I had given this a try on my last casting session and it worked okay but today I did a bunch of casting. Everything the Marvelux touches gets covered in rust! It took me forever to get good looking bullets as the inside of the pot was covered in rust. I will never use it again. I can't believe they even have that worthless stuff on the market
Marvelux Sucks!
- Thread starter RS1860
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Steve2md
Member
I just use a bit of bees wax. When I'm smelting ingots, a handful of sawdust does the trick.
RS1860,
You just reminded me of why I still have a bunch of that crunchy crap next to my pot. It rusted the hell out of it or at least left such a layer (like a 1/4" thick bathtub ring) around the inside of my LEE pot. It took forever to clean it up. I wonder if it would do the same in the cast iron melting pot I have for smelting scrap? If It'll do the same on cast iron then it is worse than useless. I have enough wax and sawdust to flux anyway but years ago thought I'd do it right with the fancy industrial flux. What a pain and disappointment. Tell me it's OK with cast iron. If not I'll toss it.
You just reminded me of why I still have a bunch of that crunchy crap next to my pot. It rusted the hell out of it or at least left such a layer (like a 1/4" thick bathtub ring) around the inside of my LEE pot. It took forever to clean it up. I wonder if it would do the same in the cast iron melting pot I have for smelting scrap? If It'll do the same on cast iron then it is worse than useless. I have enough wax and sawdust to flux anyway but years ago thought I'd do it right with the fancy industrial flux. What a pain and disappointment. Tell me it's OK with cast iron. If not I'll toss it.
Curator
Member
Never use a ladle that has Marvelux residue on it without first heating it sufficiently to drive off any moisture. Marvelux residue is hygroscopic! Anything with a coating on it dipped into molten lead it will introduce you to the "tinsel-fairy." Even the fumes from using it as a flux will cause your steel tools to rust if they are nearby the lead pot. If you use it, be sure to wash out your lead pot and dippers with hot water to get rid of the residue.
DD4lifeusmc
Member
marvelux
never heard of the stuff.
New and improved doesn't always mean better.
Only thing I cast these days is pure or near pure lead.
So I don't need to flux.
Some of the lead has some crud on it now and then, I wipe it off.
What doesn't wipe off, melts off, and that stuff isn't going to reblend no matter what.
Really pure lead will get a bluish gold hue on it. Never been able to get it to reblend in with fluxing either.
Just a natural by product of the melting process. Just skim it and toss it now an then.
never heard of the stuff.
New and improved doesn't always mean better.
Only thing I cast these days is pure or near pure lead.
So I don't need to flux.
Some of the lead has some crud on it now and then, I wipe it off.
What doesn't wipe off, melts off, and that stuff isn't going to reblend no matter what.
Really pure lead will get a bluish gold hue on it. Never been able to get it to reblend in with fluxing either.
Just a natural by product of the melting process. Just skim it and toss it now an then.
loose noose
Member
Well I thank you folks for informing me of the rust factor in using Marvelux, I've been using it for nearly 20 years, and I figured it was just the nature of the beast. Not no more, the remainder of that junk is in the trash.
DD4lifeusmc
Member
blue hue
Yes it's normal. Never have been able to flux it in gave up trying.
if need be you can add a couple ounces or so of wheel weight lead to a full 5# /10# pot of pure.
won't be enough to really alter your cast, but will cut down on the scum of the gold blue hue.
Yes it's normal. Never have been able to flux it in gave up trying.
if need be you can add a couple ounces or so of wheel weight lead to a full 5# /10# pot of pure.
won't be enough to really alter your cast, but will cut down on the scum of the gold blue hue.
I think the gold & blue hues are different oxidative states of lead. If you flux with wax/sawdust or whatever it will seem to return to the melt and leave a bit of dirt and debris to be skimmed. If you keep skimming it you will deplete your pot as it just keeps forming.
BHP FAN
Member
THAT'S what did it? I'm tossing mine out, too. Or giving it to my buddy, who does much larger batches than I do.
Noz
Member
I use it for ingot. Bees wax or bullet lube while casting.
If you don't need flux you must be buying fresh foundry lead. Any salvage lead of any type needs to be cleaned by fluxing.
If you don't need flux you must be buying fresh foundry lead. Any salvage lead of any type needs to be cleaned by fluxing.
Noz
Member
I use it for both wheel weights which I use for rifles and salvage soft lead(pipe, x-ray, roofing) which I use for C & B.
Yes there is a bathtub ring in my "cleaning" pot. Since it is always used only for initial ingot making, I don't worry about it. Scrape it off as best I can and dump a new batch in.
If I'm in a hurry casting bullets or balls and feel a bit of fluxing would be helpful I'll stick my hickory mold knocker in the lead until smoke rises. Stir, skim and continue to march.
Yes there is a bathtub ring in my "cleaning" pot. Since it is always used only for initial ingot making, I don't worry about it. Scrape it off as best I can and dump a new batch in.
If I'm in a hurry casting bullets or balls and feel a bit of fluxing would be helpful I'll stick my hickory mold knocker in the lead until smoke rises. Stir, skim and continue to march.
BHP FAN
Member
I normally just drop a little bee's wax in....
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