kidding, very nice stash.

[Tom W.]

See all of that snow..??
The man had cabin fever and had to do something!

[grisy11]

I see all that WHITE **** now. I hate that stuff and i live in Vermonot now that is SAD lol

[williamwaco]

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Nothing wrong with your ingots. If you want them to be shinier, you may lower your melt temperature. Shiney ingots don't make better boolits. Cast them and shoot them.


================================================== =============


Your ingots are beautiful.

Cooler temperatures may make them shinier but it also cause them to wrinkle like prunes. I hate wrinkled ingots.

[cbrick]

Mine don't look anything like that, much more like this at 5 pounds a pop & stack great.

Rick

[cajun shooter]

Grisy11, I had a dear friend who lived in Chester,VT. He was an instructor for the Smith &Wesson factory armorer's school. Three of us left Louisiana to go to a school and visit with John. We became snowed in in April but had fun with all of those flowing Maple trees. He had trees in his yard with buckets that we helped collect. We then put it all in a huge vat to cook down.

[lwknight]

No matter how much I skim and flux, I always have some oxidized film on the surface in the ladle so the exposed part of the ingot looks "ashy". None of my ingots are very shiney.

I hate to break the news to you but it looks like your alloy may have some antimony and tin mixed in with it. I will volunteer to properly dispose of it for you.

[Chapped Lips]

Nothing wrong with your ingots. If you want them to be shinier, you may lower your melt temperature. Shiney ingots don't make better boolits. Cast them and shoot them.

This is what some of mine look like.

http://www.fototime.com/2647A6C2D56E486/standard.jpg

2 rows of clip ons in the back and 3 rows of soft lead in front.
I made ingot moulds out of 2" channel iron.


Ya mean i gotta get a forklift too!!!! :) :) :) :)

[xr650]

Only once or twice a year when you smelt. :drinks:

[fredj338]

As noted, reduce the temp & they will be be less dull. No big deal, mine vary quite a bit w/ the ingot mold too. I want nice bullets, don;t care abotu the ingots.