Planning for First Smelt

[RoadBike]

I'm s-l-o-w-l-y working toward casting my my own boolits and assembling materials to smelt.

Thus far, I have:

12" dutch oven
Bayou Classic SP1 (jet) burner with regulator, hose, and control valve.
5-gallon propane cylinder, dated 01-16, with propane
Four 6-place steel muffin tins
One Lyman ingot mould
A Lyman bottom-pour dipper
A stainless ladle with a volume slightly larger than an individual muffin space
A long stainless spoon with holes in the bottom for skimming
A cheapo stainless pot for jackets, dross etc.
A gallon plastic bag of oak sawdust, predominantly 60-mesh.
Gulfwax
RCBS casting thermometer is on back order and should arrive very early March.
113 pounds of range scrap picked a piece at a time from the berm at the handgun range. It has been rinsed and will likely be inspected again for rocks and brass. I got permission to mine the berm, but I couldn't do any digging. As the berm was pretty muddy during my mining expeditions, I had to rinse the scrap several times.

The range scrap is a mixture of cast, plated, and jacketed boolits. My only knowledge is what I've gained by reading various and sundry threads here.

At this point, I'm thinking about putting as much scrap as possible in the dutch oven, placing the lid on the pot and letting it "simmer" for a while so that the totally metal cased boolits will rupture and free the lead. Following that I would begin fluxing with sawdust and end up fluxing with wax. I'll probably wait for the thermometer to arrive for when I open the lid, flux, and begin pouring ingots.

Given my complete lack of any hands-on experience in this endeavor, I would appreciate advice/guidance before I light the burner.

Thanks.

[Scorpius]

I'm new as well. I jumped right in dirt and all with my range pickup. Spread out any that don't look broken or lead bottomed whack with hammer.
Wait for thermometer and run it at 600.
Sawdust it. Skim off **** and throw some wax in.
More sawdust and wax once nice and clean pour ingots.
Save copper jackets for recycling. Easy peezy

[rancher1913]

best advice I can give is to keep your heat just hot enough to melt the lead, any hotter and you run the risk of contamination by zinc. I start with what I know for a fact is lead and once it starts melting, back off the heat and add anything else that needs melting. anything that does not readily melt gets thrown out with the dross.

[osteodoc08]

What I didn't see listed was PPE- Personal Protection Equipment. I'd recommend jeans, a long sleeved cotton flannel shirt/jacket, eye protection and leather gloves. I wear my leather boots. Nothing with Nylon.

Id also recommend a stir stick like a paint stirrer to scrap the sides and bottom
really well.

Any FMJ, bust with a hammer to split the jacket.

Fill your pot 3/4 full of range scrap. Heat up until you have a liquidus and back heat to minimum. Skim off all the junk. Add in a handful or two of the wood shavings and wax. ALLOW TO FULLY CHAR ON TOP OF MELT. Then stir stir stir. Skim off junk. Repeat total of 2-3 times. Toss in some wax for a final reducing and allow to melt and flash off a final time. It will burn. Stir again. Toss off junk. You should be left with nice shiny metal alloy. Pour into ingots. Allow to
cool and dump.

NEVER add SOLID range scrap to LIQUID melt. You're asking for a visit from the tinsel fairy. Let the melt cool to solid (it can still be hot, just not liquid). Fill to 3/4 full and start again.

Best of luck

PS, if your melt turns colors like gold and purple, it's way to hot and oxidizing all the good stuff like ton and antimony. Let it cool to solid and reduce with wax as it re melts and stir. Keep heat down this time.

[RoadBike]

What I didn't see listed was PPE- Personal Protection Equipment. I'd recommend jeans, a long sleeved cotton flannel shirt/jacket, eye protection and leather gloves. I wear my leather boots. Nothing with Nylon.

Id also recommend a stir stick like a paint stirrer to scrap the sides and bottom
really well.

Any FMJ, bust with a hammer to split the jacket.

Fill your pot 3/4 full of range scrap. Heat up until you have a liquidus and back heat to minimum. Skim off all the junk. Add in a handful or two of the wood shavings and wax. ALLOW TO FULLY CHAR ON TOP OF MELT. Then stir stir stir. Skim off junk. Repeat total of 2-3 times. Toss in some wax for a final reducing and allow to melt and flash off a final time. It will burn. Stir again. Toss off junk. You should be left with nice shiny metal alloy. Pour into ingots. Allow to
cool and dump.

NEVER add SOLID range scrap to LIQUID melt. You're asking for a visit from the tinsel fairy. Let the melt cool to solid (it can still be hot, just not liquid). Fill to 3/4 full and start again.

Best of luck

PS, if your melt turns colors like gold and purple, it's way to hot and oxidizing all the good stuff like ton and antimony. Let it cool to solid and reduce with wax as it re melts and stir. Keep heat down this time.

