First time casting. Have a few questions and concerns.

1. none. broom.
2. yes / no
3. no and no
4. pea size, but save the lube and use a candle

The dross is not primarily (or hardly at all) lead oxide, and less so the more consistently you maintain flux cover. The dross is mostly your alloys escaping, turning your Hardball into plain Pb, and whatever dirt you introduced.

I tend to sawdust flux at the start, stir really well, scoop dirt off, then cover the surface with sawdust and leave it there until fill time. I also use wax, but sawdust is cheaper and makes for a more complete ash cover.

Regarding contamination. . . it isn't plutonium. Outside (for ventilation), and absolutely no GI track contact (keep you hands out of your face until well washed) will address your lead exposure concerns quite sufficiently.

Casting is relaxing and enjoyable. Don't make it harder or more complicated than needed. Cast where you have good ventilation and wash your hands when finished. That's about it, the way I figure.

blue32 said:

1. none. broom.
2. yes / no
3. no and no
4. pea size, but save the lube and use a candle

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This answer is correct. We're talking about lead, not uranium, right?

Craig28 said:

I have a feeling I'm pulling alloy out at this point.

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The nastiest crap I even feed gets fluxed and scooped twice at most. From there forward, you add flux and try to stir the alloy back in, not scooped off.

Of course, too hot leads to more alloy rising out, and too cold makes it hard to stir back in.

Wow. Someone has been reading a bunch of "Chicken Little" and old wive's tales about lead. I've been casting since my early teens, at that time sinkers/jigs and casting bullets for about 25 years. None of the "problems" you mention have even come close to my casting. Probably the most "warnings " (aka old wives tales and ignorance) about any of our shooting hobbies are dealing with lead bullets, and some would recommend full hazmat suits covered buy welder's gauntlets, aprons and full leather boots, under biohazard type ventilation in a 50'x60' room isolated in the middle of an acre lot with no living being within 100'. Hang out here, read the stickies then ask questions; https://castboolits.gunloads.com/ .

The single best Safety Measure for casting bullets is plain old common sense...

There is some small lead specks from casting that can be on the ground around you. If you are in the yard it's of no concern. If on the porch, your dog can pick it up on their paws and ingest it when they wash. I would cover the concrete with cardboard.

The dross is not the tin/antimony coming out of the alloy. Once mixed the alloy stays mixed. The dross is oxides of the alloy and dirt from the pot and spoon.

Use a double pea size chunk of wax is best. Beeswax is better than candles, but candles will do. The bullet lube may or may not work well, but likely will suffice.

Dross is impurities/dirt in the alloy. For a while I have used sawdust for cleaning (fluxing) but basically anything that contains carbon will work. I've tried BBQ briquettes, works but sawdust or wax is better.

For casting safety, I do a few things. First, I put down a canvas tarp/drop cloth and setup my casting stuff in the middle of it. Any drips, spatters, whatever are likely to be contained in a 10X12 tarp. Second, wear safety gear. Leather apron, welding gloves, pants, long sleeves, face shield. More than once I have been glad to be wearing protective gear. Third, have a set of casting clothes that you subsequently run through the wash with D lead soap. All of this is easy to do and no big deal.

Craig28 said:

4. Also how much flux should be used for 10 lbs of hardball alloy? I'll likely be using a stick of lyman bullet lube as flux that was melted after being accidentally left in a hot garage.

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If you’re buying hardball (92-2-6) alloy then the answer should be none or very very little. I am not sure where Midway gets their alloy, but I buy it from Rotometals and there is little to no impurity when initially melted. I skim the oxides off the top with an old spoon as they build, and knock them into a soup can. I only flux occasionally if the alloy starts looking “off”, and I use a pea sized ball of beeswax.

Other lead (recovered range lead, other “scrap” lead) does require melting, skimming, and fluxing to clean. But commercial casting alloy *should* be pretty clean and pure.

I find the melt pours easier after being fluxed with beeswax vs candle wax or sawdust. Some scientist will say long as it's carbon based it does this or that, but actual experience trying different things for flux says different, at least in regards to castability of the alloy.

Craig28 said:

1. How heavily should I expect surrounding concrete and dirt be contaminted from a single casting session? I do have pets that roam the backyard. What are your methods for clean up?



2. Can most of the lead oxide dust(dross) from fluxing be contained by carefully skimming/scooping it into a coffee can or will a decent breeze inevitably scatter a significant but invisible amount of it across the yard as I'm fluxing?



3. I also have a pool not far away from the intended casting area. Will this be a problem? Should I consider an entirely different location?



4. Also how much flux should be used for 10 lbs of hardball alloy? I'll likely be using a stick of lyman bullet lube as flux that was melted after being accidentally left in a hot garage.

I'm using a lee magnum melter and a couple ingots purchased from midway. Any other info is appreciated.

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blue32 said:

1. none. broom.
2. yes / no
3. no and no
4. pea size, but save the lube and use a candle

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I agree with all 4 answers above and strongly suggest that you join a cast bullet forum castboolits.gunloads.com . This is the most intensely focuse form I've found that addresses EVERY aspect of bullet casting.
As far as fluxing goes, I quit doing it. For a long time I just put a 1/4" layer of sawdust on the top of the molten lead in the pot ... it quickly smokes its way to a black layer that floats on the molten lead and prevents oxygen from getting to the lead. Added lead just slips past the charred sawdust. Tiring of the sawdust routine, I had a machinist cut a disc of 3/16" steel that will float on top of the melted lead with a cut-out on the circumference to clear the rod that is lifted to fill the mold on my RCBC ProMelt bottom pour pot with a little room to spare for my thermometer probe. In the center of the disc he welded a 3/16" x 2" bolt with the threads sticking up. I threaded on a wooden handle that allows me to lift the disc when replenishing the pot. In a 3 hr casting session with my 20lb pot, I stir the lead maybe once or twice. The disc does a good job of limiting oxygen contact and the emission of toxic fumes.