Hal A. Looyah #83098 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I just cleaned out an old SAECO bottom pour lead furnace that some IDIOT tried to run uncleaned birm pick ups through. I got this furnace from another forum, so no cowboy's reputation is on the line. It was plugged up with Georgia red clay. Is there any way to "season" a furnace to help keep crap from sticking to the walls? I use the word "season" like cast iron cookware. Would it even work? In the past I have coated the inside of my LEE furnace with parrafin after a cleaning, but I don't know that it helped. Any suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mustang Gregg Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I have used candle wax from scrap candles. I also use a bronze brush with oak handle to scrub that nasty crap off. I'm sure someone has a better fluxxing procedure. I recollect a cleaning chemical that NEI Tools sold many moons ago when I started casting. But I don't have any. Mustang Gregg Castin' & blastin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Remove and physically clean the pour nozzle (if ya got lead mess clogging it, heat the removed nozzle with a torch and get it clear before reassembling), scrape out the insides of the furnace, and when ya melt lead, flux with candle wax, scrap bullet lube, or if ya feel spendy, actual casting flux. When ya heat a pot of lead, add the flux, and using yer ladle, scrape the sides of the pot up and down to free any sand that clings to the pot. A properly fluxed pot will be nice shiny lead and a pile of smoking crud on top. Ladle that crud off and discard it. Flux again and scrape it each time ya add more metal to the pot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Sir : I got one that was plugged up like yours , I cleaned it out with a wire brush . Now I just leave the pots full of lead whe, in storage . Just fulx with bullet lube and cast away , JMO CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Hal, you have 2 options: 1. Cold dry pot, clean with a wire wheel on a drill 2. After #1 is done, when you are fluxing, scrape the sides and bottom of the pot. I use a salad spoon with holes drilled on each side to allow the melt to drain back in the pot. Here's what it looks like ... http://www.theopenrange.net/forum/index.php?topic=8322.0 A couple of times also, I have boiled the pot in a vinegar & water solution, while scraping it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hal A. Looyah #83098 Posted April 29, 2011 Author Share Posted April 29, 2011 I have it clean now. What I'm wondering is if there is something I can do to it now, while empty, to help it stay clean longer. I was thinking some sort of oil or wax pretreatment to keep the crud from sticking to the walls in the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adirondack Jack, SASS #53440 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 I have it clean now. What I'm wondering is if there is something I can do to it now, while empty, to help it stay clean longer. I was thinking some sort of oil or wax pretreatment to keep the crud from sticking to the walls in the future. As above, don't leave it empty. Melt a 1/2 a pot of lead and let it cool and leave it. When done casting, always leave enough lead to well cover the valve. it does two things, prevents corrosion, and allows for much faster initial melt on start up. They always LOOK a little cruddy, but as long as ya scrape and flux, don't sweat it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Of the fluxes I use, I find that candle wax is about the best for keeping the walls of the pot clean. Just a little bit of it seems to absorb on the walls. Bullet lube tends to make the walls "wet" with a liquid film that continually smokes and attracts the dross (aka, crud), while borax powder really makes the lead and walls so dry that the lead itself wants to stick to the pot walls. So, even if I use other fluxes for special reasons, I return to candle wax for the way it helps clean up the pot as well as the lead. Whatever it takes, don't let your pot get rusty. Then you will be going at it again with a wire brush. Good luck, GJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iron Pony Posted April 29, 2011 Share Posted April 29, 2011 Hal we always leave pots full, to the brim full, when we finish up a casting session. It protects the internals of the pot and "closes out" the session. To help keep the spout clean fill the pot, run the temp up as high as you can, flux it and scrape down the inside real well then run that clean lead out into ingot molds to try and carry any debris out past the nozzle. They do get cruddy from use, oh well its liquid lead after all and as long as they pour right and its not rust I can live with dirty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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