[kciH]

The instructions on the Marvelux indicate that it is to be stirred into the alloy with a heated utensil and then skimmed off after the stirring phase is complete. As a side note, you should keep your lead pot full when you are casting, and add more metal as room becomes available. This will help to keep your alloy temperature more constant, which will make your casting and bullet consistency easier to maintain. I add the sprue directly back to the pot after it has been cut, this also helps to maintain alloy temperature. The other benefit of keeping the pot full, is that you don't have to flux as often. If you happen to use a larger pot when processing your alloy, such as wheelweights, you can flux it before you pour your ingots. I like to cast with prepared ingots as it makes the most of your time casting and provides less distraction when you should focus on a established casting routine in order to help make uniform bullets.

It sure is satisfying to have a big pile of new shiny bullets when your done.

 

[kciH]

There are lots of things that you can use. A small piece of pine wood even works. The nice thing about the Marvelux is that it is clean and doesn't make a bunch of smoke like almost every thing else I've tried does. The moisture concern when working with molten metal is a valid one, but with the proper precaution I don't see it as a problem. You should always be aware of what you're doing when you introduce something cold into something very hot. The used flux should be removed from the pot as completley as possible and left somewhere saft to cool before discarding. As far as the remaining flux on the handle of your stiring device, this is easily removed when warm with a heavy rag or by just giving it a swipe with the heavy leather gloves that you should be wearing when casting, unless you're silly. I used all sorts of different flux techniques over the years and I'm very happy to have "found" the Marvelux, as it works great. I don't think it requires any more attention to what you're doing than any other aspect of working with molten metal. As I said in the previous post, if you melt you metal in larger batches, you can flux before making ingots. This is the way to go if you have or can borrow the equipment.

 

[kciH]

If you really want to see a melting pot erupt, throw a box of cull bullets in it with a few stray live primers for good measure. I got a box of scrap/cull bullets from a gun dealer I knew years ago and didn't really sort through it before putting it in the plumbers furnace. Luckily I escaped injury. I haven't had any problems with moisture as related to flux, but it's good to be aware of the potential problems that can be encountered when working with hazardous materials. In light of the other posters experience, I would make sure to be careful to clean your stirring utensil well after fluxing if you decide to continue with the Marvelux. The reason I mentioned being aware of what you are doing when introducing something cold into something that is very hot, is to make sure you are introducing only what you want into the hot material, with no unintended tag alongs-like primers or moisture.