Thanks for the tips. I did get some welding gloves (forgot to mention that in original post), and based on what I've read here, will wear eye protection, perhaps a face shield, as well as long sleeves. I'll get some paint sticks.

[Lead Fred]

Ive been casting for decades, and dont have have this stuff.

In fact had to look up what a bottom pour dipper was. Never heard it called that before.

Get rid of the propane stuff, and go with a Lee 20lb electric furnace. your pocket book will love you

[osteodoc08]

Sorry, let me clarify one thing: When dumping from the ingot, allow to cool until it is hard (I use a scribe to mark the ingots while still semi soft Pb for lead, W for wheel weights, LT for linotype), but still hot. If you wait until it is completely to ambient temp, they will stick.

[Steve Steven]

One item I see that won't work is the steel muffin tins, the lead won't release from them. You want the cheap stamped aluminum ones, with no coating on them. DAMHIKT.

Steve

[bangerjim]

Don't mess with "scribing" on the bottom of soft ingots!

Get a set of steel stamps fro Harbor Freight and stamp a 2 or 3 letter code on all your ingots. Figure out what letters mean what to you and write it down. Stamps are PERMANENT! Don;t use Sharpies. They come off.

Invest in REAL ingot molds from Lee or Lyman that cast perfect 1# ingots. Leave the muffin tins for the cook in the kitchen. Real ingots stack lots easier and do not fall over on your toes! I like the Lee ones because they cast 1/2# ingots also...perfect for Sn!

Safety equipment is a good idea. Just don't go overboard! Respirators and full face shields are overkill. Wear safety glasses with side shields. In the many years I have been melting metals, I have never had an accident! Common sense goes a long way......and you cannot buy that in a store. If it looks dangerous.....it probably is! Applies to EVERYTHING in life.

Have fun melting lead.

banger

[fast ronnie]

Maybe use an old propane tank cut in half for smelting. Use your 20# pot for casting and keep it clean using ingots, not to smelt. To much junk in smelting to gum things up.

[leebuilder]

Plus one on all above. I separate my smelting gear from my casting gear. Casting to me is a cleaner get the mold hot and give-er type of deal, were as smelting is a dirty hot, get it clean and in the ingot mold operation. One thing I had to change were my ingots, I used the mini muffin type trays, makes a good ingot and you can pour 6lbs quite quick, but the ingots did not fit in my bottom pour melter so I made my own out of 1" channel iron. I can fill my melter properly before I plug it in.
And situational awareness and common sense a must.
Be well

[Yodogsandman]

I like to mark my ingots by stacking them up and spray painting the ends, different colors for different alloys, red is COWW, green is pure lead, etc. I just use whatever spray paint is in the bargain bin for a buck. It's cheap, easy and fast. Some day I'll get back around to stamping them permanently.

Wear all your safety gear. Add range scrap only into a non-molten pot, to warm the scrap up, steaming off any moisture. Beware of the Tinsel Fairy!

[country gent]

Another piece of saftey gear is heavy shoes or better still boots perferably leather. Any spills go down to were your feet are. STart with solid pot as stated it can be hot when filling so any trapped moisture burns off before becoming trapped in molten metal and summoning the tinsel fairy to your operation. A good wind break and cover help maximize heat

[RoadBike]

Don't mess with "scribing" on the bottom of soft ingots!

Get a set of steel stamps fro Harbor Freight and stamp a 2 or 3 letter code on all your ingots. Figure out what letters mean what to you and write it down. Stamps are PERMANENT! Don;t use Sharpies. They come off.

Invest in REAL ingot molds from Lee or Lyman that cast perfect 1# ingots. Leave the muffin tins for the cook in the kitchen. Real ingots stack lots easier and do not fall over on your toes! I like the Lee ones because they cast 1/2# ingots also...perfect for Sn!

Safety equipment is a good idea. Just don't go overboard! Respirators and full face shields are overkill. Wear safety glasses with side shields. In the many years I have been melting metals, I have never had an accident! Common sense goes a long way......and you cannot buy that in a store. If it looks dangerous.....it probably is! Applies to EVERYTHING in life.

Have fun melting lead.

banger

While I was getting the welding gloves, I bought a set of steel stamps. I'll end up using them for smelting as well as other uses.

[lightman]

It sounds like you are well prepared. Better than most of us were on our first time out! Make sure that your spoons and dippers are either one piece or that they are riveted together. If soldered, the heat can finally melt the solder that holds them together. I started a thread awhile back about marking ingots. Many of those that use stamps have engineered a way to put 2 or more together. Tape will work for this. I use a one piece ground rod clamp to hold 2 or 3 together. I priced having a few custom stamps made with 3 or 4 letter words but did not want to pay the $50 each price. Good Luck! Be sure to take pictures when you get started. We like pictures!

