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Thread: A myth about water and molten lead

  1. #161
    Boolit Grand Master



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    I used to do large smelts outside. I had about a 1,000 pounds melted when a sudden cloud burst came thru with very heavy rain. Lots of steam and sizzle but no tinsel fairly even with large heavy hard rain drops. The water has to get under the surface before it becomes an issue.
    2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    "Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
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  2. #162
    Boolit Master BJK's Avatar
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    Oh, who hasn't done that! Only wusses wet their digits first! And they didn't leave their fingers in it for any length of time either!

    Me, that's who. I'd rather watch other people do it. I don't drink beer so you'll never hear, "Here, hold my beer and watch this!", come out of my lips.
    Let's go Brandon!

  3. #163
    Boolit Master slim1836's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by BJK View Post
    Oh, who hasn't done that! Only wusses wet their digits first! And they didn't leave their fingers in it for any length of time either!

    Me, that's who. I'd rather watch other people do it. I don't drink beer so you'll never hear, "Here, hold my beer and watch this!", come out of my lips.
    I drink beer, however, I have never uttered these words. I leave that to others and watch.

    Slim
    JUST GOTTA LOVE THIS JOINT.

  4. #164
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    My next door neighbor gave me a 5 gallon bucket 2/3s full of fishing weights that he found while metal detecting on the beach. They had been in his garage for at least a year out of the weather. About half way through the bucket I carefully placed a large egg sinker in the pot and about 15 seconds later had an explosion that blew lead all over the shop, on me and my clothes. I can only guess but its an educated one, that in the hole through the center of the egg sinker sand had trapped water in the middle and it got hot enough to turn to steam and made the mess. I will in the future run a drill bit through the center of all the egg sinkers I can not see through.

  5. #165
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    Quote Originally Posted by ebb View Post
    . I will in the future run a drill bit through the center of all the egg sinkers I can not see through.
    When I suspect internal moisture, I put them in a cold pot and let them heat up with it.
    That way, the water will boil out way before the Lead melts, and not make a sudden steam explosion.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


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  6. #166
    Boolit Master Murphy's Avatar
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    ~The Tinsel Fairy~

    Pre-heat everything, including ingots you are about to add to a molten pot of alloy. Double this if you're in a high humidity part of the world. Cast in an area you have a bit of room to run if need be. That's all I have to say about that.

    Murphy
    If I should depart this life while defending those who cannot defend themselves, then I have died the most honorable of deaths. Marc R. Murphy '2006'.

  7. #167
    Boolit Master
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    I have had visits from the tinsel fairy twice. The first was when I was unaware of the issue and dropped a couple of bullets back in the pot that had just been pulled from the water drop. The second time I was putting reject boolets back in the pot that had been cast several days before but some had voids in the bottom and one apparently had a bit of water in a void. Now all lead going in melted lead gets pre heated.
    I think putting used fishing weights, especially deep water weights in hot lead without preheating very well, could get ugly. The high pressure from being deep in water will drive water into tiny voids where it wouldn't normally get to.
    The tinsel fairy has emptied 10lb Lee pots on me twice and I don't want it to happen again. Also I am fairly sure you won't have time to run even if you were already standing and had the room. The tinsel fairy is very fast.

  8. #168
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    Quote Originally Posted by rbuck351 View Post
    Also I am fairly sure you won't have time to run even if you were already standing and had the room. The tinsel fairy is very fast.
    That is the understatement of the year.
    2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    "Before you argue with someone, ask yourself, is that person even mentally mature enough to grasp the concept of different perspectives? Because if not, there’s absolutely no point."
    – Amber Veal

    "The Highest form of ignorance is when your reject something you don't know anything about".
    - Wayne Dyer

  9. #169
    Boolit Master Tokarev's Avatar
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    Drops of rain falling into the pot evaporate upon contact with the surface.
    But I once had a blonde moment of misfortune and stuck a slightly moist fork into the pot, to stir. The molten alloy protested wildly and sprayed me with drops. Nothing catastrophic though.

  10. #170
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    Starting out, the unheated ingots I added to the melt, stored without environmental control, bubbled ominously but didn’t explode. Blind beginner’s luck. Now the only lead going into the melt that doesn’t first sit on the pot rim are culls, fresh sprues, and molten lead from the feeder pot. Metal tools also get a cautious preheat before taking the plunge.

