Author Topic: IMPURITIES IN LEAD?  (Read 493 times)

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Offline D.E.C

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IMPURITIES IN LEAD?
« on: April 08, 2005, 02:15:28 PM »
I  have been using a Lee melting pot for close to 20 years. Last October my old pot wore out,( heating element died).  Since getting my new pot I have had the lead turning colors, blue, red and green, and leaving deposits in my bullets. I use .350 , .490 round ball. the deposits are heaviest in the bigger bullet, which is to be expected.
My Dad, who has been casting for over 50 years, has never seen anything like this either.
I assume that rust has gotten to the inside of the pot. Will this decrease with use?
I use midway 99.9% pure lead and flux with SPG Lube, Although I have used other lubes in the past.

Offline hank in wv

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Re: IMPURITIES IN LEAD?
« Reply #1 on: April 09, 2005, 01:38:24 AM »
Quote from: D.E.C
I  have been using a Lee melting pot for close to 20 years. Last October my old pot wore out,( heating element died).  Since getting my new pot I have had the lead turning colors, blue, red and green, and leaving deposits in my bullets. I use .350 , .490 round ball. the deposits are heaviest in the bigger bullet, which is to be expected.
My Dad, who has been casting for over 50 years, has never seen anything like this either.
I assume that rust has gotten to the inside of the pot. Will this decrease with use?
I use midway 99.9% pure lead and flux with SPG Lube, Although I have used other lubes in the past.



DEC,
Sounds like you might be casting too hot. The dial on your new pot is probably graduated a little differently. Try turning it back some.

Hank

Offline lostid

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IMPURITIES IN LEAD?
« Reply #2 on: April 09, 2005, 01:02:32 PM »
that's the first thing I thought of too hank,,too hot. But he's been casting fer 20 years and guided buy the hand of 50 years experiance. I'm sure tween the two they've seen too hot before.
 The part of it I cain't figger,, is how rust got "inside" the new pot and they cain't see it? but they think it's there?? ok whatever? Could be rust. Could be a 1 in a million bad pot. I'm thinkin he never scrubed that sucker proir to first melt and has an "oil" contamination.
 Tell ya what. you crank that thing till everything is red hot and full,,and leave it there whilst ya skim and skim and skim some more as long as you have courage too. Then turn it off ta cool, afore that lead sets,, you empty that pot. Don't matter what ya do with the lead just empty the pot.
 The next day when that pot is cold, you bring it to water with one a them green scrubbie things and soap and scrub it real good, best ya can. Now I'm allowin you got experiance,, and knowin what hot is, what ta get wet and what not too.K? When she's dry the day after that, you start with fresh lead and go slow. Ya need too "temper" the pot, that's as best I can explain. It'll work good now,, if you use that same lead as what got red hot? well then it won't work good.. That's what I know, you do what ya want, I done this already, that's my two bits
luck too ya,
i'm a realist. i've not seen it all, but man ,,I've Been Around the block once or twice

Offline D.E.C

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IMPURITIES IN LEAD?
« Reply #3 on: April 09, 2005, 01:26:36 PM »
LOSTID, YEP, I ALREADY KNOW ABOUT TEMP CONTROL. IN ALL THE TOO HOT LEAD I'VE SEEN I'VE NEVER SEEN BRIGHT GREEN AND BLUE IN LEAD.
I DID CLEAN THE POT WITH BRAKE PART CLEANER PRIOR TO USE, AND GOT GOOD RESULTS THE FIRST TIME OR TWO I USED IT.
FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIONS I DID'NT LEAVE LEAD IN THE POT WHEN STORED OVER THE WINTER AND DESPITE THE OIL I PUT IN THE POT IT RUSTED.
I REMOVED THE RUST WITH A COPPER BRUSH PRIOR TO THE LAST USE. I HAVE BEEN FLUXING THE LEAD SEVERAL TIMES TO PURIFY THE LEAD AND IT'S GOTTEN BETTER BUT I STILL GET A LOT OF IMPURITIES IN IT.
SHOULD I MIX MORE PURE LEAD WITH THE OLD LEAD OR WOULD THIS JUST CONTAMINATE THE NEW LEAD?

Offline lostid

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IMPURITIES IN LEAD?
« Reply #4 on: April 10, 2005, 02:21:11 PM »
gosh,,sorry,,i didn't know you was gonna use "cap's lock" to responde.
 you jus go back an re-read what i said,,maybe a little slower this tyme :D  i cain't give ya no more advise than what i said,, if that don't work then maybe you got that "million" pot,cause mostly all them pot's work purty darn good,,,sure sorry about that. i just melt an cast, best i can,,honest. luck to ya
i'm a realist. i've not seen it all, but man ,,I've Been Around the block once or twice