I think I have some contaminated lead.

[cgs500]

I picked up a ton (literally) of roofing flashing and what looks like pipe vent flashing. This is very soft and cuts with a pair of snips easily. I started casting some Lee Key Drive Slugs last night and everything was going fine. Today, I started casting and the first few were OK, but after adding more lead to the pot, I noticed the surface of the lead looking very similar to when a piece of steel gets hot and turns blue.

The mix was starting to plug up the bottom pour nozzle and acting like zinc, except the mold was filling out fine. All the lead added to the pot was in the form of strips cut from the sheet of flashing. There was some drywall adhesive that I smacked on the tailgate of a trailer to break off, but other than that, this sheet is clean. I am trying to wrap my head around this one. Anyone have anything tips on where my problem might lie? The pot never seen anything but soft lead as I have dedicated pots,one for harder alloys and one for soft to cast for muzzleloader, buckshot and slugs.


Thanks!

[Yodogsandman]

With pure lead like flashing material, a blue metallic hue on top of the lead melt is what you should expect to see.

Sounds like your pot was too cool. Maybe from adding the sprues back in?

[nagantguy]

Been using old sheet roofing lead for casting REALS for the smoke.pole, see the same thing from time to time, usually after I add some lead to the ppt, too cool, I hit it with the toruch and I'm back in business!

[triggerhappy243]

WELL......... You should have melted/smelted it in a cast iron pot and cleaned it up a little bit before you put it into the bottom pour pot. this much , I have learned here soo far.

[cgs500]

WELL......... You should have melted/smelted it in a cast iron pot and cleaned it up a little bit before you put it into the bottom pour pot. this much , I have learned here soo far.

I guess I'll have to go this route, I thought with the lead as clean as it looked, I'd be OK fluxing with wood chips and a little candle wax in the bottom pour. Lesson learned.

[Scooby]

I smelt it flux twice and pour into corn cob ingots. Every once in a while it still plugs the spout, either turn the heat up or hit the pour spout with some heat. I also make REAL, RB, and Lee slugs.

[bangerjim]

ALWAYS melt your raw lead (whatever form it is in, even if it LOOKS clean!) in your big melting pot (not your casting pot) and flux 2-3x with pine sawdust to get rid of any oxides and dirt. Cast it into ingots you KNOW are 100% clean and pure. Roof lead will have a lot of oxides on it and you do not want that in your bottom pour pot! I have processed a lot of it and it is amazing how much garbage you get from fluxing and skimming. And...........a "must-do" for WW's!

Pure lead will turn all colors of the rainbow, especially when you get it too hot. Hurts nothing.

Ant the trick of heating your pour spout with a flex-neck butane grill lighter..............works GREAT! I have one right by my side all the time when casting.

banger