High temp cast

[fredj338]

I have read the comments about fluxing, including a few that say they don't or there's no need. This is such a misinformed subject.

Fluxing is ABSOLUTELY necessary because it is the only way to return the separated metal oxides back into the melted alloy. And sawdust is the best material to flux with.

Read the attached article in the link, which was written by an avid caster with a degree in Chemistry. It's so important, flux is mentioned almost a dozen times.

http://www.lasc.us/castbulletalloy.htm#UNS

I flux when melting scrap into ingots, almost always sawdust. When I cast I just tir with a wooden paint stick everytime I add clean alloy. Its the only add'l fluxing I do, works fine.

[David2011]

I have read the comments about fluxing, including a few that say they don't or there's no need. This is such a misinformed subject.

Fluxing is ABSOLUTELY necessary because it is the only way to return the separated metal oxides back into the melted alloy. And sawdust is the best material to flux with.

Read the attached article in the link, which was written by an avid caster with a degree in Chemistry. It's so important, flux is mentioned almost a dozen times.

http://www.lasc.us/castbulletalloy.htm#UNS

100% I agree completely.

A few years ago a friend gave me some ingots that he had made from COWW. The metal didn't cast well and had inclusions. After I fluxed the mix with sawdust the boolits came out very nearly perfect.

If your boolits are coming out as your idea of perfect then you may not need additional fluxing. If you aren't getting sharp corners, see black specks in the boolits or the entire boolit just looks "off," a sawdust fluxing may help. There are certainly other factors including the melt temperature and the mold temperature as well as the alloy itself that can cause poor results but fluxing with sawdust just might be "the cure." Only sawdust from solid softwoods or hardwoods should be used. Sawdust from treated lumber, OSB or plywood contains chemicals or glue that should not be heated to the temperatures of molten lead.

[More_Slugs]

Very well put.

[gwpercle]

Not only do I flux while casting but use a two step flux ...
Flux #1 with wood shavings (pencil sharpener shavings) and a little beeswax .
Flux #2 with Marvelux .
Why ... because it works best and fluxing often lets me cast the best boolits I can possibly cast .
If I'm going to cast them I want perfect boolits with sharp edges and no wrinkles or defects
Gary

[blackthorn]

Gary: --- Could you post in detail your process for using both shavings and Marvelux? My purpose in fluxing is to both clean the metal and return any useable components to the melt so that I skim only true trash. With Marvelux I found it sticks to my ladle, and further that anything (good or bad) was removed from the surface of the melt and was/is (becomes) trash. I also found Marvelux to be extremely hydroscopic so that I had to be very careful not to send an unintended invite to the tinsel fairy. I am wondering if I have missed something?