Best way to add Arsenic to alloy. Without wheel weights.

[dondiego]

That is a 9 year old thread! The easiest way to get arsenic is to add magnum shot to your melt. I doubt that there would be enough arsenic in treated wood to help.

[Krh1326]

That is a 9 year old thread! The easiest way to get arsenic is to add magnum shot to your melt. I doubt that there would be enough arsenic in treated wood to help.

LMAO…. Time for new glasses.

[dondiego]

LMAO…. Time for new glasses.

Not a problem. You're question is still relevant.

[kilowatt]

I had apparent success dissolving metallic arsenic (which is available through some niche sources geared toward element collecting) directly into a melt under a cover flux of eutectic anhydrous zinc chloride and potassium chloride which melts at 450°F (and lower with normal impurities). This was a lead/bismuth/antimony alloy which I am using to cast custom bullets in 3d printed molds for its lower melting point (casting at 450°F), but I would think a lead melt would work the same. I did the dissolving at about 650°F anyway. I do not have a good way of knowing whether the arsenic dissolved completely into the metal or whether any dissolved into this molten salt flux, but I would expect most of it to end up in the metal. The chemistry of it is a bit different from true metals so it's hard to say. I did not get obvious gains in final hardness but I do not know if this is due to the high bismuth content (basically 50%) or slow cooling rate or any other variables. My alloy is already harder than most typical bullet alloys.

Some words on safety about this: I did not get any apparent arsine fumes using this method with the cover flux, but that was just my personal experience, and the permissible exposure limit of arsine is said to be 10x lower than the odor threshold. If you can smell it you are likely to experience symptoms. I used strong ventilation needless to say. To attempt this direct alloying without a true cover flux would be ill advised (I did it once, foolishly, and did get obvious arsine fumes, thankfully outdoors on a windy day), and even with the flux it is questionable how good of an idea this is. It is definitely something to do at your own risk and with strong ventilation or outdoors.

A word about using anhydrous zinc chloride/potassium chloride flux: This material is very hygroscopic (picks up moisture from the air) and once it has absorbed moisture, it will release hydrochloric acid on heating before it will let go of that water content. When initially preparing it from raw materials it must be done outdoors or under a hood for the fumes. Once it is mixed and kept perfectly dry it can be used easily with absolutely no fumes. If it's allowed to sit for a long time in a steel melting pot it will pick up moisture and cause rust, and can't be reheated without again releasing hydrochloric acid vapors. I always remove as much of this flux as possible from my melting pot when I am done and wash the residue out with water after it has cooled. It is very inconvenient to deal with, but it does result in the cleanest melt you can get.

Edit: adding 0.15% As with this method inverted the meniscus in my melting pot.

[fredj338]

I had apparent success dissolving metallic arsenic (which is available through some niche sources geared toward element collecting) directly into a melt under a cover flux of eutectic anhydrous zinc chloride and potassium chloride which melts at 450°F (and lower with normal impurities). This was a lead/bismuth/antimony alloy which I am using to cast custom bullets in 3d printed molds for its lower melting point (casting at 450°F), but I would think a lead melt would work the same. I did the dissolving at about 650°F anyway. I do not have a good way of knowing whether the arsenic dissolved completely into the metal or whether any dissolved into this molten salt flux, but I would expect most of it to end up in the metal. The chemistry of it is a bit different from true metals so it's hard to say. I did not get obvious gains in final hardness but I do not know if this is due to the high bismuth content (basically 50%) or slow cooling rate or any other variables. My alloy is already harder than most typical bullet alloys.

Some words on safety about this: I did not get any apparent arsine fumes using this method with the cover flux, but that was just my personal experience, and the permissible exposure limit of arsine is said to be 10x lower than the odor threshold. If you can smell it you are likely to experience symptoms. I used strong ventilation needless to say. To attempt this direct alloying without a true cover flux would be ill advised (I did it once, foolishly, and did get obvious arsine fumes, thankfully outdoors on a windy day), and even with the flux it is questionable how good of an idea this is. It is definitely something to do at your own risk and with strong ventilation or outdoors.

A word about using anhydrous zinc chloride/potassium chloride flux: This material is very hygroscopic (picks up moisture from the air) and once it has absorbed moisture, it will release hydrochloric acid on heating before it will let go of that water content. When initially preparing it from raw materials it must be done outdoors or under a hood for the fumes. Once it is mixed and kept perfectly dry it can be used easily with absolutely no fumes. If it's allowed to sit for a long time in a steel melting pot it will pick up moisture and cause rust, and can't be reheated without again releasing hydrochloric acid vapors. I always remove as much of this flux as possible from my melting pot when I am done and wash the residue out with water after it has cooled. It is very inconvenient to deal with, but it does result in the cleanest melt you can get.

Edit: adding 0.15% As with this method inverted the meniscus in my melting pot.

This is why question. Far easier to add an alloy that already has arsenic in it. Just because you can doesnt mean you should.

[poppy42]

Does any OTC rat poison still have arsenic in it?

No they quit putting arsenic in rat poison years ago. Now it’s nothing more than a blood thinner similar to what you would take if you had a high risk of stroke. Arsenic based rat poisons have too many potential side effects to the surrounding areas and environment.

[GlocksareGood]

Trade for some COWWs?