    Folks often point out that the volume expansion of water from liquid to steam is 1600 fold. That’s the change at 212°. At 700-800°, it’s more like 2000 fold.

    Casting at night under lights on my deck, moths falling into the melt will roast, but no tinsel fairly visits. Maybe they’re not as heavy or dense as grasshoppers.
    Last edited by kevin c; 11-10-2021 at 12:53 PM.

  11. #171
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    Winger Ed i had no idea that after that much time there could be moisture still in the sinkers.

  12. #172
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    Quote Originally Posted by ebb View Post
    Winger Ed i had no idea that after that much time there could be moisture still in the sinkers.
    Oh yeah.
    If it's trapped in there--- like herpes,,,, its for life.

    I've even had some exciting results by dropping cold Lead into the pot on a cool & humid day.
    In school: We learn lessons, and are given tests.
    In life: We are given tests, and learn lessons.


    OK People. Enough of this idle chit-chat.
    This ain't your Grandma's sewing circle.
    EVERYONE!
    Back to your oars. The Captain wants to waterski.

  13. #173
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    Propane has a lot of hydrogen which produces water as it burns which saturate the combustion gases. Passing cold lead through those humid gases will condense water on the lead. If that water gets trapped under molten lead you will have a steam explosion.

    I've seen the wet hand in molten lead trick. If the steam has a path to the surface, you might get a free pass but I wouldn't count on it.

    Check out pictures of steam engines that exploded, everything above the wheels gone.
    Mal

    Mal Paso means Bad Pass, just so you know.

  14. #174
    Boolit Bub
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    interesting thing, I had a small burp come out of my caster one day, and realized that I had put a piece of lead in and my hand had been sweaty, never did that again., that can be expected, but here is what I did not expect yesterday. I put a piece of carnuba wax in (size of a pea)and let it melt then started mixing it in to flux the lead a little bit. had a minor eruption and fireball. quite spectacular. not as spectacular as you guys "tinsel fairy" but good enough to ruin a pair of shoes and socks, spash the wall and put quite a bit on the table, unlike a violent eruption from water, this was more of a splash then an explosion. any ideas why?

  15. #175
    Boolit Master
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    Just remember: The Dragon Bites!

  16. #176
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    When I was a kid I melted lead in a test tube over the stove then dropped the whole thing into a pan of water in our kitchen sink. The underwater explosion formed into a curious little lead sponge-shape. This was long before it became common practice to wear safety eyewear in hazardous situations.

  17. #177
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    I used to pour lead hammers for the machine shop guys in the factory I worked in. #5, $10 and #20. I replenished the pot with ingots I made from the used hammers, approximately $40 each. One day one of the ingots had condensation on the bottom and when I slipped the ingot into the pot it blew. I was covered from my face shield down to about my waist in what you guys are calling tinsel. I looked like the tin man. I was photographed by the safety officer and even awarded a "WISE OWL" pin for wearing the proper gear.

  18. #178
    Boolit Master Rapier's Avatar
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    A hollow battery terminal kept outside in a scrap bucket is like a bomb waiting to go off for a caster. Heavy enough to sink instantly and holds about an ounce of ice/water.
    My experience with one after a freezing night with a prior day of blowing drizzling rain was bad enough to stop me from ever using any battery parts again. A 100# pot of high temprature alloy vaporized, totally, in a mili second.
    The explosion decorated the tree tops, tree trunks, the brick side of the house, the house roof, me, the yard. The explosion was so violent it blew lead into; the bricks, the bark of trees, the house screens, the fabric of my levies and jacket I was wearing. As I was not wearing a hat, I got a high and tight GI haircut afterwards, to get the lead out of my hair down to my scalp. Lucky to be wearing glasses and leather gloves as my face and ears got a lead alloy bath.
    To this day, 40 years later, I still find it hard to believe how much area 100#s of molten alloy can cover under steam pressure. The full 100# pot was left without one bit of lead in it.
    “There is a remedy for all things, save death.“
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  19. #179
    Boolit Mold
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    It's not a myth. I had a lead explosion just by putting a cold spoon in to stir the lead.

  20. #180
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by kenrh View Post
    It's not a myth. I had a lead explosion just by putting a cold spoon in to stir the lead.
    I think the OP from 13 years ago was talking about the myth of steam explosions from water on top of the melt. Nobody doubts unobserved condensation on a spoon pushed under the surface being hazardous.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check