Lead smelting terminology

[mjwcaster]

So the term ‘smelting’ seems to trigger some casters even worse than the clip/magazine terms.

It seems like you can’t even read a thread about ‘smelting’ range scrap without people yelling that casters do not smelt.

Funny thing is the actual smelting industry seems to refer to the basic process as smelting, differentiating between primary and secondary.

Primary smelting being processing raw ore mined from the ground.
Secondary smelting is recycling previously used lead like batteries.

Ex. http://gravitametals.com/Lead-Smelting.html

You can also find companies that produce smelters just for battery recycling.

I guess if the industry uses the term ‘smelting’ for recovery of used lead it is acceptable for us casters.

After smelting of the basic product then comes refining.

Funny how controversial this subject can be and yet casters seem to have been using industry accepted terminology the whole time.

Time to go refine some lead on my Coleman and then try out my new used Lee 4-20’s.

Next week I hope to do some smelting of range scrap when my new ingot molds arrive, hopefully on a new bigger burner.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[John McCorkle]

Guess I'm out of the cool kids club and don't know what terminology signals I have the right street cred but smelting seems like a good description.

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

[Rightbrained]

I’m a total greenhorn but smelting seems to be the term I would use .

[44Blam]

Well, with range scrap I would think it is smeting because you are extracting lead from all the other dirt, jeckets and crap...

[GregLaROCHE]

Do we cast our boolits in molds or moulds? In this case they’re both right. What difference does it make as long as we get our point across?

[kevin c]

"Refining" or "processing" work for me, though, as GLR said, if I slip up and say smelting, everybody seems to know what I mean.

[robg]

cleaning scrap lead?

[kevin c]

That works too.

[John McCorkle]

Do we cast our boolits in molds or moulds? In this case they’re both right. What difference does it make as long as we get our point across?Or if you're from here in Louisiana, "meauxlds"

Sent from my moto g(7) power using Tapatalk

[mdi]

I got a few flames when I used the term smelting when I first came to castboolits, so I started saying "cleaning". But I think our terminology isn't so precise that "misuse" of one word would make much difference (none) as long as the reader knows what the poster means...

The only terms I don't care for are "pills" and "heads" when talking about bullets/boolits...

[WebMonkey]

he who smelt it, dealt it.

all i'm sayin'.

;)

[454PB]

I call it rendering.

[GregLaROCHE]

How about plain recycling?

[bangerjim]

My term has always been and always will be "re-melting", which is really all we are actually doing. The workers at the REAL lead mines and raw ore processing plants actually do "smelter", through various rather dangerous thermal and chemical processes, the ore to extract the pure Pb. We conveniently only piggyback on their past hard and VERY dangerous work to simply re-melt the Pb and other alloys into cute little muffins and cakes that are then again RE-MELTED in our little casting pots to fill our little molds.

banger :guntootsmiley:

[frkelly74]

I like the term rendering.

[jsizemore]

Do we cast our boolits in molds or moulds? In this case they’re both right. What difference does it make as long as we get our point across?

Exactly. Our ore might have been attached to a wheel or roof or been a water pipe.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I use the terminology and spelling of said words the way I want, I can't be bothered by those who might think it is incorrect. As to the choice of terminology and spelling of said words by others in this casting hobby, that I may not like...I am fine with them, as long as I can understand what is being said.

[dondiego]

I melt down my scrap lead but if you smelt or recycle your scrap, we both end up with ingots.

[imashooter2]

In my old age I’ve stopped paying attention to the shrill screams of the offended.

[Conditor22]

This site coined the word "boolit" so why not "smelting" = rendering lead/lead alloys into ingots

[Brick85]

The only terms I don't care for are "pills" and "heads" when talking about bullets/boolits...

This has always bothered me, too. So at one end is the case head, and then on then other end is the head? Just never made sense to me.

[2A-Jay]

If you Flux your lead melt to remove impurities are you not Smelting and refining at the same time?

[BNE]

I always used the term smelting when reclaiming dirty lead.

I was worried the OP was going to suggest melting down cars batteries. That would have gotten him a real flame on.

[bishopgrandpa]

How about liquifying?

[ioon44]

How about recycling, isn't that what we are doing.

[GregLaROCHE]

I once knew a woman who had a Phd in linguistics. According to her the most important thing in Language is to communicate. The words and grammar we use is of little importance. What is important is that we can communicate among each other.

[GhostHawk]

I think as long as everyone in the hobby understands what is meant by "Smelting" even if the term is not technically correct for the action being performed. Well that is good enough IMO.

