Getting close to "doing" my first smelt.........Got a question.

[stillhere]

I wouldn't sweat the BHN too much. First of all, unless you have access to lab equipment, it hardly matters what the "the number" is. What matters is approximate or relative hardness.

I agree on keeping it separate, unless maybe you can cook up a huge batch at once. If you mark it well, it will be easier during casting time to guesstimate (and it really is just guessing) what to throw in the pot for your desired hardness. I think too many casters overestimate their 'knowledge' of percentages and proportions and other values that they cannot actually measure.

[fredj338]

I do separate melts & put them up in diff ingot shapes for easy ID. Range scrap, pure lead & clip ww. Then mix & match as needed.

[WFO2]

Chris C I to am waiting for my melting pot . As soon as I get it I have several hundred pounds to melt into ingots .

[KaliRepublik]

I too am going to start my first smelt too. I bought a box of unknown lead in ingots and a few already cast boolits and am not 100% sure what to do with it. I do plan on powder coating my boolits. Same advice? Keep separate?

Thanks guys

[DerekP Houston]

Chris C I to am waiting for my melting pot . As soon as I get it I have several hundred pounds to melt into ingots .

Must be something you ordered? I just grabbed a stainless pot from the local restaurant supply to replace the one I took. Turkey fryer baby!

[MrWolf]

Went to local hardware/garden center that refills propane. They gave me for free a couple of tanks that they charge folks $5 to take when the fitting is not current version. Cut two for pots and took other two to those refill places that just swap out tanks . Check YouTube to see how to empty tanks, not hard at all and I used a sawzall - cut easy.