Smelting? Not likely.

[sharps4590]

Smelt/smelting is a word one sees frequently used on the site, and used incorrectly. I would be mightily impressed if anyone had the equipment to smelt lead. We melt it, plain and simple, that is all we do.

Smelting: Uses suitable reducing substances that will combine with those oxidizing elements to free the metal. Reduction is the final high temperature step in smelting. It is here the oxide becomes the final elemental metal.

Sooo...smelting is part of the process of extracting the metal from the ore, not something done at home with a lead furnace or other source of heat and casting into bullets or ingots. That is simply melting lead, not "smelting".

[Froogal]

Smelt/smelting is a word one sees frequently used on the site, and used incorrectly. I would be mightily impressed if anyone had the equipment to smelt lead. We melt it, plain and simple, that is all we do.

Smelting: Uses suitable reducing substances that will combine with those oxidizing elements to free the metal. Reduction is the final high temperature step in smelting. It is here the oxide becomes the final elemental metal.

Sooo...smelting is part of the process of extracting the metal from the ore, not something done at home with a lead furnace or other source of heat and casting into bullets or ingots. That is simply melting lead, not "smelting".

This subject has been discussed before, and many different opinions have been expressed, BUT, I agree with what you said.

[sharps4590]

Froogal, I did not know that or I wouldn't have started the thread.

[Hanzy4200]

But smelting sounds so much more intriguing! Don't go peeing in all our cereal.

[Jackpine]

But smelting sounds so much more intriguing! Don't go peeing in all our cereal.

Agreed. It is a PITA job, which has to be done, so if I can feel a little more glorified, I will take the benefit. (or did I just hit an extra key with my fat fingers and misspelll "melt???!!!"

[dragon813gt]

Do you realize how many times this has been discussed? It’s the same thing every time. There are may terms used incorrectly. Caliber and cartridge are probably used incorrectly more than any other terms. As far as “smelting”, you won’t change anyone’s use of the term through education. Hasn’t worked in the past and won’t work in the future.

[Dusty Bannister]

Interesting, some feel it important to differentiate between smelting and melting scrap lead, and take no notice when people say they "casted" a pile of "cast" bullets. Perhaps it is more important that the reader understand the action undertaken rather than grammer being used?

[Chill Wills]

Smelt/smelting is a word one sees frequently used on the site, and used incorrectly. I would be mightily impressed if anyone had the equipment to smelt lead. We melt it, plain and simple, that is all we do.
That is simply melting lead, not "smelting".

I know! And agree. At first it bugged the $#*& out of me, but I think most people know better and enjoyed using the slang term tongue-in-cheek, so I got over it:-P
Just one of those things.

In these times, I am far more "bugged" by national events to even think about causing unrest here among us like minded people.

Be safe and happy scrap lead rendering.

[TjB101]

Would deriving lead from range scrap be considered smelting in light of you definition?

[Thumbcocker]

I kind of like "rendering" myself.

[richhodg66]

I always heard that "he who smelt it, dealt it".

If this is the most upsetting thing you see discussed on this site, you have an awfully easy life.

[JimB..]

Really, I’ve been picturing all the members having ore crushers in their back yards, buildings with furnaces and big slag piles that they routinely dispose of quietly in local forests and fields. Just thought it was either so common that it wasn’t even being discussed or that everyone is silent on it because they are operating illegally as there hasn’t been a new lead smelter approved in the US in a long time.

Sarcasm off.

It doesn’t matter because usage is unlikely to change, but what would be the proper terminology for using heat and mechanical action to separate an alloy of lead, tin, antimony and arsenic from other items that are suspended in the alloy? It’s more than melting, and it’s not really smelting ore, so what is it?

[45-70 Chevroner]

I have always used melting as it is easier to type and even easier to say than, what was that word again, oh! Smelting. He is right though but it is a moot point. A lot of things written on here are sometimes hard to get the point so you have to read between the lines. Have a good day and happy melting, smelting, rendering, heating up, and casting, casted or what ever you want to call it, we will figure it out and give you the best answer we can come up with.