Technically I doubt many of us refine raw ore through a multi step process of smelting.

But if Joe mentions that he will be smelting range scrap and COWW ingots into ingots ready to be cast.
Well I understand what he is talking about. And that is what is important IMO. YMMV.

[OS OK]

https://i.imgur.com/YBSNYfg.jpg

[lightman]

I've always called it smelting and no amount of flaming me or correcting me will ever change that! :grin:

[elmacgyver0]

It is a funny, strange thing about language. I was recently chastised for calling a revolver a pistol. Those same people use boolit for bullet, guns for rifles and pistols.
I've never been in the military but have heard the "Here is your rifle, this your gun, this ones for killing this one for..." well you know.
It is funny what people get worked up over.
Think I'll go load up some clips.

It's okay, I have a Garand.

[Shuz]

In my old age I’ve stopped paying attention to the shrill screams of the offended.

Me too-- Not too many of us old pharts left! Glad to see you're still around:drinks:

[elmacgyver0]

Something just popped into my aging mind.
The word "rendering".
When I was a kid on the farm my dad would call the "Rendering Truck" to come pick up a dead cow.
That truck had a certain aroma to it that I will never forget, I have another story about that truck but that's for another time.

[alamogunr]

At least "smelt" is a word no matter how much it deviates from the exact meaning. I've always sort of drawn up when someone uses the word "casted" for past tense of cast. I'm not going to fight that battle either.

[Mitch]

It is just like anything else on this site anything you say is wrong to someone here.I agree with as long as we get the point across.I think we all have a little purist in us just some more then others.

[kevin c]

It is just like anything else on this site anything you say is wrong to someone here.I agree with as long as we get the point across.I think we all have a little purist in us just some more then others.

I disagree...:kidding:

[Lead pot]

:) I been melting lead for over 65 years and 42 years in the plumbing trades. Started at a young age melting and pouring it through a small hole through the sprue plate into a mould. I never refined smelting silver ore to separate the lead from the silver ore. :)

I don't smelt ice to drink the water. :)

[Larry Gibson]

This has always bothered me, too. So at one end is the case head, and then on then other end is the head? Just never made sense to me.

Concur 100%

[elmacgyver0]

:) I been melting lead for over 65 years and 42 years in the plumbing trades. Started at a young age melting and pouring it through a small hole through the sprue plate into a mould. I never refined smelting silver ore to separate the lead from the silver ore. :)

I don't smelt ice to drink the water. :)

I have.:kidding:

[Larry Gibson]

If you Flux your lead melt to remove impurities are you not Smelting and refining at the same time?

By definition in my dictionaries, old and new, it is exactly that. Makes us "smelters" too btw.

[mjwcaster]

I think as long as everyone in the hobby understands what is meant by "Smelting" even if the term is not technically correct for the action being performed. Well that is good enough IMO.

.


But that was the point of my post.
It seems we are using correct terminology, just most people do not realize it and either try to justify it or correct it.
I count myself in that category.

Technically what we as casters are doing is referred to in the industry as secondary smelting.

But it is still smelting

And that means that everyone who just has to speak up and try to correct casters using the term smelting are not only annoying, but wrong.

I just found it interesting to learn.
I used to try to justify using the term smelting even if it was technically incorrect.

We were right and didn’t even know it.

What is it about repeat an untruth often enough it become the truth?
.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lead pot]

Naw, When I do some Smelting I grab the heavy fish dip net and head up the UP Michigan when the Smelt are running and get some Smelt. :D

[wv109323]

Smelting is a process involving heat that extracts the base metal from ore. Ore is a natural occuring substance from the earth. So technically we do not smelt because we are not using ore. But as long as we know what is being said what difference does it make.
We could dump the term smelting and use extraction metallurgy.

[trebleplink]

My father was an English professor. He taught me that clarity was most important - effective communication. Nevertheless, I was taught "correct" pronunciation.

A while back the dictionary folks accepted the fact that word usage changes over time. At the same time, what do we teach kids - the traditional and "correct" pronunciation, or the latest and trendy mispronunciation? 40 years ago "often" had a silent T. Now, even among educated folks, you frequently hear "off-ten." Sometimes errors morph into accepted use - "homing in" turned into "honing in." So, where is the balance between keeping English standard and tolerating "errors"?

[44MAG#1]

I am of the ignorant clan. I load my pot, turn it on, Flux and skim my metal when it melts and start casting. I couldn't care less about terminology or correct pronunciation.
Hands on is my game, Dummy is my name.

