Pencil shavings

[runfiverun]

i have read his book.
i just want to make sure that everybody is clear on the concept
that you need the carbon and the oxygen free barrier to do the job properly.
and that just stirring some sawdust around in the melt is not sufficient.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
I have used all the standards, candle wax, bullet lube, beeswax, sawdust & wood chips, stirring early on w/ a spoon. Then I learned about the wooden dowel, then dry tree branch. All seemed to work, love the pencil shaving idea. Old casters can still learn.

[Skrenos]

I stir my melt with an old broom handle that's about a foot long. Then I use that same broom handle to hit the sprue cutter on my moulds. If I need some quick fluxing I use dollar store crayons. If you're lucky, you can get a 64 pack for $1.

[palmettosunshine]

Or I just don't flux at all. Been casting WW without regard to tin content. Scrape the stuff (dross) off the top and start ladle casting. So far, so good.

[TinCan Assassin]

I stir my melt with an old broom handle that's about a foot long. Then I use that same broom handle to hit the sprue cutter on my moulds. If I need some quick fluxing I use dollar store crayons. If you're lucky, you can get a 64 pack for $1.

I use my daughter's broken crayons. She just gives them to me. Opened my casting drawer one time and there were hundreds of them in there. I'll be in flux for awhile, I think.

TCA

[kshock]

Pencil shavings...hmmm, there is a good idea. But then I think...how many pencils have you been sharpening? It may take me awhile to get enough.

[jonk]

I like the idea. As to the air free barrier on top of the melt, immediately after I flux I pour about a third of a cup of conventional (non clumping) cat litter on top. Problem solved. Lead doesn't stick to the cat litter that much so after the pot cools I just pour it out and reuse later. Some might stick but it's not a problem.

I dislike the idea of leaving carbon on the melt as I like to scrape off the dirt that comes up when I flux, though applying a second thicker lay or sawdust after might work.