[sharps4590]

Refining comes to mind to define the entire process. Seems to be what all the local mining engineers use. Maybe I notice it more than others because I live very near what used to be the "Rolla School of Mines" and am surrounded by engineers of all stripes and, most of the Deer Run mines and facilities are less than 50 miles from me. In other words, I live in the lead belt, the largest lead deposits in the world.

I wasn't trying to stir the pot or be critical nor was I aware it had been discussed at length previously as I mentioned. If I'm using a word or term incorrectly I'd prefer to know so as not to appear I don't know what I'm talking about. The thread can be let go or deleted but it won't change the facts.

[JimB..]

I can get behind “refining” and do tend towards precision in language, it was just easy to be snarky.

[Scrounge]

I can get behind “refining” and do tend towards precision in language, it was just easy to be snarky.

I've read extensively in melting and casting jewelry and utility metals, and actually melted and cast a little bit in aluminum. Got friends in my local area who cast brass & iron as well, for railroad & model railroad equipment. It's generally referred to as melting. Fluxing, degassing, and skimming dross are normal activities in those realms. Aluminum oxidized very easily, so it's an utter necessity with that metal. Some of the extreme jewelers will actually refine their scrap, but most folks just send it off to be refined unless they're cheap bastriches like me. Unfortunately, I'm just a bit of grammar nazi, so I dislike the misuse of "smelting." Though I'll probably get over it one of these days. ;) And I snark quite easily but I'm trying not to go overboard with it. :)

[toallmy]

I’m horrible with grammar & spelling , so I’m perfectly happy Casting boolits

[Dapaki]

Well.... Thank you so very much! I'll just go play with my 100 round-clip-mag if you all are gonna be so SMELTy!

:kidding:

[smithnframe]

I'm with Sharps4590!

[Texas by God]

I smelt it- then quickly blamed it on the dog[emoji16]

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk

[Hossfly]

It gets melted no mater which way you say it, unlike sublimation, which matter goes from a solid to a gas without going thru the liquid phase. Like solid Co2. Or Ice in a frost free freezer.

[sharps4590]

Interesting, some feel it important to differentiate between smelting and melting scrap lead, and take no notice when people say they "casted" a pile of "cast" bullets. Perhaps it is more important that the reader understand the action undertaken rather than grammer being used?

That's grammatically incorrect whereas "smelting" when referring to melting lead is process incorrect. If one is melting lead, whether new, range pick-up, roof flashing, plumbing pipe or telephone line lead, that's all it is. Melting down and cleaning reclaimed lead is no more smelting than is melting new lead. Neither is beginning with ore.

I can enjoy some snarkiness and sarcasm as usually there's a bit of humor to be found.

[Idz]

To add to the confusion: If you cook range scrap in a closed container you produce a lot of carbon from the organic bits in it. And some of the lead and tin from the bullet fragment dust has been oxidized. Lead or tin oxide is reduced by carbon to metallic form beginning at temperatures around 550 F so we actually are converting 'ore' to metal.

[MT Gianni]

If what we do is just melt alloy, why is there dross? I have no problem with using smelting, though I have lived near smelters much of my life.

[gwpercle]

We know it's incorrectly used terminology ... like the term boolit isn't even a real word ...but that's what we call it !
Remember ...When in Rome speak as the Romans do ...
well you in Cast Boolit Land ... get with the lingo .
My favorite term is Beagling... you wont believe what the Urban Dictionaries definition of beagling is ...look it up !!! I never Knew !!!
Gary

[kmw1954]

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/render

This is the term and definition I use. I render from one form to another form by melting.

[Green Lizzard]

Well, none of us can spell bullet either (I know I googled it), then in the bible they would "try" it along with their gold and silver

Bill

[lightman]

I'm guilty of using the word "smelting" and probably will continue to do so even though I know that its incorrect. It won't be the first time that I misused a word.

