Question about Marvelux

[Maven]

A writer on another site claims, "... [Marvelux] seems to work well although sometimes it catches on fire while you are stirring it." He also stated that when casting long range boolits, it "bursts into flame" at 830 deg. F. Is this even remotely possible? Btw, I couldn't locate a MSDS sheet for it, but I wrote to Brownells asking this very question. No reply yet.

[Hickory]

I have been using (it) Marvelux off and on for 30+ years and never had it catch fire.
Why would anyone run lead at 830 degrees?

[454PB]

It won't burn or smoke, that's it's selling points.

[Bent Ramrod]

I've had a friend tell me it catches fire now and then. He sprinkles small amounts on the lead surface with a salt shaker. I put a small teaspoonful on the surface and stir it in as it melts, so there is no opportunity for small particles to overheat.

I use Marvelux when the lead is very dirty or highly oxidized. If it is used exclusively, it slowly builds up a stonelike ring around where the lead surface is most commonly located, and eventually I have to chip this away from the pot walls. If I alternate other fluxes like wax, rosin or sawdust with the Marvelux, the ring builds up extremely slowly or not at all.

I've never gotten a lead pot above 750 degrees or so, at least according to my Lyman thermometer. The rheostat dial does say 800 and better when I dial in the thermometer reading; maybe that is what your writer means.

[Maven]

All, I've used Marvelux for +25 yrs. as well because I cast indoors and it does a good job removing impurities. Frankly I don't think there's anything in it that is flammable, certainly not at 830 deg. F.

[cbrick]

Marvelux is borax, it will go a long way to clean up your alloy. In the process it will also remove oxidized tin and leave the most horrid caked on gunk in your pot & on your tools. Nasty enough that it will take a good stiff wire brush mounted in a drill motor to get rid of it. Wear a good mask, the dust is horrible. It is also hydroscopic absorbing moisture right out of the air creating the very real risk of the tinsel fairy coming to visit you.

Rick

[Maven]

Rick, I know about those deposits, but the good news is they're water soluble. I fill my unplugged Lee furnaces with hot water, dump it out, refill, etc., until the pots are clean.

[Jon]

I bought some when I first started casting. It leaves a really hard resin on my pot, and stirring spoon. I don't use it anymore. Candlewax and maybe some sawdust works fine for me.

[454PB]

Yes, you should always preheat your stirrer or dipper, but that is also true if you use other fluxing materials.

As far as the crud build up, it's never been a problem for me, and I ignore it. My oldest Lee pot is 35 years old, has always been used with Marvelux, and still working just fine. I've even seen claims that using Marvelux will cause your pot to rust out.....which is not true.

[pcmacd]

Yes, you should always preheat your stirrer or dipper, but that is also true if you use other fluxing materials.

As far as the crud build up, it's never been a problem for me, and I ignore it. My oldest Lee pot is 35 years old, has always been used with Marvelux, and still working just fine. I've even seen claims that using Marvelux will cause your pot to rust out.....which is not true.

Well, I had a friend who thought it was a hoot to melt down wheel weights and make ingots.... he never got around to casting bullets.

He used a Lee 10# pot and nothing but Marvelux.... and his pot liner rusted out after about a year, then he gave it to me. Lee replaced the liner for free.

Lee products are HIGHLY UNDERRATED.

[454PB]

Well, I had a friend who thought it was a hoot to melt down wheel weights and make ingots.... he never got around to casting bullets.

He used a Lee 10# pot and nothing but Marvelux.... and his pot liner rusted out after about a year, then he gave it to me. Lee replaced the liner for free.

Lee products are HIGHLY UNDERRATED.

I actually have three Lee pots, and none have rusted. Perhaps your friend left his pot outside or in a moist environment.

[Martin Luber]

It's hydroscopic, it absorbs moisture and that will rust your stuff. BTDT, tossed the rest out.

[15meter]

It's hydroscopic, it absorbs moisture and that will rust your stuff. BTDT, tossed the rest out.


It certainly built up crud in my pot and to my eye was rusting the pot, quit using and scrubbed the pot well and the corrosion stopped.

I gave the can I had to a guy I didn't like, he thought it was great that he got it for free.

(He's so tight he takes the battery out of car at night in the winter and takes it in the house to keep it warm. Cold is hard on batteries and he doesn't have to buy a new one as often:roll: yeah, he's that cheap)

Never asked why I was giving away valuable stuff.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I love it when an old thread is revived [smilie=w:

as the old saying goes..."Less is more"
While I am not a fan of Marvelux, I understand that the secret of successful use in boolit casting pots, is to use a very small amount and only when needed, don't allow it to build up on the pot walls.

[mac1911]

I love it when an old thread is revived [smilie=w:

as the old saying goes..."Less is more"
While I am not a fan of Marvelux, I understand that the secret of successful use in boolit casting pots, is to use a very small amount and only when needed, don't allow it to build up on the pot walls.

I cant even think of how much you need to use to get a masive build up on your pot.
I bought the small container many years ago , directions say something like peasize