detritus on top of alloy

So when I melt down my WW, I flux, stir, and skim the clips off obviously. I periodically flux and stir like I'm supposed to, but if I go for an extended session, "dirt" for lack of a better term turns up on the surface of of the alloy and won't flux or mix back in.

I just got back from putting my pot up after letting it cool down and it was on top and just dumped out.. It's the consistency of mildly sandy dirt and has flakes of yellow in it.

What is it and what should I do with it?

It could be many things, but probably grit and lead oxides. Any time I see yellow anywhere in my pot I think, too hot!

Do you use a thermometer? If not, I'd think about it.

Also, you might try fluxing with dry pine saw dust. It is easy to make if you don't have any, it is a better reducing agent than waxes and oils and it cleans the lead very well! The ash is basically charcoal and absorbs a good bit of crud which you just scoop out with the ash. By then, the Tin and Antimony (the things that you want to keep) are reduced and back suspended in the melt so you won't scoop them out.

Not sure what this means, "if I go for an extended session". I tend to melt a batch, then make ingots, then do another batch if I feel up to it. Please explain if you want more advice, otherwise that's all I have. Doesn't really sound like a big deal to me as long as your lead and ingots look normal!

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Originally Posted by Defcon-One

It could be many things, but probably grit and lead oxides. Any time I see yellow anywhere in my pot I think, too hot!

Do you use a thermometer? If not, I'd think about it.

Also, you might try fluxing with dry pine saw dust. It is easy to make if you don't have any, it is a better reducing agent than waxes and oils and it cleans the lead very well! The ash is basically charcoal and absorbs a good bit of crud which you just scoop out with the ash. By then, the Tin and Antimony (the things that you want to keep) are reduced and back suspended in the melt so you won't scoop them out.

Not sure what this means, "if I go for an extended session". I tend to melt a batch, then make ingots, then do another batch if I feel up to it. Please explain if you want more advice, otherwise that's all I have. Doesn't really sound like a big deal to me as long as your lead and ingots look normal!

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I don't make ingots, I just cast the boolits and leave a little in the pot when I'm done.

I've heard about the saw dust and I'm going to do that (I've got plenty of wood of the pine and other varieties) as soon as I get the motivation to break out the chain saw.

You smelt your ww's in your bottom pour? Did I understand that right?

Every once in awhile if you dump your pot out completely , you will be amazed how much junk in stuck to the bottom and sides.
Thats one reason most of us smelt and clean the alloy before it sees the casting pot.

I get that whitish-yellow powdery dirt from time to time, had it bad with a bunch of shower pan lead one time. Sawdust takes care of it, it reduces back in the good oxides and soaks up the other junk we don't want in our melt like calcium, aluminum, iron, rust, and to a certain extent silica and zinc.

Gear

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Originally Posted by geargnasher

I get that whitish-yellow powdery dirt from time to time, had it bad with a bunch of shower pan lead one time. Sawdust takes care of it, it reduces back in the good oxides and soaks up the other junk we don't want in our melt like calcium, aluminum, iron, rust, and to a certain extent silica and zinc.

Gear

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I'm going to go to sawdust as soon as I get around to firing up the chain saw.

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Originally Posted by onesonek

You smelt your ww's in your bottom pour? Did I understand that right?

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Correct.