[rking22]

I don’t use it myself as I know the actual process, but I know what people are referring to when it is used here. Same with clip/mag and 45 long colt, and all the other terms people want to nit pick over. As a personality that wants to receive and provide the most correct information, I find my tolerance of the “inaccuracies “ in my hobby to be refreshing, I am becoming more human. ;)

[KYCaster]

I'M MAD AS HELL AND I'M NOT GOING TO TAKE IT ANY MORE!!!
IT'S NOT SMELTING, IT'S RENDERIING!

Whew! I'm glad I got that out of my system. I don't really want to be the grammar police, but apparently somebody has to do it.

It's kinda like rendering lard. You start with something you can't use in its current form (pig fat or range scrap) and through the judicious application of heat and processing you RENDER it into a more usable form (lard or lead).
In the course of the process you also produce a by product (cracklin's or dross).
So, Ummmmm... here the analogy starts going off track because the dross is pretty much useless and has to be disposed of, but the cracklins are really tasty and make an excellent snack. So, eat the cracklins, don't eat the dross, it's probably not good for you.

Just my not so humble opinion.
Jerry

PS... Don't try to fight the barn cat for the cracklins, you'll lose and end up bleeding!

[rking22]

Now I’m hungry! I think we have suffered thread drift .....

[elmacgyver0]

I don't remember ever using the term smelting when cleaning up my lead.
But thanks to this thread or as some say tread that is about to change.

[bishopgrandpa]

Smelt-melt
Bullet-boolit
How many words can we add to tje list?

[Froogal]

Froogal, I did not know that or I wouldn't have started the thread.

Not a problem. Obviously this subject does need to be brought up and discussed more than once.

[mdi]

Wow! I've been a member of castboolits since 2008 (after lurking for about a year) and I have no idea how the forum survived with us all using one incorrect word. Maybe we should demand that all moderators have an English degree so they can tell us if our vocabulary and grammar are correct.

But dis ole guy seed to git da jest of whut thu udder guys were talikn' 'bout when day wus say tings rong...

[Jackpine]

mdj,

I married into a full blooded Norveeegin family MANY years ago, and long ago learned how to translate mispoken words, and so never even noticed any of these words might be wrong.

All I have to say is "UFFDA!"

[Conditor22]

smelt
boolit
beagleing
Leementing

[Mal Paso]

Smelting no longer means what it used to. The definition has been diluted and there's no getting it back. I almost bought a Bureau of Land Management t shirt until I found that's not what BLM means anymore. Try to get that one back. LOL

[mdi]

The "American" language changes almost daily. New words and terms are coined and older words change meaning. I'm sure if one was diligent enough (and really cared :veryconfu) they could find hundreds of "misused" words and terms. I grew up in the ghetto, but also went to college so I have no trouble understanding a friend from the 'hood or a college professor and never once misunderstood a member's post (unless they used abbreviations or acronyms I've never seen) and I think this whole thread is a waste of effort...

[Newboy]

Just a part of the gradual dumbing down of our nation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[redhawk0]

I think we are smelting. Its removing the impurities to get to the base metal...in our case the desired alloy being our base metal.

Its all semantics...Not really important by any means.

redhawk

[dondiego]

It should be called thermorestabilization anyway!

[Mitch]

oh my again this has been beat to death long ago.

[Gtek]

2020, a year for the books!!!!

[sharps4590]

Just a part of the gradual dumbing down of our nation.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

How true.

[Wayne Smith]

Remember 'normality'? President Wilson changed it to 'normalcy" and the English language hasn't been the same since!

[Slugster]

I used to care, now I'm just amused.

[LabGuy]

I use rendering. Wheel weights, range scrap, whatever...

[elmacgyver0]

I use rendering. Wheel weights, range scrap, whatever...

The rendering company used to pick our dead cows when I was a lad back on the farm.
I can still remember the rendering truck guy sitting on the back of a dead Holstein eating his lunch (darn near tossed my cookies that Holstein was pretty ripe!).