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View Full Version : First attempt at smelting, I think I messed up


Worom
03-05-2013, 12:37 AM
Hi everyone,

Well we made our first attempt at smelting some isotope lead down into ingots using a cast iron dutch oven that I obtained as well as a propane burner. After smelting out the lead the ingots looks oddly colored I think, I attached a picture below.

Any ideas what I did wrong?

63153


Thank you for your help
Packntchr
03-05-2013, 12:45 AM
That's my lovely blue! Others on this page tell me it's just a matter of the melt being too hot. Pretty colors, no?
shredder
03-05-2013, 09:00 AM
I believe those colors are also an indication of very pure lead.
Texantothecore
03-05-2013, 10:25 AM
There are a lot of casters drooling over your pure lead. You did well, grasshopper.
1Shirt
03-05-2013, 10:40 AM
Sure is pretty!
1Shirt!
bobthenailer
03-05-2013, 10:49 AM
IMO you had the lead too hot you only need to heat it to 600 *
docone31
03-05-2013, 10:53 AM
You got good lead. The colour goes away when it gets remelted.
An indication of pretty pure.
Beesdad
03-05-2013, 11:05 AM
You efforts have resulted in good looking ingots.... But your work area looks too clean. I wish mine looked that good....
nhrifle
03-05-2013, 12:09 PM
I got that color from some old, old, old plumbing pipe I was given a couple years ago. That lead casts some of the nicest BP conicals I have ever made, so I am thinking it is pretty close to pure lead.
Beau Cassidy
03-05-2013, 01:42 PM
Good looking ingots. Back off the heat a little and you will be fine.
Worom
03-05-2013, 07:40 PM
Oh man I can't tell you how relieved I am, our initial reaction was uh is it supposed to be that colorful?

Thank you all for your responses.
Defcon-One
03-05-2013, 08:16 PM
Buy a thermometer/pyrometer and pour at around 675-700 degrees F and you'll get real pretty shiny ingots with that lead.

As others have said, the BLUE color is a sign of very a very high pour temp 800+ deg F and also indicates a close to Pure Lead alloy.
runfiverun
03-06-2013, 02:08 PM
yeah that's waaay too hot.
isotopes containers are not pure lead,they are either 1/3/96 or 2.5/2.5/95
i just melted down a couple of hundred pounds of bricks,roof batting,some plumbers ingots,and some other stuff.
and never got the colors or the high amounts of dross,just shiney soft lead ingots.