Is this how the ingot is supposed to come out?

[pps]

I embarked on smelting/cleaning up my first small batch of clip on wheel weights. I just used a propane burner and lead pot. Heated up until wheel weights were mostly melted, added sawdust, grated ivory soap and used a dowel with lard as the flux. I scraped the flux on all sides and bottom vigorously for 4-5 times until the lead shimmered on the top. 2 of the wheel weights floated to the top and were discarded (zink, I'm assuming)

Here is a picture of the first ingots. Are they supposed to be this satin type finish or are they supposed to come out a bit more on the shiny side?

[Bill*]

Just hotter than needed, they should be fine!

[Blammer]

Just fine!

the temp the lead comes out at and how it cools has something to do with how it looks, but yours is good to go!

[imashooter2]

The "satin finish" is fine, but it looks like there are a lot of dirt inclusions in there...

[pps]

The "satin finish" is fine, but it looks like there are a lot of dirt inclusions in there...

Is this something that gives me enough pause to re-smelt, or is this something that good fluxing should take care of when I do go to actually casting some boolits?

[carpetman]

flux good when you cast--no problem with those ingots

[imashooter2]

Is this something that gives me enough pause to re-smelt, or is this something that good fluxing should take care of when I do go to actually casting some boolits?

I like to take care of the dirt when I smelt. I only put clean alloy in my casting pot. This makes for minimum problems with the spout in a bottom pour.

You can certainly use those as is and flux / skim in the casting pot. I just advise that next time you be more careful getting all the dirt out of your smelt and don't try to get every last drop out of the pot.

[runfiverun]

and now you know what a frosted boolit will look like also

[EMC45]

Look fine to me. Mine come out that way and so do my boolits. Nice and frosty!

[HATCH]

It is a learning experence.
I would toss it back in the pot and try again.
You got nothing but time.
Every post I read concerning casting, people used 2 pots.
1 for melting dirty lead, then 1 for casting clean lead.
You don't want to risk using a bottom pour pot and dirty lead.
All it will take is a peice of trash to stick the pour spout open and you will have a big mess.

[pps]

When I move onward to casting I'll be using a dipper. Don't know if that will make a difference or not.

[No_1]

+1 on what Hatch says. Try using some old candles pieces or crayons when fluxing. They WILL lite on fire, keep stirring then add more candle pieces and continue until you get no more dirt. It does not take much dirt to get a leaky spout. 20 lbs of lead on the ground is not a pretty sight or easy to get back up. Don't ask me how I know

The color of your ingots are fine. In my experience I only get real shiny ones when I smelt pure lead and they tend to have a blue tint to them in the beginning.


R.

[randyrat]

Put er in the pot and make bullets. Just flux a little, scrape the sides down good,all the gunk will float to the top and scim off. Try some saw dust and mix with a small stick also scrape the sides of your casting pot down and you'll be ready for some bullets, oopps BOOLITS. The SATIN finish is due to the heat.

[mooman76]

Ingot's are fine. You can get the rest of the dirt out when you make your bullets. There always seems to be a little bit of dirt left no matter how hard you try. Don't sweat it!

[imashooter2]

When I move onward to casting I'll be using a dipper. Don't know if that will make a difference or not.

If you're using a dipper, then you'll have no issues with the bottom pour spout, BUT... You'll be taking your lead from the top of the pot when you dip. That means most dirt in the pot will be on the surface where it can get into the dipper and then the mold. You need squeaky clean alloy to dipper cast.

[pps]

If you're using a dipper, then you'll have no issues with the bottom pour spout, BUT... You'll be taking your lead from the top of the pot when you dip. That means most dirt in the pot will be on the surface where it can get into the dipper and then the mold. You need squeaky clean alloy to dipper cast.

Good info. Justification for the one that must be obeyed to get a bottom pour.

[imashooter2]

Nothing wrong with dippin' boolits, but far be it from me to talk a man out of buying new toys!

[AzShooter]

When you get your dipper get the RCBS Large Dipper. This way when you get a 6 cavity mould you will have enough lead to completely fill all cavities without having to refill the dipper and get a different heat temp for the last bullet or two.

[pps]

When you get your dipper get the RCBS Large Dipper. This way when you get a 6 cavity mould you will have enough lead to completely fill all cavities without having to refill the dipper and get a different heat temp for the last bullet or two.

That is the one I have.

The moulds I have are the 6 banger wadcutter and the lyman 358156

[AZ-Stew]

The texture and appearance of your ingots is partly due to temperature and partly due to the surface texture of your ingot mould. Regardless, it's nothing to worry about.

As others have said, try to get your alloy cleaner during the smelting process. It pays dividends when casting.

Regards,

Stew