WW cleanup questions

[JustaShooter]

So, I've finally gotten together what I need to get started, and am working on cleaning up the WW I have accumulated & pouring ingots.  First thing I've noticed is that it takes longer than I thought it would, and second is that a soup ladle full o' lead weighs a good bit more than it looks like it should!

Anyway, as I was picking out the steel clips and skimming off the crud, I remembered about fluxing.  Digging around the bucket of stuff I bought off a buddy of mine, there was a small tub of flux, so I started using it.  I noticed that the stuff I was skimming off was a lot different than what I skimmed off before, so I was wondering if I did anything wrong / bad to the alloy by getting rid of the stuff I skimmed off at first - you know, like did I remove a lot of the tin, or something?

Second, I set aside the stick-on weights thinking that I remembered that they were pure(er) lead, and I want a harder alloy.  Should I have done that, or should I just go ahead and melt the stick-on weights into the alloy?

Finally, the ingots I made are frosty looking - is that OK at this point?

Ya, I know, n00b questions, but I figure if I can learn from you guys it might keep me from messing up too badly after it is harder to fix it.

Just a Shooter (and now, a fledgling caster)

[saddlebum]

After you started fluxing you got more impurities in the drose on top. The "before fluxing" ingots are fine. Just remember to flux when you start casting. I read somewhere that if your melt gets much over 800 degrees the tin starts floating to the top. I think thats where the frost comes from. Don't know what you use to skim with but since your into kitchen utensils try the big steel slotted serving spoons. They work good for me. I think thats all you have to worry about for losing the tin. You can,(and alot of people do), add some tin by adding some tin wire solder. It doesn't take much and it makes the melt pour better. The frosting on your ingots won't hurt anything. It's because the melt is a little too hot. Before I got a thermometer I cast alot of frosty bullets. They shot fine. The ideal temp. is between 750 and 800 degrees. If you think you have some softer wws, just mingle them in with the rest as you melt. It won't matter much if at all. Just add some tin if you want. If you are wanting a harder bullet just drop them from the mold into a 5gal bucket of water. As I understand it, you can only put so much tin in the melt before you just waste it. Tin will only harden the lead so much and adding more won't make it harder. Use sparingly. Straight wws average about 13-15bh which is good enough for most shooting. Water quenched runs in the neighborhood of 22bh, hard enough for anything..........Hope this helps.

Don't worry!...Be Happy!....And have some fun!!

[hornady]

Welcome to the world of casting, I could go into a long drawn out lesson in casting and WW as well as other alloys and hardness, but the vary best advice I can give you, get a copy of the Lyman cast Bullet book, It will answer all your questions, and more you have not run across yet.
The book is cheap and also filled with several cast bullets and loads for them.
I have cast bullets for almost 40 years, but have a copy of this book next two, the 8 or so other reloading manuals on my bench.
Two very important things to remember, molten lead and water do no play nice together, and excessive barrel leading can dangerously increase load pressure.
If done right neither of these will ever be an issue.
If done right bullet casting can be very safe and enjoyable, but if half hated a trip to the emergence room will be in your future.
Be safe and good luck with your new hobby