Smelting lead question

trip_sticker · September 24, 2009, 04:12 PM

I just finished melting down 70 pounds of wheel weights. I scored just over half a 5 gallon bucket from a tire shop that I hadn't tried before. Anyway, when I melted them down cleaned off the dross, and fluxed them, I kept getting a bright gold colored film over the surface. I haven't seen this with other batches before. Any idea what this golden color is?

**Unclenick** · September 24, 2009, 09:00 PM

Some metal oxides change color with temperature. I am assuming it goes away when the alloy cools? Chances are if you used a slightly lower melt temperature you wouldn't see it. What it is an oxide of, I can't say? I assume wheel weights have a number of contaminates because there is no motivation for them to spend money on pure alloys for the purpose.

trip_sticker · September 24, 2009, 09:17 PM

No, the yellow color was still there when the ingots cooled. I'm not really worried about it, I was just curious if other peolpe had seen this before.

DiscoRacing · September 24, 2009, 09:20 PM

new one on me.... ive never seen that before on mine... tho i have heard that they are adding new alloys to the new weights...

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · September 24, 2009, 09:55 PM

It might be real gold. Did you get your wheel weights from a leprachaun?

Rusty W · September 25, 2009, 11:33 PM

I've seen the same gold tint in my Lee pot when I was casting some bullets just the other day. I added about 1/2 of a pound of 60/40 solder to 10 pounds of wheel weights to make some 44-250-KT's. I think it's the tin content making the gold color. I've smelted pure lead and it gets a blue/purple color to it sometimes.

**Unclenick** · September 26, 2009, 07:01 PM

Hmm. I'd still look for an oxide layer. Did you score an ingot with a file and see if it is through and through, or just on the surface?

Another possibility is some kind of scum from the stick-on wheel weight glue. Just don't know?

September 24, 2009, 04:12 PM	#1
trip_sticker Member Join Date: August 28, 2009 Posts: 88	Smelting lead question I just finished melting down 70 pounds of wheel weights. I scored just over half a 5 gallon bucket from a tire shop that I hadn't tried before. Anyway, when I melted them down cleaned off the dross, and fluxed them, I kept getting a bright gold colored film over the surface. I haven't seen this with other batches before. Any idea what this golden color is?

September 24, 2009, 09:00 PM	#2
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 9,143	Some metal oxides change color with temperature. I am assuming it goes away when the alloy cools? Chances are if you used a slightly lower melt temperature you wouldn't see it. What it is an oxide of, I can't say? I assume wheel weights have a number of contaminates because there is no motivation for them to spend money on pure alloys for the purpose. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Patron Member

September 24, 2009, 09:55 PM	#5
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,487	It might be real gold. Did you get your wheel weights from a leprachaun? __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

September 26, 2009, 07:01 PM	#7
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 9,143	Hmm. I'd still look for an oxide layer. Did you score an ingot with a file and see if it is through and through, or just on the surface? Another possibility is some kind of scum from the stick-on wheel weight glue. Just don't know? __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Patron Member

September 24, 2009, 09:17 PM	#3
trip_sticker Member Join Date: August 28, 2009 Posts: 88	No, the yellow color was still there when the ingots cooled. I'm not really worried about it, I was just curious if other peolpe had seen this before.

September 24, 2009, 09:20 PM	#4
DiscoRacing Senior Member Join Date: December 19, 2008 Location: milton, wv Posts: 3,638	new one on me.... ive never seen that before on mine... tho i have heard that they are adding new alloys to the new weights...

September 25, 2009, 11:33 PM	#6
Rusty W Member Join Date: January 27, 2009 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 81	I've seen the same gold tint in my Lee pot when I was casting some bullets just the other day. I added about 1/2 of a pound of 60/40 solder to 10 pounds of wheel weights to make some 44-250-KT's. I think it's the tin content making the gold color. I've smelted pure lead and it gets a blue/purple color to it sometimes.