[Lead pot]

I wonder if they will update the dictionary translating the words pronunciation in what the call rap music ?

[alamogunr]

My father was an English professor. He taught me that clarity was most important - effective communication. Nevertheless, I was taught "correct" pronunciation.

A while back the dictionary folks accepted the fact that word usage changes over time. At the same time, what do we teach kids - the traditional and "correct" pronunciation, or the latest and trendy mispronunciation? 40 years ago "often" had a silent T. Now, even among educated folks, you frequently hear "off-ten." Sometimes errors morph into accepted use - "homing in" turned into "honing in." So, where is the balance between keeping English standard and tolerating "errors"?

My mother was an elementary school teacher. She taught me the same things. Your post is the first mention I have seen concerning the use of "honing in" in place of "homing in". I was beginning to think that I had imagined saying "homing in" or thinking my mother was wrong about other things concerning the English language.

Thank you!

[dondiego]

I am of the ignorant clan. I load my pot, turn it on, Flux and skim my metal when it melts and start casting. I couldn't care less about terminology or correct pronunciation.
Hands on is my game, Dummy is my name.

If you smelt, recycle, render, or melt, scrap lead in your boolit casting pot..........you shouldn't.........

[44MAG#1]

If you smelt, recycle, render, or melt, scrap lead in your boolit casting pot..........you shouldn't.........

I have done it for years, wrong or right. Have cast bullets for years. I get clean alloy from a friend that has done the dirty work.
I load the pot, turn it on, Flux and skim and then start casting. It has worked for me. I get Lyman #2 from my friend that mixes it to specific blend to get #2 as set forth from a lab he used to make sure it is #2. Again terminology to me is a mute subject. I am not a production outfit.

[dondiego]

I have done it for years, wrong or right. Have cast bullets for years. I get clean alloy from a friend that has done the dirty work.
I load the pot, turn it on, Flux and skim and then start casting. It has worked for me. I get Lyman #2 from my friend that mixes it to specific blend to get #2 as set forth from a lab he used to make sure it is #2. Again terminology to me is a mute subject. I am not a production outfit.

I have actually done it myself early in my casting career. I just had to clean the pot more often and keep an eye on my bullets. They would sometimes get inclusions of crud in them. I would then drain the pot and remove the stem and clean all of the pot parts well and start over. It can certainly be done. I now use a Dutch oven and a turkey fryer to melt down scrap lead.

[44MAG#1]

I have actually done it myself early in my casting career. I just had to clean the pot more often and keep an eye on my bullets. They would sometimes get inclusions of crud in them. I would then drain the pot and remove the stem and clean all of the pot parts well and start over. It can certainly be done. I now use a Dutch oven and a turkey fryer to melt down scrap lead.

I have been casting since 1980 or there about

[charlie b]

This is a lot like the discussions about clips vs magazines (and mags). Bullets vs cartridges or ammunition. Revolvers vs pistols. Firearms vs guns.

Language is not a fixed quantity. ALL of what we use is a mix of what came in the past. Just look up the etymology of most words. It is changing and will change more. And, yes, many slang words will become common terms as well as changes in spelling and pronunciation.

Having said that...most professional areas have a specific meaning to the terms they use, and those differences are very important in that field. What seem like minor changes can have major differences in the meaning, even if the common person does not use them "properly". Smelting is one of those kinds of words.

Explosives. Huge difference between detonation and explosion. To the common person on the street they mean the same thing. Even dictionary descriptions confuse the issue so how is a person to know if they do use the terms wrong according to explosives experts?

[dondiego]

I have been casting since 1980 or there about

My first cast was in 1966 when I was 15.

[trebleplink]

I think you mean "moot." ;)



... Again terminology to me is a mute subject.;)

[44MAG#1]

My first cast was in 1966 when I was 15.


I bow to you sir.

[prs]

Exactly! Rendering.

[bangerjim]

Like I tell my nut-job Democrat "friends" these days:

"If I agree with you.............then we both would be wrong!" :bigsmyl2:

[44MAG#1]

I think you mean "moot." ;)


;)

I also bow to you, Sir

[Walks]

I remember My Dad, Uncle & other Family "refining & blending" lead of different compositions to make the alloys needed.
A 100lb Plumbers Pot was used. It was emptied and cleaned every time it was used.
The same pot was used for Dipper casting 8-10 H&G with bottom pour ladles.
I started Dipper casting using a small cast iron pot on a Coleman stove. A 1cav Lyman mold making #356402 or #358432.
I had to wait until I was 8yrs old. 1962