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View Full Version : What is the melt telling me?



shootzemm58
12-22-2014, 05:56 PM
This past saturday after casting a batch of .410's for my M58 i decided to do a batch of .224's for my 222Rem. With about an inch of melt in the bottom of my pot(lead/pewter mix-approx 95%-5%), i added 1-3 lb. ingot of Lino and fluxed with beeswax @ approx. 650 degrees and got some beautiful colors; A dusty purple, dark and light cobalt blue and after skimming a light iridescent gold! I fluxed again, skimmed and started pouring, got 37 nicely filled out lyman 225646/55 gr/gc boolits. Additionally the dross i skimmed was considerable in mass, lumpy and easily 6 oz.s, so what is the melt telling me?

30Carbine
12-22-2014, 08:01 PM
Well it sounds like your melt is to hot, the gold is usually tin. the stuff you took out needs to go back into it, you are skimming all the goody out. pure lead will turn blue and purple when to hot.

shootzemm58
12-22-2014, 08:13 PM
Thanks 30carbine. Glad i saved the dross and i`m not surprised to hear you say its too hot, i`m using a Chinese Lyman thermometer which reads 900 at lead melt point, and thats why i`m trying to learn what the melt is telling me.

Lumpy grits
12-22-2014, 08:23 PM
900* is to hot.
LG

garandsrus
12-22-2014, 08:31 PM
Your thermometer may be off. Your temp was not high enough to melt the type metal into your pot. You also need to flux to help everything combine.

pretzelxx
12-22-2014, 09:21 PM
Its sad cause I got the same thermometer today in the mail. It might be a while till I get to using it. I don't want to be past the return time before it gets touched!

tomme boy
12-22-2014, 09:23 PM
Reset the thermo. Loosen the nut underneath and align it with the right temp.

4719dave
12-26-2014, 07:08 PM
TURN THE HEAT DOWN BABY ..... its way too hot in here

62chevy
12-26-2014, 09:55 PM
Its sad cause I got the same thermometer today in the mail. It might be a while till I get to using it. I don't want to be past the return time before it gets touched!

I have the Lyman and it dead on. Test it in boiling water, not the slow boil at first but the fast rolling boil you get after a few minutes.

shootzemm58
12-26-2014, 10:02 PM
There isnt a nut, shaft is pressed into dial body.

lwknight
12-27-2014, 01:28 AM
Can you just pull it off and stick it back on in the right place?

Lumpy grits
12-27-2014, 01:08 PM
Can you just pull it off and stick it back on in the right place?

What are you talk'n about? "Pull" what off?
LG

MT Chambers
12-31-2014, 10:18 PM
If you stare at it too long you will get sleepy, very sleepy.