keeping alloy mixed

[gofastman]

I just cast about 120lbs worth of ingots :veryconfu

I added about 5 lbs of pewter and 6lbs of Superhard to a bunch of sticky and clip WW's I melted down in a big dutch oven.

I'm wondering, once this stuff melts, how hard is it to keep all the alloys in suspension?

I occasionally added a handful of cedar chips to the melt and stirred pretty frequently, is that enough?

[williamwaco]

It is not hard to keep them in suspension. In fact it is almost impossible to separate them.

We have some guys here who undrstand metalurgy. One of them willo be along shortly.


.

[AndyC]

how hard is it to keep all the alloys in suspension?
Well, lead is the denser element in the alloy, so its atoms will, over time, sink through the other elements (tin, antimony,, etc) in the alloy due to gravity (the process is called clibation), so.... a typical 10lb block should last perhaps 4 months perfectly fine as-is. Easiest way to keep them useable without re-smelting is to flip the ingots over every couple of months or so.

[454PB]

You gotta be careful AndyC. We've got newbies on here that believe that stuff.

[AndyC]

Darn, now you've ruined my fun :)

Yes - I was totally kidding, although I did like the mental image I had of folks checking their calendar... "It's April, Mabel, gotta go flip them darn ingots again..." ;)

[stubshaft]

Think of it like this:

If you add 1 tsp of milk to 1 cup of water, no matter how much you heat, let it rest or stir it, you are not going to get the milk out of it. Nor will you be able to concentrate the milk into certain parts of the water.

[1bluehorse]

Well, lead is the denser element in the alloy, so its atoms will, over time, sink through the other elements (tin, antimony,, etc) in the alloy due to gravity (the process is called clibation), so.... a typical 10lb block should last perhaps 4 months perfectly fine as-is. Easiest way to keep them useable without re-smelting is to flip the ingots over every couple of months or so.

ROFLMAO..........[smilie=l: that is so bad and you should be ashamed of yourself....[smilie=p:

[runfiverun]

wow.
i read andy's post and my stomach sank.
once you have stuff in the alloy it's in there.
you will lose some through oxidation on top of the pot a good fluxing will return almost all of it back to the alloy.

[220swiftfn]

Darn, now you've ruined my fun :)

Yes - I was totally kidding, although I did like the mental image I had of folks checking their calendar... "It's April, Mabel, gotta go flip them darn ingots again..." ;)

Kinda like that cheese, huh??

Dan

[popper]

clibation - Does that stand for Coors Libation?

[AndyC]

Someone give that man a beer - he got it!! :D

[Rockydog]

I think Andy got his alloy mixed up with Dynamite. Which does have to be turned or the nitro glycerin will settle to one side in some older styles making it extremely unstable. RD

[Hardcast416taylor]

I`m thinking Andy fell down and hit his head a few too many times as a child?:bigsmyl2:Robert

[Nose Dive]

Shame on you guys! Honest question...needs a good answer. "how does the caster keep all alloys mixed in the pot"? Or, "how does he mix his Lead, Tin, and Antimony"? in the pot...shame..shame...shame.

Nose Dive.

Cheap, Fast, Good. Kindly pick two.