What is this stuff from my lead?

[TheFirst]

When I make ingots I seem to end up with some of this stuff left over when I use up the pot. Its separate from the lead, but you dont really see it until its solidified into this weird form. I was thinking maybe it is tin/antimony coming out of the alloy. Any info would be appreciated.

http://i.imgur.com/JrYo0n8.jpg

[sqlbullet]

Just add it back into your next pot. These are the metal-oxides that occur as the pot is emptied and not fluxed again.

[TheFirst]

Cool, thanks! I kept them in a little baggy just in case it was something worth keeping. Ill toss em in my next batch.

[bangerjim]

Yes ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^. Re-melt on next batch and flux/reduce!!!!!!!! Do not throw that stuff away. Unless you like wasting tin.

banger

[KYCaster]

It's normal dross with lots of metal trapped in it. Flux it right and you'll get the fluffy gray dross without all the metal in it.

If your dross has metallic flakes in it, then you're throwing away good metal.

Jerry

[MaryB]

I always recycle it into the next batch of lead. Going to have a little no matter what so it goes in a metal container and saved.

[silverado]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/15/pu5uty7y.jpg
This is what I have been skimming off the top of my pot.... I haven't had fill out issues and the bhn of water dropped WW is about 17 or 18, I haven't bothered not water dropping because it seems easier to me. I have been fluxing with sawdust and parrafin wax

[bangerjim]

Anything other than lightweight dust and oxides is metal.........usually tin and antimony. I melt it again.....separately from other stuff when I get a bunch of it in a coffee can.

banger

[RP]

Something else to keep in mind is when you flux your casting pot hold on to that also and add it aback when you are smelting. I can not say that your gaining a lot but why not try to keep all the good stuff you may skim off a little here and there adds up in life. When I smelt I flux a lot removing as much trash as I can but I like a layer over my casting pot to keep the oxidation away I use old walnut media BTW. I skim that off when I add more to the pot because it will get pushed under the lead and start sticking to the sides and bottom of the pot. I may be getting carried away with all that but I get good results with my routine.

[leadman]

I found that paraffin seems to separate the metal out of the dross better than bees wax or wood chips. It is amazing that the light weight dross can become trapped on the bottom of the pot. I use a 5 gallon sized paint stick to try to get it off the bottom but always have some left. I have gone to fluxing my smelting pot that hold 148 pounds at least twice during the ingot pours.