Kitty Litter

[HardColt]

Greetings from NN,Va.,
Been casting for several years now but I have been reading previous threads from the past & wondering what is the purpose of putting a topping of kitty litter in the melter while casting? For insulation? I cut a removable lid for my Lee pot(made of sheet metal), serves as a thermometer holder too with the hole I drilled in the center to contain the heat. Keeping an eye on my Lyman thermometer to maintain constant temp as the level in the pot decreases or as I pour new ingots to increase the level. I use that same lid to preheat my mould while melting fresh lead ingots.
Just curious what Kitty litter does?

[waksupi]

It helps to keep the melt a constant temperature, and also assists in fluxing.

[HardColt]

Thanks! So it is just for insulation purposes to keep the temp stable. Thanks

[lwknight]

I can't see how it would help with fluxing. Its just a barrier to prevent oxidation.

I always wanted to set up a flow meter and inert gas rig to keep oxygen away. I would need a clear glass cover so I could admire the mirror shiny melt that never dulled.

[Shiloh]

Does the perfume added to the grit help or hinder anything??
Or is it best to use the standard plain original variety??

SHiloh

[870TC]

Works great as a flux, that gray kitty litter turns black after it has been stirred through the melted lead. Also a layer left floating, will stop oxidation.

[Char-Gar]

I have been toping the melt with kitty litter since we first started to play with the stuff some years back. The principal benefit is it form a seal between the melt and the air. Once you flux, add the litter and you won't have to flux again. Take new ingots and placed them on the edge of the pot to warm and just set them on top of the litter when you need to add alloy. They will melt and mix with the metal in the pot and there is no need to reflux.

[prs]

Clay based kitty litter (I prefer the clay based oil dry) "may" help keep the melt in flux, but that would not be the most important advantage. It also presumably keeps the heat in the pot and molten alloy temps more stable, but that is not the most important advantage either. For me, the primary advantage is the protection the 1" or 1 1/2" layer of clay granules offers againt splash of lead when dropping in spru waste or adding ingots. The second most important advantage to me is that the layer of clay granules supports spru waste above the molten metal for a few moments and then the spur waste sort of settles in and sinks slowly into the melt as it reaches slump temp temperature, THUS the molten metal temperature is not influenced as much as it would be if the cool or semi-cool waste was dripped into it directly. A dose of clay granules seems to last at least a couple of hours, by which time it is pretty much toast.

prs

[HORNET]

Yeppers, CLEAN clay-based kitty litter. This is NOT a good place to try recycling...

[Calamity Jake]

Yap the plain clay kitty litter(no additives) is the kind to use, it serves as a heat barrier, flux and anti-splash device, 3/8 to 1/2" thick layer is all that is needed.
I leave it in the pot until about 80% has turned to dust then replace it.