best thing to use to clean your lead?

[vin]

hello all first time pouring. i am just a diy guy trying to save money. and was wondering what the best medthod to make sure your lead is clean? i tried pouring sinkers and they came out all wrinkled is it because the lead is dirty? am i not doing it right. thanks for the help

 

[CrappieHappy]

I use candle wax. the wrinkles could be caused by the lead cooling before completely poured. What size sinkers are you pouring?

 

[vin]

1.5, 2, 3,4 torpedoes. and other ball jig. how do you use candle wax to cleane the lead? sorry never tried anything like that. thanks for the help

 

[hookup]

I 'clean' lead by adding a chunk of an old candle into a cold pot of lead. Then let the lead it sit in a pot for a while and use an old table spoon & skim the crap that floats to the top. You'll need to do this a couple times.

You may also want to heat your molds by either pouring 1/2 dozen dummy jigs w/ no hooks first, or setting the mold on top of the pot.

 

[vin]

Cool ok I'll try the candle wax method and setting the mold on the pot. Thanks

 

[plateboater]

3rd the candle wax 99% of the time. Barlows has the actual flux

 

[CrappieHappy]

Looks like you have the info needed, Vin. Let us know the outcome

 

[Bucko]

I also use candle wax. Just to warn you, it will flame up. Use a stainless steel spoon to stir the lead. Skim the dross and put it in a soup can or something. Just make sure there's no moisture in it. In a pinch I've also used dry sawdust to flux with too.

 

[LedHed]

Like Bucko mentioned - it will flame up (99% of the time) - be extremely careful when your adding the was to hot lead!!! I use an old tea spoon - place a few pieces of wax in it - and (holding it closely over the melted lead) turn the spoon so the wax drips into the melted lead. Slowly start stirring - usually when the wax will flash - now how long you let it burn is up to you....

 

[Lost Pole]

Wish I'd've taken some pics of the flames, as I was just messing with this tonight.
Go outside. You worry less.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Jay Wirth]

I have for years used a small chunk of candle wax and lit the pot with a match. Once the flame is out skim the slag. I also us Marvelux from Brownells and add just a tsp to a pot and mix & skim. The wife prefers the Marvelux because wax can be little Smokey.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Some pots aren't meant to pour jigs and sinkers that are heavier than a couple oz.'s. Sounds like the lead isn't hot enough with those heavier sinkers. Some molds I'll stick the spout all the way into the mold on some that don't fill properly and this helps for some of my molds.

 

[hookup]

dross

So, that's what it's called. I usually just call it 'crap floating on the top'.

Thx.

I usually add the wax at the start to a cold lead pot to avoid the flaring.

 

[vin]

thank you for the information. i always pour outside with my first batches of sinker lead so no worries there. i also use a 3m facemask just in case. gets hot as hell but id rather not get lead poisoning. luckily being in california we dont get snow. or else id have to wait till spring. thank you again. ive found a source for 99.8 percent lead so hopefully wont have to clean out lead much. but i still have about 15 lbs of old lead that is super dirty. so ill be doing that for a lil bit. thank you all for your help.

Regards,
Vin

 

[vin]

all i have currently is a hot pot2 so im not looking to go into production but i can keep up with my own needs currently with the lil pot i have. thank you again

Regards,
Vin