Fluxing Lead Alloys

In this video, made for the Cast Bullet Association, I give a brief demonstration of "fluxing" (i.e. cleaning) bullet metal. Especially for those not casting yet, this may take some of the mystery out of the process. The lead shown in this video originated from used wheel weights and, as such, began life quite contaminated.
For those who are already familiar with fluxing, but never having used Marvelux, this may be of interest to them as well.
DISCLAIMER: My videos are strictly for documentary, educational, and entertainment purposes only. Imitation or the use of any acts depicted in my videos is solely AT YOUR OWN RISK. All work on firearms should be carried out by a licensed individual and all state, provincial and federal rules apply to such. I (including KZbin) will not be held liable for any injury to yourself or damage to your firearms resulting from attempting anything shown in any of my videos. I do not endorse any specific product and this video is not an attempt to sell you a good or service. I am not a gun store and DO NOT sell or deal in firearms. Such a practice is heavily regulated and subject to applicable laws. I DO NOT sell parts, magazines, or firearms. These videos are free to watch and if anyone attempts to charge for this video notify me immediately. By viewing or flagging this video you are acknowledging the above.
Fair Use: In the rare instance I include someone else’s footage, that is covered in Fair Use for Documentary and Educational purposes with the intention of driving commentary and allowing freedom of speech.

[@pareloader5989]

Now that’s a guy who takes pride in his equipment.

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Hah! Everybody here is giving me the gears about that.

[@greyfoxmt]

I'm glad to finally hear you can use borax. That's what I use for purifying silver.

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

You use if for silver? Interesting.

[@monstermessgarage452]

Good how to but my god man clean that pot my ocd is freaking me out

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Heh. No! It's my pot and I'll do what I want! ;)

[@tires2burn]

That pot looks almost new.

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

And I don't even try to keep it neat & clean. They seem to last forever. I've been using this one for over 30 years now. RCBS makes good equipment.

[@tires2burn]

I think that's called PATINA. Lots of miles there.

[@98Blacklightning]

Are you sure the impurities are coming out of the lead rather than crumbling off your spoon and the walls of the pot 😄

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Even so, the goal is to get them out of the mix (so they don't go through the bottom spout and into the bullet mould). Anything that's impure will float to the top in any case.

[@frogsgottalent1106]

There’s a man who likes his lead .

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Sorry about the (very) late reply, I somehow missed your comment. Yes, it's a form of metallurgy the common man can easily equip for.

[@j_lo8916]

Well, perhaps rendering the lead and making ingots first will prevent this step altogether. Forty years of casting and i've never seen anything like it.

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Different people, different alloy sources and other aspects may be different, I suppose. I've been doing for about 40 years as well. I make my alloy from wheel weights, flux a few times in a large batch when that's done and then pour the fluxed metal into ingots. I find that, even though the alloy has been fluxed once that way before making ingots, it still pays to flux it some more when the ingots are then melted in the melting pot. I think more fluxing is necessary when casting using a pot with a bottom-pour spigot. This is because the impurities/slag tend to eventually plug the spigot, which can be a major pain. Ladle pour from the top (as I used to do) seems to be less problem when it comes to impurities.

[@MrMetalhead0124]

Does the fluxing method remove all impurities and leave you with pure lead?

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

More precisely, it removes the unwanted impurities. Often the alloy is composed of lead, tin, antimony and a bit of arsenic (which you want to keep and the fluxing does not remove).

[@poellot]

Is that the rcbs pot? I am just getting into casting. I have a lee pot i have been using for making fishing weights for awhile now. but considering the rcbs for bullets. The lee pot has the rod through the middle more and makes it tough to stir.

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Yep, mine's and RCBS. Quite old now, I bought it in the mid-80's I think, but it's still working well.

[@poellot]

@@TheWaytoNativeChronicles i definitely prefer the old stuff. Much of what i own was from auctions and the stuff outlived the original owner. I do like the looks of the older pro melt over the new pro melt 2. I keep watching on ebay for a reasonable deal. Any issues at all in that many years?

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

@@poellot Nope, I've had no issues with mine at all Colin.

[@bunkstagner298]

that is the nastiest pot i have ever seen. Also that must be the dirtiest lead to begin with being melted..

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

What's your source of lead Bunk? Mine is from wheel weights. The following video shows how I process it into ingots before this second phase of fluxing in the pot: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nXXGaapvZ919bZo

[@pareloader5989]

All I see is major zinc contamination

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Well, then you better get your eyes checked! ;)

[@geraldf.1222]

I'D RATHER TO THE PURIFACTION ON A 10" CAST IRON SKILLET AND FLUX/REFINE THERE.

[@geraldf.1222]

ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT THE LEAD TO BE AT "BOILING" TEMPERATURE VS. MELTED AND LIQUID????

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

I think you are completely misinterpreting what you see Gerald. The lead isn't "boiling."

[@abdrazaksache449]

Please is there a way to make the lead more flexible?

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Sorry Abdraak, but I'm not sure what you mean by making it "more flexible." By using pure lead (without tin and antimony) the alloy can be its softest, if that's what you're wondering about.

[@davidgruen7423]

Lead is not precious metal, it’s heavy metal.

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

That it is. But kind of precious to some!

[@pareloader5989]

If your a bullet caster it’s precious metal

[@davidgruen7423]

@@pareloader5989 not really lead is cheap, tin is more expensive. I like 1/20 tin lead, slightly harder and have better accuracy, but it’s more expensive per pound compared to pure lead. I am thinking about refining lead myself and add pure tin, because lead is dirt cheap for me, tin is not.

[@pareloader5989]

@@davidgruen7423 good point. How much tin do you add per pound of lead? And do you know what BHN it gives you? Thanks

[@davidgruen7423]

@@pareloader5989 1 pound per 19 pound of lead, it gets too 10 I remember.

[@elainerussell924]

After Flux add carrots potatoes cabbage corn meat now you got a meal that will stick to your ribs ENJOY !

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Uh... h'okay Elaine...

[@johnmetson7950]

If you fluxed with bees wax you would only do it once

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Thanks for sharing your opinion, but there's nothing magic about beeswax. The number of fluxes depends on how dirty the alloy was to begin with and how clean you want to get it.

[@joshwideman7487]

Wow what a filthy looking pot

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Heh. Awwww. I'm so sorry Josh! ;)

[@davidcliatt1314]

I'm going to erase this from my mind. If I can!

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

@@davidcliatt1314 The more you try, the more you'll remember David! ;)

[@e.fifield9034]

that what he is doing is ummm just wrong! never use your melting pot that you use to cast bullets in that way, always use a larger cast iron pot outside or very well ventilated and cast you ingots outside but never do what he is doing oie!

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

Heh. Been doing it for almost 40 years young fella (I'll just assume you're young). You don't see the ventilation hood above my melting pot, for instance. And you don't know there's nothing wrong with giving an extra flux or two before casting - even though you've fluxed the metal several times in a large batch to make ingots, long before they were introduced into to this pot for casting. Thanks for sharing your opinion anyways though.

[@ebbeweber9219]

What a mess.

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

But the bullets turn out good! ;)

[@williamaustin6565]

If you're married, I'll bet your wife doesn't allow you into the kitchen. What a mess!

[@TheWaytoNativeChronicles]

You'd be surprised what she lets me do!