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Posted: 4/26/2017 10:30:47 PM EDT
I smelt all the lead I get in a large cast iron pot and flux with saw dust 2 times. The pot holds about 70 pounds +\-
I first make 25 pound bricks just for the ease but when I need to make smaller pucks I melt one or two bricks down and flux again but this time I add a candle (heard this was good) so it gets cleaned a 3rd time.
Well I recently made about 75 pounds of 1/2 pound pucks and left them in a 5gallon bucket on my porch where I do my casting.
I noticed severe color variations after about 3 months in the pucks. Yes I did manage to get some liquid in with them and I know that the white residue is from that. I found what looks like rust on some of them.
The lead is sourced from old telephone junctions so I know it has a tin content to them or at least that is what I read.
The pics are all from the same bucket and smelting session so any input would help.

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This is how the bricks are kept

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Rust!!!!!


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Link Posted: 4/26/2017 10:32:56 PM EDT
[#1]
How the lead is in the bucket

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Good lead in the same bucket

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Link Posted: 4/26/2017 10:37:19 PM EDT
[#2]
I did read that I may have had the temp to high and let it sit at that temp to long so the tin could have formed veins in the lead.....but that was on the Internet in a forum so who knows how true it is.
Link Posted: 4/26/2017 10:38:04 PM EDT
[#3]
Link Posted: 4/26/2017 10:41:06 PM EDT
[#4]
I know lead doesn't rust which is why I was needing the input. This just seemed strange to me and was worried the whole lot might be ruined.
Link Posted: 4/27/2017 1:03:09 AM EDT
[#5]
I once had a bit of surface rust form in my melting pot and had a similar outcome on my ingots with a light fluxing.

On my next melting session I fluxed heavy with pine animal bedding pretty heavy and they have been fine ever since.

At any rate I wouldn't be too worried about it and just clean them up before casting
Link Posted: 4/27/2017 2:31:52 AM EDT
[#6]
Like dryflash3 said you should flux you lead even when making ingots. It lets all those other ingredients blend in with the lead so you don't get blotches of this or that in your ingots.

It's pretty hard to damage the lead.

Motor
Link Posted: 4/27/2017 3:29:52 AM EDT
[#7]
Lead doesn't "rust" per say, but it does oxidize. Usually a light grey powdery coverage.

I hope you're skimming and fluxing. That looks like dirty lead to me. I usually see similar near the end of a smelt/pour.
Link Posted: 4/28/2017 9:14:26 AM EDT
[#8]
My guess, high  iron contend with a poor flux job.  Iron will rust.   Whats in scrap lead?   Some of everything.  
The samples which had been hardened as described were also analyzed for metal content and had the following metal content:______________________________________ metal wt. %______________________________________ Copper 0.038 Arsenic 0.16 Antimony 3.0 Tin 0.25 Zinc 0.0001 Cadmium 0.0001 Nickel <.0001 Bismuth 0.018 Silver 0.0038 Tellurium 0.0015 Sulfur 0.0005 Iron <.0001 Lead Balance_
View Quote
Casting a few bullets from a know mould may give a clue as to  alloy.   Weight and diameter of past casting sessions of that mold will give clues.

If you own a hardness tester, even better. 

Bullet Sizes & Weights – How to Vary Them 

The bullet diameters and weights presented in this list
are based on the use of Taracorp’s Lawrence Magnum
bullet alloy (2% tin, 6% antimony, 1/4% arsenic,
91.75% lead).
Bullet diameters and weights will vary considerably
depending on the lead casting alloy used. This variation
can be as much as 1/2% on the diameter, and 8% on
the weight among the most commonly used casting
alloys. For example, a .358-158 grain bullet might
show a diameter variation of .002", and a 13 grain difference
in weight.
Of the most commonly used alloys, wheel weights (.5%
tin, 4% antimony, 95% lead) will produce bullets having
the smallest diameter and heaviest weight, with
such bullets running approximately .3% smaller in
diameter and 3% heavier than bullets cast with
Taracorp's metal. Linotype will produce bullets with the
largest diameter and lightest weights. This alloy will
produce bullets approximately 1/10% larger and 3%
lighter than Taracorp. Other alloys of tin and antimony,
with antimony content above 5%, will produce bullets
with diameters and weights falling between those cast
from wheel weights and linotype.
Alloys containing little or no antimony will cast considerably
smaller than wheel weights and in some cases
will produce bullets too small for adequate sizing.
Within the limitations given above, the weight and
diameter of a cast bullet can be adjusted by varying the
alloy’s antimony content.
The size and weight of bullets of a given alloy will also
vary according to casting temperature. Higher temperatures
will result in greater shrinkage as the bullet
cools, thereby producing a slightly smaller and lighter
bullet than one cast of the same alloy at a lower temperature. 
View Quote
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