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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ok-22shooter" data-source="post: 4368471" data-attributes="member: 42477">Thanks for the comments but..... I am smelting my used Linotype lead at 650 to 700 deg F. Fabricated steel lead pot is 12" diameter by 12" tall.  just under 50# per inch of lead depth, have poured over 300# in one batch of ingots. Once the used Linotype gets to a slushy stage, I flux with LOTS of sawdust, went thru maybe 2 gallons of sawdust on the last batch.  I get about 1" of fines on top for every 5" of liquid Linotype in my pot. remove the fines and then use beeswax a couple of times to try and get the last of the impurities out. Last batch was 300# of lead and about 100# of the fines. My raw material is used Linotype that the operator does not flux during their 600 deg F process. They add new Lino, sprues and tie bars back in to the mix until it gets too dirty and then they drain into a metal pail. the slugs I advertised for sale in the classified are the raw drained lead. the initial analysis of the used Linotype lead is 3.6% tin and 12% antimony, the rest lead. At 750 to 775 deg F, the fines/dust will NOT combine back into the liquid, no mater what I use for flux.  the little bit of data I have researched is that this may be lead, tin and antimony oxides. a 2 gallon metal bucket with 8" of the fines weight 50#, it is very heavy. Lead above 800 deg F can put off VERY bad fumes. Per the research, it take over 500 deg Centigrade, 930 deg Fahrenheit to break down the oxide. at that temperature, cast iron is getting pretty weak. that's why I am looking for a true crucible that will take copper melting temperatures.  My pot has a 200,000 BTU burner and my regulator will go to 25 PSI.  I get 720 deg F lead temperature at 7 PSI propane pressure to the burner. On Tuesday, the plan is to melt 300# plus of slugs, pour around 125# as used Linotype ingots and then mix in 175# of pure lead.  that should give me around 1.8% tin and 6% antimony which is pretty close to hard ball bullet alloy.  I will then have 4 batches of smelted used Linotype, over 600#, and the 350# of bullet alloy.Did get an email back from a company that sells solders and buys back dross.  they may be interested.A guy on CastBoolits will do an analysis of the lead for 1# of lead per analysis.  I will send a sample from the start and end of each batch I have poured to confirm the ingots are pretty much the same all the way thru the pour. Yes, an over kill but I have a lot of lead.</blockquote>

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