Lead Isn't Bright Anymore

[bakgat]

Hi Guys

I was also reading a bit about fluxing the lead and gave it a go. The first batch after fluxing was perfect, then I started to pour some 0.5 and 1lb ingots as I purchased my lead in 50lb ingots. I fluxed this lead and it started turning blue and purple. I have taken the pot down to almost empty and then added a clean 12lb piece in the hope to dilute the discoloration causing element out. It didn't work and most of the jigs I pour now is not bright anymore but rather blueish/purplish for lack of a better description. Luckily all of the jigs I poured will get painted but I do make some that doesn't get painted. Is there anyone who can help me with this please?

Could it be the temperature of the lead that causes this?

[atijigs]

Hi Guys

I was also reading a bit about fluxing the lead and gave it a go. The first batch after fluxing was perfect, then I started to pour some 0.5 and 1lb ingots as I purchased my lead in 50lb ingots. I fluxed this lead and it started turning blue and purple. I have taken the pot down to almost empty and then added a clean 12lb piece in the hope to dilute the discoloration causing element out. It didn't work and most of the jigs I pour now is not bright anymore but rather blueish/purplish for lack of a better description. Luckily all of the jigs I poured will get painted but I do make some that doesn't get painted. Is there anyone who can help me with this please?

Could it be the temperature of the lead that causes this?

You have yourself some pure lead. When you cast they will be shiny for a while and then oxidize. The purple -blue color is oxidation. If you want to keep your jig heads shiny you can clear coat them. Otherwise they they will take on the dull color of split shot after a while. As long as you paint them within a couple of weeks you will be ok. When you remelt those ingots to cast them the oxidation gunk will float to the top. Your casting will be clean.

[nova]

You can also get yourself a rattle can of chrome silver paint and paint them.

www.novalures.com

[toadfrog]

How long do you keep the heads before you use them . It should take quite a while before the heads dull and turn grayish blue . either way you can clean any head old or new by dropping them in a solution of straight vinegar. amber colored kind. It will also etch them slightly and make paint stick like heck. If you are using bronze hooks don't put those in . it will cause them to rust.

[bakgat]

How long do you keep the heads before you use them . It should take quite a while before the heads dull and turn grayish blue . either way you can clean any head old or new by dropping them in a solution of straight vinegar. amber colored kind. It will also etch them slightly and make paint stick like heck. If you are using bronze hooks don't put those in . it will cause them to rust.

It is actually the lead, while in the pot, that turns this purple/blue. I don't have one of the Lee Melting pots/pourers yet, but use a normal small Stainless Steel pot on a gas burner. I use a ladle to pour the jigs, thus actually getting the odd color lead into the molds. I normally do the powder painting within a week or two. I will try the vinegar, how long does it need to stay in there?

[steve187]

bakgat, I hope you get an answer to you concern because I have been having the same experience. I thought maybe it had something to do with temperature in the pot but I experimented a little bit and couldn't really verify anything. I paint mine soon so I guess I'm ok but still I'm curious what the explanation is.

[bakgat]

bakgat, I hope you get an answer to you concern because I have been having the same experience. I thought maybe it had something to do with temperature in the pot but I experimented a little bit and couldn't really verify anything. I paint mine soon so I guess I'm ok but still I'm curious what the explanation is.

Steve187

I will still play around with some of the variables and see if I can figure out exactly what is going on. I will let you know if I find something

[Ogajiga]

Wow, wish I could afford pure lead.

Adding 4% tin metal will inhibit storage oxidation - approx. 1 part tin to 24 parts lead by weight. In a reasonably sealed environment, the jig heads will remain shiny for years.

[bakgat]

Wow, wish I could afford pure lead.

Adding 4% tin metal will inhibit storage oxidation - approx. 1 part tin to 24 parts lead by weight. In a reasonably sealed environment, the jig heads will remain shiny for years.

Thanks for the info hawnjigs. Over here in Australia it is easier and cheaper for me to buy the pure lead. I don't have a lot of time to spend on the jigs so it makes sense to rather get the lead I can use straight away, this gives me more quality time on the jigs. I am still new in this game and learning every day. I will see if I can find Tin somewhere to get that shiny finish.

[atijigs]

Thanks for the info hawnjigs. Over here in Australia it is easier and cheaper for me to buy the pure lead. I don't have a lot of time to spend on the jigs so it makes sense to rather get the lead I can use straight away, this gives me more quality time on the jigs. I am still new in this game and learning every day. I will see if I can find Tin somewhere to get that shiny finish.

I use pure lead a lot. What I do is clean it and pour it into ingots. By cleaning it I heat it to a molten state flux it with paraffin wax several times.

The oxidation will be fluxed out of the alloy. The lead will become shiny. The ingots are poured to be use at a later date. By the time the lead will be poured it will have been cleaned and fluxed and fluxed in the pouring pot. They come out with a shiny finish. It will take quite a while before they will oxidize again. I did notice when I first started I would have some blue pink to my ingots if I only melted and fluxed it once. I never ended up with a discolored casting so I am stumped as to what you are experiencing.

[Ogajiga]

Since the price of foundry grade tin is pretty high, currently around $18 US, I usually source with solder scrap from second hand outlets. My ideal would be 1-2 lb. solder bars from going out of business auto body repair shops with tin content varying from 30% to 70%, usually stamped on the bars. I would advise avoiding resin or especially acid flux cored solder wire as these create some nasty contaminant problems to deal with. Solid core solder wire is fine typically 95-97% tin content.

Most of the forum bottom pour lead crafters use wheel weight metal which antimony(hardener) content also inhibits crust oxidation formation. But, antimony may negatively affect the ladle pouring quality when alloyed into lead. In my experience, 4% tin added to pure lead will not noticeably affect ladle pourability. Further, less than 3% tin will shorten oxidation inhibition longevity, and more than 5% is unnecessary and expensive.

[BBK]

It is actually the lead, while in the pot, that turns this purple/blue. I don't have one of the Lee Melting pots/pourers yet, but use a normal small Stainless Steel pot on a gas burner. I use a ladle to pour the jigs, thus actually getting the odd color lead into the molds. I normally do the powder painting within a week or two. I will try the vinegar, how long does it need to stay in there?

I get that also when using pure lead. You should be happy, you got some $3-$5 a pound PURE lead. I'll gladly trade you for some wheel weight lead that's shiny LOL

If you really want it shiny, and I hate saying this... but you can put some zinc in there to make it not pure anymore. But then you just made your $3-$5 a pound lead into $1 a pound lead that most people wouldn't take for free.