Flux with candle wax

[oneMOA]

I have about 150 lbs of of pure lead and I plan to smelt it down into useable size (1#) ingots. I will be using a turkey fryer and a cast iron dutch oven and adding tin from RotoMetals for a 20-1 mix. My lead has already been cast into sinkers ranging from 1# to 5# so it will be easy to ratio the tin and lead. My question is about the fluxing. I know I can use sawdust, beeswax, and maybe other stuff as well, but I have about 5# of parrafin and would like to know if this would be suitable for fluxing the lead and tin mix? I cast these sinkers years ago from sheet cable lead and used a commercial flux in stick form which was given to me and have no idea what it was, nor do I have any left.

[WILCO]

I always use candle wax. Use a small amount at a time and watch for flare ups.

[cdngunner]

Wax is not a flux. Flux cleans the melt as well as putting the tin back in the melt.

Wax is only a reductant....puts tin back in

[oneMOA]

Wax is not a flux. Flux cleans the melt as well as putting the tin back in the melt.

Wax is only a reductant....puts tin back in

I'm not sure I understand. Are you saying that candle wax would mix the tin with the lead but would not seperate out the dross so it can be skimmed off?

[Hardcast416taylor]

Stick with sawdust. My mustache thanked me for stopping using candle wax and bullet lube for a fluxing agent due to the sudden "WHOOF" of flame.Robert

[bangerjim]

As said, wax is a reducer not a flux. For dirty grimy COWW's and sewer pipe, use saw dust 3X with a bit of wax the last time.

I use only beeswax because it flairs up MUCH less and smells good! And I have 30# of it! But you can use cheap wax candles. Many use those cheap tea lights from the 99 cent store.

sounds like your lead is pretty clean so you do not need to flux a lot...if any. You really do not need to use uber-fluxing like with dirty melts. The parafin will reuce the tin back in. It is like magic. But is will not remove contaminants and crud like a flux will.


You need to use both.....sawdust flux for smelting.......wax reducing in your casting pot (since you lead ingots SHOULD BE 110% clean and pure). I add a small pea-sized piece of beeswax when I add ingots to my casting pot to reduce the Sn back in. Again......like magic!!!!!!! Shiny smooth silver surface almost immediatley after stirring in.

bangerjim

[oneMOA]

Since my last post on this topic, I've done a bit of research on the forum and read some off site links posted by other forum users. I'm a bit more educated as a result and have a better understanding of "Fluxing." While I don't have any sawdust, I'm sure I can get all I want from the cabinet shop down the road and free for the asking. So sawdust it is.

I have found more lead that I had forgotten about and is about 40# worth. Problem is it's all been painted with probably spray enamel. If I dump these in my dutch oven smelting pot, and flux a bit with sawdust, will the paint just burn off without contaminating my smelt pot? Sorry for so many questions but it seems once I get one question answered, another pops into my head.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Since my last post on this topic, I've done a bit of research on the forum and read some off site links posted by other forum users. I'm a bit more educated as a result and have a better understanding of "Fluxing." While I don't have any sawdust, I'm sure I can get all I want from the cabinet shop down the road and free for the asking. So sawdust it is.

I have found more lead that I had forgotten about and is about 40# worth. Problem is it's all been painted with probably spray enamel. If I dump these in my dutch oven smelting pot, and flux a bit with sawdust, will the paint just burn off without contaminating my smelt pot? Sorry for so many questions but it seems once I get one question answered, another pops into my head.

The paint being lighter than the lead will float free to the surface. It will char from the heat and flame away, if fluxed with sawdust it will burn to ash along with the sawdust.Robert

[oneMOA]

The paint being lighter than the lead will float free to the surface. It will char from the heat and flame away, if fluxed with sawdust it will burn to ash along with the sawdust.Robert

So you feel it will not contaminate my smelting pot and just burn off. I thought this would be the case but I wanted to be sure. Thanks for your reply.

[bangerjim]

You cannot really "contaminate" your steel melting pot with anything!!!!!!!

The paint will carbonize and float on the top. Just like about everything else, even rocks!


Just melt it, flux it, skim it, cast it into ingots.

This is NOT rocket science. We are just melting lead.

banger