Frankfort Arsenal Flux

[mrappe]

Does anyone use this? I got some and it does not smoke but I am not sure if it works as good as the other fluxes. Bee's wax etc..

Mike

[10 ga]

"sawdust" not from treated lumber! cheap and works really good. 10

[MbPb]

It works well for me.

[lurch]

I've used it and it works, but I don't like it. It leaves black crud all over the inside of the pot. This residue is hygroscopic and will cause rust post haste in your pot if you don't clean it all out (in humid areas anyway). Waxes work better in my opinion if you can live with the smoke & flames. The sawdust works too but for me I get better cleaning action from waxes. They seem to separate the crud from the alloy better. Other opinions may vary.

[mrappe]

Is bees wax better than paraffin wax?

[lurch]

Well, I save the beeswax for lube and haven't used it as flux so I really don't know. I have an abundance of paraffin on hand and will be using that for the next several years if not forever before it's gone. I figure the paraffin is cheaper too. Cheaper + works = solution in my book.

Someone will probably chime in that has used both and offer up an opinion.

[Cowboy T]

I started with the Frankford Arsenal flux, noticed the **** that it leaves in the pot, and switched to sawdust. Been a happy camper ever since. Plus, the burnt sawdust provides an insulating layer to help keep your lead warm.

[lwknight]

I don't think beeswax is any better than parrifin but , it definately costs a lot more to use. You can get those huge smelly candles that quit smelling at garage sales for little or nothing.

[cbrick]

I haven't used Frankfort Arsenal Flux but if it's anything like Marvalux and I suspect it's the same, I wouldn't even allow that horrid stuff in my loading room much less my casting pot. The last can of it that I had I tossed into the trash, wouldn't even attempt to give it away. Didn't hate anyone that bad.

Use it for very long and you'll get to spend an afternoon with a stiff wire brush mounted in your drill motor attempting to grind the stuff out of your pot (DO NOT breath the dust). By the time you succeed, if you do, you'll be convinced that the price of a new pot doesn't sound all that unreasonable. :groner:

Next, the borax isn't nearly as good at reducing the Sn and Sb as is sawdust and it will aid in their removal along with what you do want removed. In the years I've had my Magma pot it has seen nothing but sawdust. When I empty this pot it is a bit discolored from the heat but is as clean as the day I bought it new.

Use borax fluxes at your own peril, you have been warned.

Rick

[mrappe]

What kind of sawdust do you use? Do you make it yourself? Anyparticular way/type of wood/fineness?

Thank you,
Mike

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Whatever sawdust you use, make sure it is dry.

Sam :D

[woodyubet]

I tried the F.A. Flux, but like Lurch says, that black crud sux. I went back to cheap candles from the juck store. I don't mind the smoke and I like the smell of burning candles, and it does a good job.

[cbrick]

What kind of sawdust do you use? Do you make it yourself? Anyparticular way/type of wood/fineness? Thank you, Mike

Some people have preferences as to type of wood but I'm not sure it matters all that much. I prefer the sawdust I get from work from under the table saws because it's free, it's in large quantity and it's fairly fine. I like the fine sawdust simply because it burns into carbon faster than larger chunks and it's the carbon that does the work, not per se the sawdust.

Here's an excellent article on fluxing that explains in simple language the how's and why's.

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellFluxing.htm

Rick

[Frozone]

Some people have preferences as to type of wood but I'm not sure it matters all that much. ....

It does if you can't get away from the smoke while it reduces. I get my sawdusk from 'Home Depot'. They have a large vacuum system at the cutting station and it always needs dumping. You just don't know what all is in it. I some times get strange stuff, like drywall screws, included.

They saw Plywood also, so you get some of the glue from that. It still works well, just don't breath the smoke.
I use a respirator.

I've used Frankfort Arsenal borax flux, It works well to get stuff Out of the alloy but it'll take anything it can get glued to, including antimony/tin ect. If you have a large amount of impurities in the melt it does a good job, but for every day fluxing, no thanks, the clean up is too hard..

[mrappe]

Good article. Thank you all for the responces. I will have to give sawdust a try.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Last Summer, `09, a storm knocked down a huge old sugar maple tree at a friends house. After the tree had been cut up and hauled away by wood burning friends, I noticed the piles of chainsaw chips from the cutting party. I asked for and got 2 jammed full 5 gal. pails of the chips. I`ve been using the chips this year as flux and the chips are dry now and work fine.Robert

[cbrick]

Some people have preferences as to type of wood but I'm not sure it matters all that much. Rick


It does if you can't get away from the smoke while it reduces. I get my sawdusk from 'Home Depot'. They saw Plywood also, so you get some of the glue from that. It still works well, just don't breath the smoke. I use a respirator.

That is a very good point. Some of the sawdust i get from work is from cutting luan in addition to pine so there is the glue factor. The glue wouldn't do anything to hurt or impede the fluxing but breathing the smoke from the glue sure can't be a good thing.

I have exceptional venting in my loading room for just such things but still use caution and common sense about getting my face in any of the smoke.

Rick

[lwknight]

Hey , Rick
Did you just change your avatar?
I like it.

[cbrick]

I change it every now and then whenever I get tired of looking at it. I changed it a couple of days ago and decided I didn't like the new one so I changed it again today.

This is the Lyman 45 cal Devastator cast of 8 BHN shot + 2% tin and fired srtaight down into 3 feet of water after which they look like this.

Rick