I'm really liking this 62-caliber

[Darkhorse]

I once cast all my round balls plus .38 special and gas checked .38's for the .357 Magnum, but it's been many years and my memory is a little foggy sometimes.
I remember that I would "Flux" the pot of molten lead. We put something, wax maybe, in the lead and that would bring the impurities to the top then drop a lighted match on top of the lead and it would burn off gasses and the impurities would come to the top. Then I'd scrape those off and be ready to start casting.
Anybody remember or practice something like that?
I'm about to purchase a .526 mold and I'm getting the process and equipment in order.

 

[tddeangelo]

I haven't really had to do much fluxing in my lead pot, but I did when I made the sheets of lead as I got it into ingots.

I do need to get a thermometer, for sure.

This stuff is likely not entirely pure, but it's real awful close, based on weight of finished balls from it. They're a tiny bit light, but very close.

Even run real hot, there's no frosting occurring like it does with more alloyed mixes.

Fill out is good and I'm not seeing wrinkles.

 

[truck driver]

Fluxing is a must do with casting but I wouldn't burn off the gasses since there is a chance for explosion and fire. I also try to cast in a well ventilated area and a friend has even built a casting booth with a ventilating fan that draws all the fumes off.
When casting pistol bullets which are hard cast I use wheel weights and plumbers solder to get the tin lead antimony mix I need for my bullets. I also use range scrap for antimony.

 

[tddeangelo]

I don't sweat fluxing on pure (-ish) lead since there's not much of an alloy to redistribute. The crud is basically gone from fluxing it when I poured it into ingots.

For alloys/bullets, I haven't done them yet. That's another project. lol

I cast on a workbench in my pretty large shed. Windows open, box fan drawing air through, and a ventilator mask rated for lead dust. Not sure if it helps with fumes, but it wasn't expensive and isn't uncomfortable, so
I figure it can't hurt.

 

[Darkhorse]

What I don't remember is how do I flux the mix? I tend to remember dropping something in the molten lead but I don't remember what?

Back in the 70's and 80's I cast on the kitchen table. Now that I'm wiser I will cast in my pole barn.

 

[truck driver]

I've used a plumbers candle and they make a fluxing agent just for lead casting.

 

[tddeangelo]

Some folks buy and use beeswax for it, too.

As I understand it, and this could be wrong, the purpose is to homogenize the mix in an alloy, so you get consistent properties to the lead from bullet to bullet.

This is why I haven't worried about it in the pretty close to pure stuff I'm running for round balls.

When alloying for hard cast, it'd be more essential, I think.

Just my limited understanding on the matter.

I can remember as a kid, my dad cast bullets, round balls, and fishing jigs all winter long in the basement. Yikes.

 

[truck driver]

I know were your coming from Tom and some of what you say is true but fluxing also removes all the impurities from the lead and cleans it. Having worked in the metals industry making Aluminum I can tell you that holding metals already cast in a homogenizing furnace at near melting temps is how alloyed metal is homogenized.

 

[tddeangelo]

Gotcha.

When I got my soft lead, it was in big sheets with Sheetrock paper backing still adhered in places (was shielding from a hospital radiology room).

I used a propane fish frier and a big pot to melt it and burn that stuff off. Then did usually three "fluxes" with purchased pine shavings to raise the slag and crud and skim it off. Then I poured it into 1lb ingots for storage.

It SEEMS pretty clean now....?

When I melt in my lead pot, I'm not seeing much on the surface but oxidation.

 

[Darkhorse]

What I'll be melting for now is leftover lead shot and maybe I'll melt down some .390 Round balls if necessary. I'm thinking this should be fairly pure lead.
I'm just wondering if fluxing will be necessary?