pouring newbie

[CrappieHappy]

Thinking of starting to pour. I have some xray room soft lead i came across.
would you recommend fluxing in a cast iron pot etc, and forming into ingots or muffin molds prior to melting in a lee bottom pour?

from what i have read, it seems like i should still flux this relatively clean lead.. is beeswax still the preferred flux? if so I'll try to locate some locally.

stiill need to browse captain hooks site, and look around for some sickles etc.... just trying to get a gameplan going...

 

[CrappieHappy]

Thanks Frank, I will check out the candle wax. where do you all buy your hooks? I have 16 lbs of lead.....

 

[Ron Don]

Heath I would recommend melting it down outside and cleaning it real good before u put it in yur pot. It will save you a lot of heartache. I have gotten some of the x ray sheets that weren't super clean. Had sulphur or something in it. If u can get them from shortys that's a good place if u buy enough. CAT has them priced well also.

 

[CrappieHappy]

Thanks Ronnie. I guess i need to start garage sale shopping to try and find a cast iron pot of some sort then.

do you all buy your wax from a certain place, or do i just hit up the dollar store and start buying candles... lol

 

[Fatman]

Yeah but if you get the sales tax license, and you only pour for yourself and to trade, is Uncle Sammy gonna come back and ask about tax's on the hooks that you got a break on???

 

[LedHed]

I've used all kinds of wax (even scented) and the end results are the same.

Gonna have to make you a care package Frank.

Shorty's is a really good place for hooks. You might be able to get good deals on ebay also - just be careful.

 

[fishhunter775]

Doc you are correct he can pay shortys the 10 percent for the hooks,But once he pours lead and ties on it,once sold he is liable to pay Uncle Sam the excise Tax on the finished product.He can deduct what he has paid shorty from the tax however.

 

[CrappieHappy]

thanks for the info guys!

 

[Hawnjigs]

Might be different in your area, but in HI I needed to PROVE I had a bizness to get an IRS Form 637 FET exemption (the 10% Shorty's charges). Had an IRS agent fly in from another island to inspect my "facilities" (carport pouring area & supplies inventory). Also got a follow up review years later.

State excise tax license here is EZer to get without questions or inspections.

 

[fishhunter775]

Hawn your correct they wuill for sure come in and check before issuing the 637.You can buy from shortys with just a state tax lisc but are not tax emept for the excise.They have to have a copy of it on file to not charge for it.

 

[fishhunter775]

Heath as stated earlier best to do the clean up outside,I would suggest if you live in town and your going to do very much and its dirty as to where it will smoke heavy and give off alot of oder to do it when the neighbors wont do any complaing to the good ole EPA folks.When I lived in town I would do my lead clean up after dark as if I were cooking out ha ha.

 

[CrappieHappy]

Thanks Tim....

 

[toadfrog]

Lead Clean up: I've been pouring for over forty years . This is my method. Put the lead in a cast iron pot . Use wood heat . Get the lead as hot as you possibly can . Stir the lead with a kiln dried OAK dowel rod . The resins in the oak help clean the lead . As the dross rises to the top of the lead skim it of and put it in a metal can . Keep doing that until you only get soot from the dowel rising to the top of the lead. Then you can flux the lead . Go to a local grocery store that sells canning supplies you can buy a 1lb box of canning wax for around three bucks. There is not enough difference between that and bee's wax to give a darn about. Warning wax flares flame when added to lead. Absolutely do all your lead cleaning outside away from any body or dwelling place. Half of the illnesses I'm dealing with now are due to all the chemicals I've subjected myself to during many years of work. So please use every available caution you can.

 

[CrappieHappy]

Thanks Brent, i will have to try and hunt down a oak dowel.... and look for some canning wax...

 

[Fatman]

Good info Toad!!!!

 

[Hawnjigs]

I got a lifetime supply of wax in the form of big candles from swap meets & garage sales. When folks move, they don't want to take em along, especially if slightly used, & will often dump em for a buck or less.

Melt em down in a pot & pour into a flat bottom tray, then cut bite size while still a bit warm to avoid excessive crumbling.

 

[CrappieHappy]

Thanks Hawn, i will keep that in mind....