Will zinc hurt any of my equpiment in anyway?

[WolfSpring]

Before I even asked this my thought is there is no way but better safe then sorry.

I don't have a lot of zinc, probably a pound. If I were to use my electric furnace(it's all I have right now) and my dipper, mold, etc. and I were just using it for making round balls would it hurt any of my equipment used? The only issue I could see is any bit left over on the equipment would get melted into the next bit of lead I tried to do. I would only be using these for sling shot balls and nothing else. Figure got no other use for them. I could always get a different dipper used specifically for zinc.

[JSnover]

Just pour it all out when you finish. Traces of zinc in your round ball alloy are not a big deal.

[karlrudin]

From what I have heard, zinc will ruin lead alloys, like 1 part zinc to 1000 parts lead. Like JSnover, make sure and get rid of all traces of zinc. Or better yet, have 2 different set ups completely. IMO

[mikeym1a]

If you are not mixing the two, just clean out your furnace when done. Even if a bit remains, I have read that lead will absorb 1% zinc with no problems, it merely hardens the mix. More than that may cause poor alloy, but, it can be removed by melting at 650degrees, and skimming off the 'oatmeal' that is the zinc. I have used the same furnace to smelt WW's, and to cast boolits. I simply cleaned the inside of the furnace really well with a wire wheel, until I was content that was clean (shiney!). Zinc melts at about 785degrees, so, you will have to run your pot really hot. Have fun, and good luck! mikey

[JSnover]

Just to be clear, your equipment will not be damaged in any way. Your round balls can be pure zinc (or almost anything else) if you're casting for slingshots. If you were to switch to boolits, small amounts would not necessarily ruin the batch. I think in the muzzle loader section someone quoted an old manual instructing the caster to add a bit of zinc to increase the hardness and resist fouling.

[DLCTEX]

Up to 2% zinc in your alloy is no big deal and there is no effect on equipment after cleaning, or really just emptying the pot.

[Defcon-One]

No way! So, your initial assumption was right.

[dikman]

I'm puzzled - how does adding zinc reduce fouling in a BP muzzleloader?:veryconfu