What’s This?

[Capt Keith]

I’m not sure what is happening here. First let me say that I have only been casting a few months, and enjoying it! However, my knowledge is basically what I can glean from those more experienced. You will see in the pictures my bullets are mottled with darker spots, almost back in places. They are not wrinkles or pits (the picture makes it look that way), but are smooth to the touch. Any ideas? Thanks!287859287860

[megasupermagnum]

This is a bottom pour pot I assume. What happens is oxidation and other powdery char finds its way under the lead, and eventually a little out the bottom pour onto your bullets. The fix is to dump the lead into ingots, and clean the pot out. The best way to prevent it is to keep the lead from running out in the pot, add at say 1/4 left. Also, when you stir, don't touch the bottom of the pot, especially if you use a wooden stick of some kind. As a quick fix, you can ladle pour with a Lyman style ladle.

[Thumbcocker]

A layer of clay based cat litter on top of the pot stops oxidation.

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[Tripplebeards]

I stir my pot with a wood paint scraper every so often to brake free oxidized sludge that made to the bottom of my pot. I then remove the sludge that floated to top off with a metal spoon and deposit it into a metal soup can. I do this every 5 to 10 minutes when I have a good 10 pounds or more of lead in my pot.

[Dusty Bannister]

What is your alloy supposed to be? What material are you using to flux the melt with? Any idea what the alloy temperature is? I will disagree with not scraping the sides and bottom of the pot. With fluxing and reducing, you need to get the dirt to come to the surface to remove it from the pot. Do you have a thermometer yet?

[Capt Keith]

It is a bottom pour! Ok, I’ll try cleaning it out. Thanks!

[Capt Keith]

I use a basic metal spoon to stir with. I’ll try a wooden one. Thanks!

[Capt Keith]

What is your alloy supposed to be? What material are you using to flux the melt with? Any idea what the alloy temperature is? I will disagree with not scraping the sides and bottom of the pot. With fluxing and reducing, you need to get the dirt to come to the surface to remove it from the pot. Do you have a thermometer yet?
My alloy is soft lead with some tin added. I am using it in a .457 high-powered air rifle. I am fluxing with Frankford Arsenal Cleancast Fluxing compound, temperature is at 800 degrees (both on my Lyman pot and on a lead thermometer).

[Dusty Bannister]

Is it possible that you are using an excess of the flux? Many times folks will drop in a spoon full thinking more is better. It is NOT. Just sprinkle a small amount on the surface, let it do it's thing and then stir well and skim off the dross which should be dust and ash. 800 degrees is good for a preheated mold with nearly pure lead, and casting quickly and not in an open draft.

[Tripplebeards]

I use a basic metal spoon to stir with. I’ll try a wooden one. Thanks!

I use a piece of a wooden yard stick sot it has a flat surface so it scrapes the bottom of my Lee 4/20 and around the bottom pour rod. It will smoke when doing do. Also most like your fluxing a little bit while removing the bottom crud.

[Soundguy]

on a bottom pour don't be afraid to take a spoon now and then to scrape the sides and bottom of the pot to get that free ash to float.

ps.. those cosmetically ugly bullets will shoot fine...

[mdi]

I tried a couple commercial "fluxes" but found plain old sawdust to work better. One flux (a white powder from Frankfort?) left a black goo on the surface. The pics look like dirty alloy, perhaps from oxidation, perhaps just poorly cleaned alloy. I found excellent stir sticks at the local hardware store; wooden shims. About 3/4"x 12"L, tapered from 3/8" to a point and rough sawn. A bundle of 12 cost me less than $5.00 about 10 years ago...

[fredj338]

It is a bottom pour! Ok, I’ll try cleaning it out. Thanks!

I never empty my BP pots, never. I just stir with a wooden stick every time I add alloy & scrape off the crud. IMO, emptying the pot is how you get clogged pour spout.

[megasupermagnum]

I never empty my BP pots, never. I just stir with a wooden stick every time I add alloy & scrape off the crud. IMO, emptying the pot is how you get clogged pour spout.

There's no other way to get the stuff out. No amount of flux, or stirring will get all the stuff off the bottom of the pot. I've tried it more than one.

[Thumbcocker]

A lot of crud on the bottom of the pot is water soluble. Empty the pot, fill with water, plug in and when it gets to a good boil scrub with a brass or steel brush. A lot of crud will come out.

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[gwpercle]

Flux often ... fluxing and skimming eliminates the build up .
Flux when making ingots and flux your casting pot .
Scrape the sides and flux then remove all the crud .
I recently went back to open pot and Lyman ladle . Open top makes fluxing and skimming so much easier ... got tired of fighting the inclusions .
When casting with a 20# pot I will flux and scrape usually three times .
Gary

[Minerat]

If you need to clean the pot which it appears you do. I had the same.problem and after cleaning they went away. This thread explains what I used and it do work!

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?301700-Cleaning-a-Casting-Pot

[Bashby]

I use a butter knife to scrape my 4-20 pot. Gets down in the corners and around the spout. Seems to work prey good.

[Sasquatch-1]

Is it possible that you are water quenching those bullets? I get that same look from when the water has a very thin film of crud on top. If it really bothers you a lot wash them off with some acetone. If that is dead soft lead the whole bullet will be that dull grey eventually.