[RoadBike]

It sounds like you are well prepared. Better than most of us were on our first time out! Make sure that your spoons and dippers are either one piece or that they are riveted together. If soldered, the heat can finally melt the solder that holds them together. I started a thread awhile back about marking ingots. Many of those that use stamps have engineered a way to put 2 or more together. Tape will work for this. I use a one piece ground rod clamp to hold 2 or 3 together. I priced having a few custom stamps made with 3 or 4 letter words but did not want to pay the $50 each price. Good Luck! Be sure to take pictures when you get started. We like pictures!

Thanks for the tip on ganging the letters! That's a great idea.

Edit: I checked out the post for marking ingots. Good thread.

Yes, my spoons are one-piece.

[jimofaz]

+1 on country gent's post. I would also caution that some of the cheaper variety of turkey cooker burners are not strong enough to make sure the legs don't collapse on you. Check the welds and reinforce with extra steel if needs be.

[wills]

+1 on country gent's post. I would also caution that some of the cheaper variety of turkey cooker burners are not strong enough to make sure the legs don't collapse on you. Check the welds and reinforce with extra steel if needs be.

Get on top of the stand and jounce up and down a few times. If it holds you it should hold any reasonable amount of lead.

The Lyman dipper is not big enough to be useful for smelting. It is intended for casting.

Rowell bottom pour ladles come in several sizes.
http://www.advancecarmover.com/rowellbottom-pouringladles.aspx

[WRideout]

I routinely use a cast iron pot to smelt range lead. At first I tried the usual fluxes, but one day I decided to use some rancid vegetable oil that I kept in the shop for general lubrication. The oil worked extremely well, and seemed to coat the non-lead portions, leaving them rather clean. Nowadays I my flux is used motor oil, which is cheap, but smells like an underhood car fire. I usually scoop all the jackets and crud into a big aluminum catering tray (you know the kind) and hand sort out the empty copper jackets. I usually find some solid jacketed bullets that need to be modified with a hammer and chisel; these go back in the melt. I was pleasantly surprised at what I got for a coffee can of jackets at the scrap yard.

Avoid wearing anything nylon or synthetic, since it will stick to your skin when it melts. Military aviators go cotton all the way down to underwear.

Wayne

[afish4570]

One item I see that won't work is the steel muffin tins, the lead won't release from them. You want the cheap stamped aluminum ones, with no coating on them. DAMHIKT.

Steve

I use steel and alum or my 1 cast iron muffin tins for ingot molds. The trick is to take the steel tins and heat them real hot over burner and leave them out in the wet weather to form a rusted surface. This works for me along with a squirt of used motor oil or candle shavings to make ingots to freely drop out. A breeze helps keep the smoke and fumes away from you. I use kitty litter to help hold smoke down and hold heat into pot too. Make sure pants are long enough so a lead splash won't drop down your boots (I won't wear sneakers anymore). Range lead has moisture trapped in the jacketed bullets and a squirt of lead and steam into the mixture might get you if you get to close to pot. I have made up broom handle extensions on my skimmers and ladles to handle molten lead and keep a safe distance. A heavy piece of tin to cover pot can be handled with pliers and hold heat and splashes under control. Add no mined range lead to smelting pot once once the molten lead is visible. Any tiny drop of moisture trapped in a piece added is all it takes to have an eruption (a term called a visit by the tinsel ferry). If the ferry arrives you will be amazed how fast you move. Hats, eye protection, cotton clothes, no polyester clothes that stick to you when melted, leather gloves & boots. Cool weather is more comfortable to smelt in, ever since I learned shorts weren't a good idea 20 + yrs. ago. afish4570@gmail.com

[wills]

One item I see that won't work is the steel muffin tins, the lead won't release from them. You want the cheap stamped aluminum ones, with no coating on them. DAMHIKT.

Steve

No, we have explained this before. See the following

Rusty ingot molds

Regarding the virtues of rusty ingot molds.


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ght=leave+rain (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=2809&highlight=leave+rain)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...81&postcount=7 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=31181&postcount=7)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...86&postcount=9 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=31186&postcount=9)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...8&postcount=14 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=31388&postcount=14)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...t=rusty+muffin (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=6344&highlight=rusty+muffin)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...7&postcount=20 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=29467&postcount=20)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...t=rusty+muffin (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=2051&highlight=rusty+muffin)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...8&postcount=10 (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showpost.php?p=15158&postcount=10)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...t=rusty+muffin (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=1375&highlight=rusty+muffin)
__________________

[Echo]

About the only addition I have to this thread is that I use different molds for different alloys. If the ingot is from an ingot mold made of angle-iron, the alloy is WW+2%Sn. If it is a 5-lb ingot formed by filling a standard 4-cell ingot mold to the edge, it is 7-1 WW-Monotype or 10-1 WW-Foundry, both w/an additional 1%Sn. If it is from a muffin tin, it is either WW's or range lead.
And I have painted some ingot molds with HT paint. Haven't tried them yet, but intend to this coming week. Lyman molds orange, RCBS green, &cetera.