Major Rustic layer forming at the bottom of my lead melter

[Aripowell]

Hi all, 

I am very new to pouring my own sinkers. I have read through some of the other threads regarding oxidation layers rising to the top of my lead pool. 

I am using the small Palmer Hot Pot Melter 2 to make sinkers.

There is a significant amount of orange colored oxide forming at the base of my melting pot. It looks like Iron Oxide (Regular rust), but could it be oxidized lead? I am worried that I am going to corrode out the bottom of my pot and have a lead spill...

I notice that at a certain point in heating, the oxidation layer begins to rapidly rise to the top. Each time I spoon it off, a new layer has already formed. I also noticed that if I scrape the bottom of the pot very lightly with the spoon while the lead is at this temperature, some of the oxide powder seems to be liberated from the base of the bowl and rise to the surface, where I spoon it off as well. 

I was thinking it could just be other metal impurities that have become snagged on the bottom of the bowl, but when I pour all of the lead out there seems to be quite a bit of that orange colored oxide all along the bottom of the bowl. 

To mitigate any potential rapid corrosion I have been unplugging the pot from the wall as soon as the oxide layer begins to form faster than I can spoon it off (no temperature control; the manufacturer claims the element gets to the 'perfect temperature' by just plugging it in...)

Just want to be safe. Any help is greatly appreciated!!!

[Kasilofchrisn]

I've noticed with my Palmer Hot pot that it has very poor temperature regulation.

But I generally only use it for very specific jobs such as melting tin where I want to be able to get 100% of the tin out.

Tin is expensive so I want to make sure I use it all.

But other than that I rarely use my Palmer Hot pot as I think it is the least favorable option for melting lead.

I know there's a few guys that like them for regular casting use but I'm not one of them.

Mine hasn't shown a lot of rust but I do scrape it out after use as it does tend to build up some gunk in it more so than my bottom pour pots or ladel pots.

Have you noticed any pitting or loss of wall thickness? That would be more concerning than just a layer of oxidized metal forming.

[cadman]

I use the Palmer pot to pour small orders 10-15 jigs. My pot also has some rust once it warms up and I scrape the sides. I will tell you this, (this is my opinion) but the Palmer pots run very hot, compared to my Lee even at #9. I wonder if the extreme heat has something to do with it.

[basskat]

I think its the cast metal the Palmer is made with. You shouldn't have to worry about the pot failing.