Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting fluxing

I use old candles or canning wax. I dip so it works great.

Excellent read DD. I have plans to fire up the pot sometime this weekend so I'll have to try sawdust. I work at a wood shop so this shouldn't be a problem. I'm also a beekeeper so I have lots of beeswax laying around

me to! but i'll have to cut something to get the sawdust. wonder if the wife would miss the pine coffee table?

Just pulled off a run of 300 30cal 170grs (Lee 170-309). I had some lumpy tin insolubles the wouldn't combine with the melt until I dumped in two table spoons of ash sawdust. I stirred it around and voila, lumpy tin was gone. Beeswax really helped shine up the melt plus I had piles of it so I still throw in a piece whenever I think it needs it. Had a great run of casting this afternoon

Maybe I should get into the sawdust retail business.

Soak it up with CBD oil first 😀

Why screw around? Just flux with whole Cannibis sativa and casting will become even more enjoyable.

Why does your signature line make me think of Marine one?

Maybe just your fantasies involving the fate of Hiden Biden? I dunno. When I think about it, I think of packs of starving wolves.

Stupid question here. I bought some ingots from a fella on Cast boolits forum. He was well regarded by all. The first box of ingots were nice and shiny, the 2nd box I got from him the ingots are all dull. Is this oxidation in his pot, the end of it, should I be concerned? Was this a flux issue? Thank you gents.

no, that is oxidation in general with respect to lead.

melt it, they will be fine.

I thought so, just wanted to make sure. Everyone talks about oxidation with fluxing. Thanks Blammer

Good thread here, and the linked flux article is queued up for a read, too.

I have plenty of old candle wax laying around. From reading this thread, it appears I am in need of some sawdust as well. Does chainsaw "sawdust" work as well as table saw sawdust? Going to try the crushed oak leaves, as well. We have more than we need in easy reach every fall!

Sounds like the shiny ingots have a higher tin or antimony content, while the dull ingots are closer to pure lead. Pure lead or an alloy with little tin or antimony (say .22 rimfire bullets) will naturally turn a dull and almost black color.

Try slicing into the metal with your thumbnail to see how soft that it is. Obviously, alloy with little tin or antimony will be much softer.

For those who leave theflox on top of the lead while casting, do you use a ladle or are you using bottom pour pots? I can seedoing it with bottom pour but I like to use a ladle and got rid of my bottom pour Lee leaks-a-lot.

Scott, I leave the flux on as a cover/remix and use a ladle. I just push the char to one side of the pot. Lee leaks -a- lot! love that! i always had a ingot mold on the foot to let the drips go into,

Thanks. I will try it.

Try the Rowell type ladle. That helps of any dross floats into the ladle.

I stored some of my ingots outside this winter. Between the elements and fallen leaves they look dull and crusty. But they melted and fluxed just fine.

Yes they do.