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Fluxing Lead
- Thread starter Nick B
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Big Cholla
Member
Go to Lowes or Home Depot and purchase the cheapest toilet wax ring they carry. A thumbnail sized piece in each pot will flux the melt better than anything else I've found. That wax ring will last you the rest of your casting career. And as a bonus, when the lead melt get hot enough to just barely cause the melted wax to burst into flames, the lead is just right to start casting. ......... Big Cholla
Better than just candle wax ?
chipking
Member
Yep much better more bees wax and less paraffin. I broke down years ago and bought a high dollar jug of Marflux and it didn't do any better than the bees wax except slightly less smoke. Bought another bowl ring and never looked back.
Chip King
Chip King
Big Cholla
Member
Only because I found the candle wax I tried burned at a much lower temp and couldn't be used to judge the castability of the lead temp. If you use a lead temp thermometer, candle wax would be just a good.
An aside: I found when using the toilet ring wax that a lot of the grunge coming out of the lead mix was sticking to the bottom of the pot. So towards the end of casting from one pot, I rub the bottom of the melting pot vigorously with the ladle and flux one more time. That frees that stuff up and brings it to the surface for flux skimming. I then add a new supply of lead ingots and flux again when the lead is up to casting temp. ......... Big Cholla
novalty
Member
Dry pine sawdust. From what I've read wax is not an effective fluxing agent. I cover my melt with a layer of sawdust and ignite with click lighter. After it has turned to ash, I scrape the sides and bottom of my pot. Then I scrape out the waste/impurities. I repeat this process two more times, then ladle into my ingot molds.
I've heard people getting their sawdust at Home Depot or Lowes, by asking a sales person if you can have the sawdust from the area they cut to length. A plastic shopping bag full will last a long time.
I've heard people getting their sawdust at Home Depot or Lowes, by asking a sales person if you can have the sawdust from the area they cut to length. A plastic shopping bag full will last a long time.
Last edited:
Avery11
US Veteran
Sawdust and nothing else.
I have been casting since 1980, and in those years I have used everything from sawdust to leftover bullet lube to used motor oil to beeswax to commercial fluxes. Bottom line is although everyone has their own opinion as to what is best, just about anything that burns will work. I now use beeswax because I came upon a 6 lb. block several years ago that should last me the rest of my life.
I think I would go get a wax ring for a toilet bowl and let the good times roll!
I think I would go get a wax ring for a toilet bowl and let the good times roll!
nicky4968
Member
I use a wooden hammer handle.Not only fluxes, but scrapes the side and bottom of the pot.
fredj338
Member
I have fluxed with a lot of diff things, nothign works better IMO, than sawdust. Real sawdust or small wood chips, no MDF or plywood dust. For my casting pot, using clean lead ingots, I just stir with a wooden paint stick after adding ingots, all the add'l flux that is needed.
novalty
Member
Good idea about the paint stick on the casting pot, I haven't been fluxing my Promelt, as I was using clean ingots, but and didn't want to put sawdust in and have to deal with ash and adding new ingots.
ChuckS1
US Veteran
Another vote for sawdust here.
Moonman
Member
Clean DRY Pine Sawdust.
NO SAWDUST FROM PLYWOOD, it has glues in it.
WAXES are REDUCERS not a true FLUX.
NO SAWDUST FROM PLYWOOD, it has glues in it.
WAXES are REDUCERS not a true FLUX.
Moonman
Member
Do a SEARCH over at Cast BOOLITS Forum
"FROM INGOT TO TARGET"
It contains all the info one would need, including the
AUTHORS PERMISSION to print or have printed a personal
copy of the copyrighted materials.
A truly informative piece of work, one stop info for all related matters.
"FROM INGOT TO TARGET"
It contains all the info one would need, including the
AUTHORS PERMISSION to print or have printed a personal
copy of the copyrighted materials.
A truly informative piece of work, one stop info for all related matters.
Clovishound
Member
A question for those who use sawdust. Do you use only pine sawdust, or does hardwood dust work as well. I would assume the rosin in the pine is what does the job.
I'm a woodworker and have tons of hardwood dust available, but rarely work with pine.
I'm a woodworker and have tons of hardwood dust available, but rarely work with pine.
Moonman
Member
I actually use Pat Marlin's CALIFORNIA FLAKE FLUX (CFF).
I like it, OTHER CASTERS SWEAR BY IT.
It's a mixture he came up with of different woods.
The Sap is what does it.
Highly recommended by many casters, he's over at CAST BOOLITS site.
Or Google Pat Marlin's CALIFORNIA FLAKE FLUX.
MOONMAN
I like it, OTHER CASTERS SWEAR BY IT.
It's a mixture he came up with of different woods.
The Sap is what does it.
Highly recommended by many casters, he's over at CAST BOOLITS site.
Or Google Pat Marlin's CALIFORNIA FLAKE FLUX.
MOONMAN
