First casting of 2023, what do you guys suggest for the cleaning?

[Stopsign32v]

Heated up the pot for the first time wanting to use my new MP mold. What do you guys suggest I use to clean the top layer of the pot? I've never used anything but sawdust but I honestly would rather go a different route. I believe I remember hearing about wax on here? Can you get it locally?313024

[frkelly74]

I have been using up all the old birthday candles and other burned down candles. Some of them smell real nice in the melt. I have never bought anything especially to flux with but always seem to have something to throw in.

[Recycled bullet]

Check the canning section of your local supermarket and hardware store for paraffin wax.

A big brick made of four big sheets in a paper box cost less than ten dollars.

I cut off a thumb nail sized chunk using a screw driver or razor knife and drop it on the one quart sauce pan of molten lead and stir it up with the rcbs ladle. It cleans the lead and the spoon. Scoop out the oxidized trash when it stops burning.

[Recycled bullet]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20230415/ed7ece1822029ff349a13b3dd46657fc.jpg

[Winger Ed.]

Wax is good.
Flux, stir like it owes you money, then scrape the crud off the top and rock on.
You can often push/squeeze some Lead out of the crud with a spoon. Push and press it against one side does a good job.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Some people like Marvelux, but use it sparingly.
.
I prefer sawdust, I am curious why you "would rather go a different route" ???

[Stopsign32v]

I prefer sawdust, I am curious why you "would rather go a different route" ???

I feel like I waste more lead with sawdust than I should. It cleans it good but I end up with a large glob of trash.

[lar45]

I use a pea sized piece of bullet lube. I use a spoon and stir it down into the lead. It seems to bring up any dirt particles and junk. I then use the spoon to skim off the junk and go to casting.

[Jaak]

I've stopped "fluxing" my melt a long time ago. I just skim, stir and scrape, then skin the junk that comes to the top. Then do it again until the amount of junk becomes acceptable.

I honestly do not believe fluxing does anything unless it can be introduced under the melt, and that is just not possible in a back yard setting.

[Hannibal]

I've stopped "fluxing" my melt a long time ago. I just skim, stir and scrape, then skin the junk that comes to the top. Then do it again until the amount of junk becomes acceptable.

I honestly do not believe fluxing does anything unless it can be introduced under the melt, and that is just not possible in a back yard setting.

I'd have to disagree with that observation. I do smelt my lead prior to introducing it to the pot unless it's already in clean ingots. And even then I always add paraffin wax to keep the impurities to a minimum.

I find these two things make a significant difference.

[Cast10]

Same as Hannibal.

Like to keep my Lee pot for only clean melt.

I have used beeswax and sawdust. I like using sawdust when smelting and beeswax when casting.

[MrWolf]

I feel like I waste more lead with sawdust than I should. It cleans it good but I end up with a large glob of trash.

Depending on the amount, I will just include it in the next batch to reclaim whatever lead got caught in it.

[Stopsign32v]

candle wax worked like a charm!

[dale2242]

Planer shavings and candle wax.
Light the smoke.
Keep doing it until the melt is clean.

[LST-1185]

Toilet bowl wax rings. I melt two of them in an old steel dog food can on my hot plate and then use it for flux and case conversion sizing lube. After fluxing with wax I fill the top of the pot with pine wood shavings and leave them there to smolder.

[murf205]

I use candle wax or bees wax.I have also found the beeswax at Dollar General. I have used a small slice of stick lube (NOT MOLY). I have tried Marvelux but it made a bigger mess and I have never had a problem with wax or lube, just keep a butane grill lighter handy to light the smoke it makes.

[WRideout]

I use candle wax or bees wax.I have also found the beeswax at Dollar General. I have used a small slice of stick lube (NOT MOLY). I have tried Marvelux but it made a bigger mess and I have never had a problem with wax or lube, just keep a butane grill lighter handy to light the smoke it makes.

When I have my welding gauntlets on, I find it a lot easier to use a spark lighter to ignite the smoke from the pot.

I am another skinflint that saves used birthday cake candles for fluxing.

Wayne

[Hannibal]

When I have my welding gauntlets on, I find it a lot easier to use a spark lighter to ignite the smoke from the pot.

I am another skinflint that saves used birthday cake candles for fluxing.

Wayne

Nothing wrong with that.

I find sawdust or chainsaw cuttings work best for smelting in a container with dirty lead when I process for Ingots. Lots of nasty stuff in there that needs to go and the sawdust captures that best.

Then when I have Ingots in the casting pot I use wax. Much less contamination in the melt and greatly reduced problems with a drippy spout and junk in my casting.

I know guys who smelt in the casting pot. That's a recipe for trouble I've witnessed first hand. Just say NO.

[megasupermagnum]

I used to mess around with all kinds of waxes and wood and sawdust. Today I just use straight beeswax. You can buy it locally, local honey farms have it, and if not, anywhere that does trapping has beeswax. I just touch my block to the lead for a second and a little bit melts off. I like it for two reasons besides the fact that I always have beeswax. #1 it's stuipid simple. No messing around with shavings especially ladle casting. Half the time the wood blows away in the wind anyway. #2 Verses other waxes, beeswax doesn't seem to smoke too bad, and it actually smells good. Some waxes such as candle wax can even flash up north of 700 degrees which gets the heart racing. I've never had beeswax ignite unintentionally, and it only smokes a minute before it stops. One and done, no messing around, ready to go in 1 minute.

[dondiego]

When I have my welding gauntlets on, I find it a lot easier to use a spark lighter to ignite the smoke from the pot.

I am another skinflint that saves used birthday cake candles for fluxing.

Wayne

Just throw a book match or a stick match in with the wax and it will auto ignite.

[slughammer]

I feel like I waste more lead with sawdust than I should. It cleans it good but I end up with a large glob of trash.If you are convinced the junk you are scraping off the top is actually lead, then save it in a tin can and drop it into your next smelt.

I cast with clean ingots in my basement with a vent fan. I don't use wax indoors, I switched to a dry 3/8" dowel about 12" long. I stir the pot with this and make sure to scrape the sides of the pot while doing so. Then I use a large kitchen table spoon to scrape the top of the melt. I put this slag into a tuna can for months and years. Eventually I convince myself that this is not lead but actually contamination and not wortth trying to incorporate into a smelt.....then I throw it into the trash and forget about it.

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[Iron369]

When making ingots, I use sawdust. In my pot, I use pure beeswax

[GregLaROCHE]

I use sawdust before casting ingots. I then flux in the casting pot, first with sawdust, then with beeswax. It’s important to constantly and thoroughly mix the alloy during fluxing.

[shootingblanks00]

Would the lubes from https://www.lsstuff.com/ work? One specific lube over another?

[Petander]

I use sawdust before casting ingots. I then flux in the casting pot, first with sawdust, then with beeswax. It’s important to constantly and thoroughly mix the alloy during fluxing.

I do this way,too. Clean is good.