Oxides, remove before smelting?

[Butzbach]

Folks,

I have some recovered boolits, WWs, and old fishing sinkers I would like to add to my Linotype to make a good alloy. Some of this lead is oxidized. Should I remove the oxidation before adding it to the pot?
If so, what’s the best way to remove it while keeping the dust to a minimum?

[smithnframe]

Throw it in the pot and skim the dross off after fluxing.

[farmbif]

this is why it helps to have two pots one to mix and flux alloy and another to pour your castings

[charlie b]

I'd just throw it in the pot. Flux and then skim off as usual.

I only used a larger pot for alloy when I had really large amounts to mix up. For pistol bullets I wasn't too concerned about getting a specific mix. Most of the time it was to make dead soft lead scrap a little harder.

[pls1911]

I use an old plumbers pot or cast iron dutch oven for smelting alloys. Either hold at least 75 pounds and steadies well on STURDY turkey fryer burners.
As stated above throw in the dirty metal, flux and skim.... your metal will be fine.
In my pots I've throw in roof jacks covered with tar and/or paint, with nails.... it smokes like crazy but burns to ash.... flux and skim makes it clean.
Don't over think it, but be danged sure to avoid zinc wheel weights.
Those rascals will ruin your whole pot.

[Butzbach]

Thanks for the advice everybody.

[jsizemore]

Reducing the oxides in your pot reclaims the lead that has bonded to the oxygen. As long as you don't cause the lead to vaporize, you've done it in about as safe a way as possible for you and me.

[cwlongshot]

Yup, thats what fluxing does.


Dont re create the wheel. That wheel is polished to a glare and perfectly round already.

CW

[Martin Luber]

I remember some gun rag writer article on casting ( which he probably never did himself) where he said to be sure to remove all the sand from scrap lead so it wouldn't scratch your barrel...gotta love these idiots.

[Conditor22]

I refuse to put ANY dirty lead in my casting pot, a clean pot is a happy pot :). [and less likely to leak]

Yes, you can flux in the casting pot and remove impurities but you are working around a spout (if you bottom pour) and in many cases a thermocouple.

I do flux in the casting pot but that is only after I have fluxed at least 4 times (2 with pine sawdust and 2 with wax) when smelting.

[mdi]

Two pots for me. One for cleaning and mixing, and my casting pot which gets only clean alloy. Cleaning pot gets any lead I have and thoroughly cleaned with what ever is handy from wood chips, sawdust, wax to old lube. Casting pot only gets clean, tested alloy...

[Winger Ed.]

I use only one pot, throw everything in, and don't be afraid you'll stir or flux it too much.

I stir with a big flat screw driver so I can scrape against the sides & bottom.
So far, no problems.