Will walnut hull polishing media serve as flux?

[El Bibliotecario]

Can finely ground walnut hull polishing media as used in tumblers serve as flux in smelting?

I hesitate to ask; in searching for an answer I learned from the sticky that fluxing is more intensely debated than religion or politics. I am prepared for passionate pitches for the posters favorite flux, being vilified as a mooncalf for considering such a silly idea, or told to just saw the legs off the dining room to produce sawdust.

I have a very small quantity of range salvage bullets and gather from the fluxing sticky that the wax I normally use isn't the best means of removing contaminants. Given the trifling nature of the task, I want to simplify by using something I have on hand. I am hoping for a comment from someone who has tried this. TIA

[oley55]

interesting thought using whats available. I never gave it a thought but now I am likely to give it a try (walnut or corn cob media). It fer sure will not hurt the lead but who knows if there is some unknown toxic fumes to be encountered.

[farmbif]

there is no reason not to try it, I never have, but walnut is not much different than sawdust or wood chips. might just work real well. its a great idea compared to some of the crazy stuff people try using on YouTube videos.
I just looked through some of YouTube videos about fluxing/cleaning lead and there are some real doozies on there. a bunch of them by people that dont know what the heck they are talking about, I wonder if some of them might end up in the back of an ambulance marred for life with 3rd degree burns and there are some done by very experienced casters who know exactly what they are talking about and explain things real well.

[Misery-Whip]

If it burns it should work. Might smell Nice, or maybe not. Let us know.

[pworley1]

I have found that just about any natural combustible material will work. I have not tried it because I own a sawmill and have an endless supply of any kind of saw dust or wood chip I want, but it should work just fine.

[ABJ]

Don't use the used walnut or corncob out of your tumbler, it has some priming compound from cleaning cases. Probably not a good thing to snort.
If you don't have sawdust just go get some pine pet bedding, it's the best of all the wood products I have used.
Tony

[Smoke4320]

Don't use the used walnut or corncob out of your tumbler, it has some priming compound from cleaning cases. Probably not a good thing to snort.
If you don't have sawdust just go get some pine pet bedding, it's the best of all the wood products I have used.
Tony

I would have to agree . clean ground walnut probably just fine. dirty tumbler walnut not so good.
Have to second the pine pet bedding. Its real cheap and does extremely good for fluxing

[El Bibliotecario]

Thanks to all who responded.

[dondiego]

Don't use the used walnut or corncob out of your tumbler, it has some priming compound from cleaning cases. Probably not a good thing to snort.
If you don't have sawdust just go get some pine pet bedding, it's the best of all the wood products I have used.
Tony

Wouldn't want to contaminate a pot full of lead alloy with ...........uhhhmmm......lead??? Isn't lead styphnate the contaminant in the walnut media?

[Rickf1985]

Wouldn't want to contaminate a pot full of lead alloy with ...........uhhhmmm......lead??? Isn't lead styphnate the contaminant in the walnut media?

I was thinking the same thing. I have 30-40lbs of old lizard bedding mixed with all the stuff from lubing brass for sizing. So it has the organics and the wax together, and I am sure some styphnate. You do have some ventilation for your pot right?

[jdfoxinc]

It's what I use.

[Dusty Bannister]

I would think the concern is not the pot but the air when this stuff smokes or flames. If you have adequate dust and smoke control, that might be a different situation. Generally when fluxing, one does not just walk away, but is right there to stir and skim. Not saying yes or no, but just keep in mind what you are doing.

[Dom]

Unsalted lard or talo ( melted fat ) from your last big game animal is as good a flux as any you can buy.

[bangerjim]

Black walnut is poisonous to many living things either in saw dust form or smoke. Do some research on the net. I have to wear a good respirator when I tourn walnut on my lathes. Really an irritant. And just do not burn anything you can get your hands on for flux!

Pine sawdust is readily available. Just buy a 2x4 and cut off little hunks of it with a power or hand saw and collect it on a tarp. Easy enough to make and very cheap. And it is the BEST flux. You can even use dried leaves of most trees. Again, there are some that create irritants when burned and inhaled!

Just stick to pine sawdust and be safe. Pine pet bedding from pet stores is cheap and readily available. And excellent.

[Rickf1985]

Black walnut is poisonous to many living things either in saw dust form or smoke. Do some research on the net. I have to wear a good respirator when I tourn walnut on my lathes. Really an irritant. And just do not burn anything you can get your hands on for flux!

Pine sawdust is readily available. Just buy a 2x4 and cut off little hunks of it with a power or hand saw and collect it on a tarp. Easy enough to make and very cheap. And it is the BEST flux. You can even use dried leaves of most trees. Again, there are some that create irritants when burned and inhaled!

Just stick to pine sawdust and be safe. Pine pet bedding from pet stores is cheap and readily available. And excellent.

Have you priced 2x4's lately?!!!!!! 8.00 for an 8 footer!!! 1.00 a foot. For a freakin' 2x4!

[farmbif]

oh no, local Home Depot 2x4x12'=$15.34 oh yeah, plus our state sales tax 10%= $16.85

[6mm win lee]

El Bibliotecario: I use clean pine needles from under the tree in the yard. Picked up a paper sack full last year for when I want to melt lead. Or I just use them from the tree. Whatever will burn down to carbon will work.

[bangerjim]

Have you priced 2x4's lately?!!!!!! 8.00 for an 8 footer!!! 1.00 a foot. For a freakin' 2x4!

Then buy a bag of pet bedding!

[bangerjim]

You can actually use almost anything that is carbon-based (and non-toxic!) I have used lots of dead leaves and twigs that are around my casting area for the 1 two goes. The pine sawdust and beeswax for the 3rd melt.

Never EVER used old polishing/cleaning materials from your vibrator or tumbler. There are entrained lots of metals and nasty stuff in there you do not want to breathe. The smoke & stink is bad enough. Don't add that carp to the air you breathe!!!!!

[kevin c]

IIRC, we want both reduction of lead oxides and removal of contaminants. Sawdust does both, producing carbon monoxide as a reluctant and charcoal residues (not the ash, I think) to pull out contaminants.

I’ve read that the resins in pine are especially good, but didn’t get a clear sense on why.

Walnut or corncob? Try it and see.

[MrWolf]

You can pick up at times the pine pet bedding on clearance at Tractor Supply. Got a huge bag for $2. It ended up sitting for a few years (forgotten during move) and turned to a brown color. It absorbed moisture which is not good for fluxing. Just be smart and watch what you breathe in. Good luck.

[samari46]

I worked at a LNG plant years back. Had a 6000 hp gas turbine and also a few oil leaks. Used to fill a one pound coffee can with ground walnut shells and take the pipe cap off an air inlet line. Would suck out the walnut shells and clean out the turbine. Nice walnut smell in the turbine room. Frank

[RogerDat]

I would have to agree . clean ground walnut probably just fine. dirty tumbler walnut not so good.
Have to second the pine pet bedding. Its real cheap and does extremely good for fluxing

My vote is for the chip bedding for rodents and such from any pet or big box store with a pet department. I'm still using two printer paper boxes of shavings a friend gave me from his planer. Has lasted a few years and gone through a couple tons of lead. A bag of rodent bedding should last a long time.