Bad lead or just to cold?

[Nora]

Today was a finishing up day for the 150# of ww I brought home last week. Now it's all in muffin tin ingots. With still a couple hours of day light out I drug out the Lee Pro Pot to throw a few wile I was weighting for every thing to cool down from making ingots. I was using some of the lead from todays work. The out side temp was 40 deg f. When the pot heated up the top of it seemed to be rather "frothy". When I skimmed it off it turned to a rather funky chunky stuff. (See pic., that is from only 1 batch in the Pro Pot) I've never seen this before, nor have I tried to cast with it this cold out. Could it just be that I had wishful thinking that I could cast today? Or could I have gotten hold of some lead with issues? I also had the mold sitting in the pot to heat up with the rest of the mix, now I've got the crunchy crap stuck to the inside of the mold as well. Any ideas???

Nora

[Willbird]

I have not tried to cast at 40, but the difference between 50 and 70-80 is very dramatic. You could try floating some kitty litter on top of the melt to give it some insulation.

Bill

[Tom4570]

Hard to tell from the picture, what did it look like when you were working it up into ingots. I know a lot of the new wheel weights today are made from zinc may be you got some of them in the melt. Had a problem years ago with some unkown alloy that was give to me looks a lot like the same thing Like to never got my casting pot clean. I think I'd try re melting in another pot and watch to what happens and flux well

[Nora]

It appeared to be fine wile making ingots. I use a Colman single burner camping stove (gasoline fed) and a 1 1/2qt cast iron pan. I've got the heat on high, and skim the clips off as soon as I can. Once the hole thing is molten liquid, I flux with candle wax scrape and skim the crud out an pour. Any thing that doesn't melt gets removed right away.

[Willbird]

If the alloy is too cold it will act like slush.

Bill

[Daves1]

Nora, I was melting down wheel weight today in Minnesota, temp 43. F experienced the same thing. I just had to heat longer and pour faster Ambient air temp was cooling lead very quickly. When it's that cool out, keep the heat up and be patient.

[boommer]

I've never seen that before and I've casted and smelted at 10 degrees, looks like a metal of a higher melt temp. I would remelt those ingots at a low temp and pull the crap off and wouldn't worry about fluxing. I think if it is zinc or other metal at a low melt temp it should separate and lighter than lead and float. That be my attack.

[Ole]

Stick those nuggets in a small glass jar (with no top) and pour a few ounces of pool acid on top of them. If they contain zinc, they will bubble, if it's just lead oxide (which is my guess), then nothing will happen.

Cheers.

[Fire_stick]

It never fails. I learn something everytime I visit this site.

Thanks for chemistry lesson!

Stick those nuggets in a small glass jar (with no top) and pour a few ounces of pool acid on top of them. If they contain zinc, they will bubble, if it's just lead oxide (which is my guess), then nothing will happen.

Cheers.

[Nora]

Stick those nuggets in a small glass jar (with no top) and pour a few ounces of pool acid on top of them. If they contain zinc, they will bubble, if it's just lead oxide (which is my guess), then nothing will happen.

Cheers.

If one has no pool, where does said persons finds such a thing as "pool acid". I've never heard of it before, what is it?

[leadman]

Go to Home Depot or Lowes, or a pool supply store. It is muratic acid. I think Ace Hardware carries it also. I have seen it in grocery stores also.
Use caution, chemical goggles, and protective clothing. A hose nearby is also a good thing.

[Ancesthntr]

If one has no pool, where does said persons finds such a thing as "pool acid". I've never heard of it before, what is it?

While "pool acid" is not exactly the most descriptive term, I would guess chlorine.

[Ancesthntr]

It is muratic acid.

Well, murIatic acid. This is also known as hydrochloric acid, which has a bunch of chlorine in it.

Oh, by the way, chlorox also has a bunch of chlorine in it (since it is one and the same thing).

Googles and a long-sleeved shirt for that one, please.

[Nora]

This is also known as hydrochloric acid

Ok now that's something I understand, and have on hand. Diluted it does wonder for metal prep before painting.