RicinYakima
High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Here in the desert, there is not enough moisture in the air to disperse the HCl (hydrochloric acid) from the Marvelux fumes. Everything rust like crazy if you use it here.
I don't either since I talked to Ferguson, the Antimony Man, before his death. Lumps are a trimetallic state due to not enough tin and too low of temperature. FWIW
There are several types of casting filter screens, and filters available. Mostly for aluminum, brass and bronze.Interesting Emmitt, I never considered there might be a filter screen for lead alloys out there!
When casting ingots, I'm removing copper jackets and light powder that's like dirt. Sometimes I pickup lead but only a little. As soon as this slag is removed, I empty enough of the pot to fill my ingot moldThen you are removing things like Sn and Sb, plus whatever you don't want in there is still there. Read the articles posted by Walter and pay attention to words like "reducing" and "removing".
I don't use flux. When I make my lead ingots, I sometimes have wood chips in it from the target stands at most. I just stir up my molten lead alloy, scrape off the slag on the surface and cast using my bottom our lead pot.
Bret, after reading the recommended articles, the flux seems to be removing the oxygen to change the oxide to a metal that can be mixed back into the molten lead. What about the lead in the bottom of the pot. What impurities are there that need to be removed? Or from the stirring, are the impurities being stirred to the surface?Sprinkle on the surface and let it sit until it begins to smoke. That lets it dry well.
I don’t like to force the wood under the surface and more than needed as it often gets trapped.
Yes, something light like wood ash can get trapped in the melt- the lead is dense enough to hold it under the surface. A really vigorous stir that creates a vortex help bring it to the surface.
So, clarify this for me. You don't necessarily flux once. As soon as you notice a film or oatmeal build up on the surface, you flux to remove the oxide and keep the alloy consistent.Huh. I dunno, when I start getting anything building up I tend to flux and stir and get things mixed back up where I want them.
So, clarify this for me. You don't necessarily flux once. As soon as you notice a film or oatmeal build up on the surface, you flux to remove the oxide and keep the alloy consistent.