Redish flakes in my lead pot?

[everybodydiesintime]

Last time I made boolits I left the pot empty. I was using roofing boots as my lead. Anyhow when I went to use my pot today it had redish flakes all around the inside of the pot.its a lee 4-20 bottom draw melter. Any clue what this might be? Is it safe?I mean I scrapped it out mostly and filled it with lead and moved on but wanna know if it's super dangerous or just regular danger. Thanks guy n gals!

[waksupi]

It could be sulfur. It naturally occurs with lead, as does arsenic, and isn't always completely removed with the purifying process. Just a WAG.

[BK7saum]

Rust?

[everybodydiesintime]

I first kinda thought rust but I used the pot not thT long ago and these deposits were more flaking. I melted a bunch of aluminum in a galvanized pipe with a cap on it.that made sulfer yellow flakes that I was told was super deadly arsenic.this reddish stuff looked like the arsenic but was red with kinda a oranges hue.

[everybodydiesintime]

Looking at my muffin pan ingots there seems to be a ring of this reddish on some of them going around the middle of the ingots.half way up the "muffin"

[BK7saum]

Could be oxides of lead or antimony. Lead alloys turn strange colors when overheated. I see orange fairly regularly.

[gwpercle]

Don't put any of the flakes in your mouth ... whatever it is can't be good for you .
And wash your hands after fooling with the stuff .
Maybe its from your fluxing agent .
Gary

[Polymath]

Is it magnetic? Then it's iron. Should come off when skimming. As for cleaning the pots, & Melter, I use a sturdy wire wheel with a 1.4" shank with a extension bar chucked into my power drill. Don't breath this stuff in. It's a combination of oxides and will make you sick.

[gwpercle]

Is it magnetic? Then it's iron. Should come off when skimming. As for cleaning the pots, & Melter, I use a sturdy wire wheel with a 1.4" shank with a extension bar chucked into my power drill. Don't breath this stuff in. It's a combination of oxides and will make you sick.

A good use for them leftover Covid Masks ... breathing in any of that pot residue can't be good .

After getting the pot insides clean ... spray it with that black Drop-Out mould release spray , it's not great on moulds because of the Build Up and hard to remove ... BUT ... it's great to spray on the insides of a clean pot ... helps keep off pesky build up on the sides of the pot .
I stopped using it on my moulds but for the pot and the dipper it works great !
Gary

[Wayne Smith]

Years ago I bought sheets of lead (roofing lead?) with some sort of glue? backing. In my pot when I emptied it I had a layer of reddish sand in the bottom. I assumed it was iron oxide from the glue and tossed it. I figured it was stuck under the heavy lead and thus didn't float. Maybe I was wrong?

[everybodydiesintime]

OK guys so live in Florida aka freedomland so I don't own or want to own a mask sorry to anyone reading this in a non free state.Let's go Brandon! But on a serious note I do have mold release spray so I'll just clean the pot out and give her a spray. I'll check the red stuff with a magnet in the morning.

[woodbutcher]

[smilie=s: Just a little FYI here.If you clean out the rust in your lead pot do this.Secure the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner to the side of the pot.This will get most if not all the dust,dirt,crap and corruption taken care of.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

[lavenatti]

Orange is most likely lead tetroxide (Pb3O4). I get this occasionally when using pure lead and have my pot a little on the hot side.
It's made commercially by passing a stream of oxygen over heated lead so it makes sense some will form occasionally while casting.

Turning the temp on my pot down a little usually stops it from forming.

[Hanzy4200]

Don't put any of the flakes in your mouth ... whatever it is can't be good for you .
And wash your hands after fooling with the stuff .
Maybe its from your fluxing agent .
Gary

Best advice right there. Also, avoid casting naked and never flux with urine.

[unique]

Worst case it is cadmium. Very nasty stuff. This much can kill you => "."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadmium_oxide

[FLINTNFIRE]

Oh come on casting naked should expose something , I want to be upwind from anyone casting with urine as a flux .

[dondiego]

Best advice right there. Also, avoid casting naked and never flux with urine.

What's wrong with urine?