High temp lead smelting

[rmatchell]

I have been wondering if I superheat lead when I smelt the next batch of coww if I can get it any cleaner. I built a furnace and burner to melt nickel powder a few years ago, and now I look at it and wonder if I can put it to use again. I work with a few guys that worked at a local lead smelter and they always talked about bringing the lead temp around 2500 to smelt it. So just wondering if you guys have any thoughts. The furnace setup I have will melt a A10 crucible of aluminum in about 12 mins, so I know I can heat up alot of lead fast.

[btroj]

Why? It will produce lead vapors in that temp range.

A commercial smelter has the ability to onion the enviornment in the pot, rings like blowing in carbon monoxide to reduce dross, oxygen to oxidize impurities, and stuff like that. They can also hadle any toxic fumes better than we can at home.

This is one of those "if it ain't broke, don't fix it " things. Melting scrap to 600 to 700 F has worked well for many, ,any ears, why change? Use a good flux like some sawdust and the lead will be plenty clean for our needs.

[rmatchell]

Just a thought, I have two brand new A10 crucibles with lids. So I keep looking for a use for them. Also I would love to use the furnace again just would have a hard time keeping it at only 700 or less.

[500MAG]

Also, if those COWW's weren't sorted good enough, you may just smelt some zinc into the mix and higher temps.

[mac1911]

will it melt the copper jackets after range scrap smelt? I have several buckets of scrap jackets. I would love to melt them down.

[lwknight]

will it melt the copper jackets after range scrap smelt? I have several buckets of scrap jackets. I would love to melt them down.

Oh man , that would be sweet!!
Maybe a gas cover like argon or other inert gas. People are crazy.
I heard about 1 pound copper bars on fleabay for some bizarre prices.

[rmatchell]

I have melted nickel so copper shouldn't be an issue. I'm not sure if you would break even fuel though. I still have about a hundred gallons of used oil but the propane would ad up quick.

[Defcon-One]

It melts at just under 2000 degrees F. (Copper)

I suspect the copper jackets would bring a lot more as scrap or raw metal if they were cleaned, smelted and cast into ingots! It sells for about $3.50 a pound. That is 4 to 5 times what lead goes for!

A much better use than Lead Evaporation!

[rmatchell]

Well now that the topic has changed I wonder how hard it would be to cast sheet and work it down to gas check thickness. I have seen the molds they use to make brass sheet on ebay.

[btroj]

That would take some sort of roller set up.
If you had a way to melt copper jackets into clean ingots at a reasonable fuel cost it would be a great way to eliminate them.

[lwknight]

I still vote for selling the 1 pound ingots for $15 or $20 on feebay.

[rmatchell]

Yeah you guys do have a point. I guess I need to work on a good range scrap source.