Author Topic: Melting pot maintenance  (Read 3601 times)

Offline walleyetracker85

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Melting pot maintenance
« on: 02/26/15 12:02 UTC »
Hey guys I'm just wondering is their anything I need to do for maintenance on my melting pot? I got the Lee magnum melter 20 lb electric dip out. Also if I let the lead in it cool, and then reheat it is their anything I need to do after reheated before pouring. Thanks for the help guys!

Offline Muskygary

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #1 on: 02/26/15 12:37 UTC »
I have the Lee Production Pot IV. (with the bottom pour spout) As long as everything is working I leave it alone. When I'm done pouring I leave the lead in the pot to harden and then put it away. Ever so often the bottom spout will start to drip. Usually a tap on the top rod will stop it. If it gets bad then I have to drain all the lead out of the pot, let it cool, and take a wire brush to it and clean everything out including a wire up the spout. Other than that I flux a lot while I'm pouring and clean the crap off of the surface. Hopes this helps.

Offline walleyetracker85

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #2 on: 02/26/15 13:01 UTC »
Thanks for the help! What exactly does fluxing your lead mean? Also you have to heat your molds before pouring correct? I mean you can't just pour hot lead into a cold mold can you? Thanks guys

Offline Muskygary

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #3 on: 02/26/15 14:00 UTC »
Fluxing is done by putting something in the lead that causes all the bad stuff to come to the surface so you can skim it off. Some people use parts of candles or wax. When you drop it in the lead it will start to smoke. Light the smoke and it will shoot a flame up in the air as it burns off everything. Now I use Frankford Clean Cast Fluxing compound (sold by Do-it page 89 of catalog). Just drop a spoon of this in your lead and stir it as it smokes. Then spoon off all the sludge at the top of the pot. You will have a nice silver color to pour with. As you pour and add more lead, the junk will start to come to the surface. Just flux again to clean the lead up. Now most guys heat their molds before pouring by sitting them open on top of the lead pot. First off; you should smoke your mold with a candle or spray with Casting release spray ( also sold  by Do-it on page 89 of catalog) Be sure the mold is dry before pouring lead in it Some guys will also run lead through the lead mold cavities to heat the mold up. (without any hooks in the mold). Just dump the castings back in the lead pot. Now your ready, load your mold with hooks, wire keepers, etc. and pour. Let set a minute then  pull the hooks out. Do-it has some super videos on how to do this. Be sure to check them out. Hope this helps. Any more questions feel free to ask them. We all started from scratch at one time!

Offline Justin9j

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #4 on: 02/26/15 14:45 UTC »
Frankford clean cast is good stuff

Offline walleyetracker85

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #5 on: 02/26/15 17:35 UTC »
Thanks for the help. I just placed a order for those two things. I think I finally have everything I need, and am ready to start pouring jigs!

Offline Kasilofchrisn

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #6 on: 02/26/15 19:14 UTC »
I flux with a small (sugar cube) size piece of beeswax.
If it doesn't ignite I light it. And stir it while it burns wearing my welding gloves.
Cheap and easy.
I do recommend the drop out. I use it on all my molds and it helps a lot.

Offline walleyetracker85

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #7 on: 02/27/15 13:11 UTC »
So if I'm using casting release spray then I don't need to smoke or heat my molds?

Offline Muskygary

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #8 on: 02/27/15 14:10 UTC »
You can still heat them up, but the spray takes the place of the smoke.

Offline Kasilofchrisn

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #9 on: 03/06/15 19:19 UTC »
So if I'm using casting release spray then I don't need to smoke or heat my molds?
You still need to heat them.
But the spray is a better alternative to smoking the molds.

Offline walleyetracker85

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Re: Melting pot maintenance
« Reply #10 on: 03/15/15 13:44 UTC »
Thanks for the help guys! I got my fluxing compound, and drop out on Friday. It was back ordered for almost 2 weeks. Might start making jigs tuesday. I can't wait to show you guys what I come up with!