Smelting, Melting, Reducing or Cleaning

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Last Post 23 August 2009

Standard Member

jimkim posted this 01 May 2009

What is the correct term for heating and removing the unwanted metals and debris from your alloy or scrap? I usually say smelting. I use it as a synonym for cleaning dirt, copper, zinc, steel, and other impurities from my melt.

This was posted on another site. Quote: Gentlemen, I hate being pedantic almost as much as I dislike the misuse of technical terms. Smelting is a term that refers to a chemical reaction mediated by heat whereby a pure metal is extracted from its ore (which is an oxide). Flux is indeed used during that process to remove the rock which is also part of the ore. What is being referred to here is simply melting the wheel weight (or other) alloy and removing the impurities(dirt etc.) using flux. Sorry,I don't mean any offense. I am following this thread because I'm planning on casting my own as well. I use the term smelting because that is what is in my book.

If this is in the wrong place please move it.

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Standard Member

454PB posted this 01 May 2009

No sense in getting your panties in a wad......most all casters call it smelting.

We could call it AMI.....alloy melt ingoting.

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CB posted this 01 May 2009

I've always called it either “melting and getting all the crap out” if I'm melting down raw WW for the first time or “turn on the pot and flux” once it's in ingot form and I'm using it to make bullets. Maybe I'll start calling it “Polka-dotting” or something like that so guys like that one in your post who don't have enough real life things to worry about can have something to write.

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KenK posted this 01 May 2009

I like “try” or “render". Smelting doesn't seem correct to me either, but I don't care if anyone else uses the term.

It's even ok by me if you call the metal cartridge holder thingy that goes in a pistol, a clip instead of a magazine. : )

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Standard Member

CB posted this 01 May 2009

Ken, I've never heard it referred to as “try” before but you could have a lot of fun with that one. Where did “try” come from?

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Standard Member

jimkim posted this 01 May 2009

This is part of my reply to him.

"I guess from now on I'll call it gittin-dee-doodoo-owta-dee-lead. lol “

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Standard Member

KenK posted this 01 May 2009

pat i. wrote: Ken, I've never heard it referred to as “try” before but you could have a lot of fun with that one. Where did “try” come from?

It's a synonym for render, usually used as “try out". I spent more of my youth with my dad and granddad and assorted other old folks than I did with kids my own age.

Whenever I refer to a gas pedal as a “foot feed” or my wallet as my “pocket book” it makes me smile and remember them old geezers.

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jimkim posted this 01 May 2009

I was also raised by my grandparents. I suppose you know what a sodawater is too. By the way pocket book is IMHO the correct term. I'll bet you even know what a watch pocket is. Thanks for jarring my memory. Jim

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CBA Member

RicinYakima posted this 01 May 2009

jimkim wrote: What is the correct term for heating and removing the unwanted metals and debris from your alloy or scrap? I usually say smelting. I use it as a synonym for cleaning dirt, copper, zinc, steel, and other impurities from my melt.

Quote: Gentlemen, I hate being pedantic almost as much as I dislike the misuse of technical terms. Smelting is a term that refers to a chemical reaction mediated by heat whereby a pure metal is extracted from its ore (which is an oxide). Flux is indeed used during that process to remove the rock which is also part of the ore. What is being referred to here is simply melting the wheel weight (or other) alloy and removing the impurities(dirt etc.) using flux. Sorry,I don't mean any offense.

Smelting is the correct term for processing wheelweights into ingots. The raw material has not only lead, lead oxides, tin, tin oxides, antimony, antimony oxides, arsenic, iron, copper, and various other metals.

This material is heated to a temperature only needed to liquify the three metals we are looking for, lead, tin and antimony. We add carbon (the flux) or a carbon acting chemical to reduce (remove the bound oxygen) for our desired end product to reduce loss of material. Higher melting metals, salts and minerals are removed. Then the ingots are cast.

If you are melting cleaned ingots, and not fluxing to reduce tin loss, then you are just melting. Smelting is not a technical term, but a generic process of separating metal/metals by heat.

My $.02, and I'm standing by it! Ric

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Standard Member

3sixbits posted this 01 May 2009

What does it matter? I call it, refining, recovering and last but not least alloying. After all, when I doing a thousand pounds at a time, everything is going into the pot.

If I'm doing just WW, then I'll call it refining (and alloying) After all, you are using saw dust, and call it “dry drossing” and finish up using sodium hydroxide. Is this the correct terminology? Well this is the term used by commercial refiners. Just because they use this term, I don't know how right they are?

As to calling it alloying, remember that not all wheel weights are equal.

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Standard Member

jimkim posted this 01 May 2009

Thanks, Ric I wish I was that elegant. Boy howdy!

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CBA Member

R. Dupraz posted this 01 May 2009

Must be a slow day !!..>.>

Guess I'll leave it at that.

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Standard Member

Notlwonk posted this 01 May 2009

Isn'ts samazing whats the S cans do to stirs things sup.

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CBA Member

JetMech posted this 02 May 2009

I refer to it as rendering. And, yes, it is a slow day.

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Standard Member

CB posted this 02 May 2009

I call it batching - cause that is what it is, getting a batch of lead ready for pouring into ingots. Skimming out the garbage when it floats to the top, maybe adding in a bit of tin or some other alloy to sweeten it up to fit your particular use, all while attempting to grille something for dinner, having a cold one and avoiding getting burned all at the same time!

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Standard Member

CB posted this 14 May 2009

"I will call you Caleb, it's a name I've always favored".

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Standard Member

CB posted this 14 May 2009

What difference does it make ? Most of us know what one is speaking to when it is called any number of things. If not, ask.

We do not have to be “Politically Correct". This is a hobby, or sport, or what ever. We have disclaimers, use the info at your own risk.

Opinions are like some body parts, we all have one. Call it what you like and try to have a little fun without all the controversy.

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Standard Member

CB posted this 29 July 2009

R. has got that right. It's a slow day when your pots unplugged and you start looking for words.

I call any melting, salavging, smelting, a knock on my electric bill and leave that for days when no casting is planned. Other words for such are dirty, smelly, pyro at times, and smokey. You smell bad when it's over and people in the house get a whiff too.

Such is the life to make bullets. God only made so many Casters the rest shoot jacketed and only know what money will buy them in a bullet.

Stephen Perry

Angeles BR:fire