Lead melting question

[presspuller]

I just got back from my tire store with about 2-3 gallons of wheels weights. I have never cast my own bullets and am just getting started down this road.
What I was planning on doing is melting the wheel weights an pouring into muffin ingots for storage till I get the stuff to cast bullets. I was planning on doing this with a cast iron pan and a gas burner. The weights of course are nasty so do I need to use anything to flux them with or just skim off the junk that floats to the top?
Also some of the weights are more silver than grey. I am sure this is to match the alloy wheels that are more common today but are these still lead that is just painted or is it something else?
Thanks for any and all info.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

You should have no problem. Get a big, cheap spoon and use it to skim the dross and other trash off the surface of the lead. Use the spoon to stir and make sure everything comes to the top. When you have a shiny, slilvery surface, pour into your ingot moulds.

But also heat your moulds -- to burn off any preservative that might contaminate your lead (the contamination will need to be skimmed off next melting.) A good ingot mould is a cast-iron cornbread maker.

The mixtures of metal won't hurt anything. You may find some that won't melt. Just skim them off and dispose of them

 

[Firehand]

Generally best to flux it. Can use any number of things, from some candle wax to the stuff like Marvelux designed for the purpose(I use Marvelux). Helps get all the crud out.

 

[ReloaderFred]

If you have any old candles around the house, they will work for fluxing your alloy. Just put a small chunk, about 1/4" long, on top of the melted alloy and when it's fully melted and really starting to smoke, throw a match on it and most of the smoke will go away when it catches fire. Of course, this is all going to be done outside.

I use Marvellux for fluxing, but a candle or other wax will do for now. Once the wax has melted, use the big spoon that Vern suggested and stir the mix thoroughly until all the clips and debris float to the top and you can skim it off. A large ladle works for making your ingots. Sometimes you can pick them up at thrift stores.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[okeybug]

Marvelux has another advantage. No fire while fluxing. Much safer if your fluxing in a well vented gargage. The fumes are much more tolorable than using a candle.
Once you use Marvelux, you'll never flux without it. If your interested in getting this produce, I bought mine from Brownells. A can of the stuff lasts quite a while.