calsite
03-06-2008, 03:54 AM
I've been driving around all winter with some lead sheeting and WW's that I scored for traction, getting kinda tired of hearing the stuff role around so I sat down the other day and starting smelting. I decided, Let's make some #2 alloy first and then see what I have left, I was melting at approx. 650, approx. 1/2 & 1/2 soft lead to WW's about 20#'s and I even added little bit of pure tin, I'm guessing about a pound and a quarter. Fluxed with parafin and Walnut sawdust. The tin I have is round balls about the diameter of a quarter, I added 6 balls. (haven't gotten around to weighing a ball yet. My bars came out very dull looking, almost whiteish in color, like old coin silver, also they had little sparkles in them. I wouldn't think the 650 would've been to hot. Could this just be some kinda outter oxidation? Too much tin ?? Haven't cast any of this stuff yet.
Day#2, I finished up melting down the rest of my sheet lead into bars, fluxed a couple of times with sawdust and parafin, man the crap just kept coming to the top, yellowish dust after awhile, couldn't get rid of it. I almost took a pic and submitted it of my pan, it looked like I was smelting gold. What was this stuff?????
Day#2, I finished up melting down the rest of my sheet lead into bars, fluxed a couple of times with sawdust and parafin, man the crap just kept coming to the top, yellowish dust after awhile, couldn't get rid of it. I almost took a pic and submitted it of my pan, it looked like I was smelting gold. What was this stuff?????