kept oil hand in case the castings are too soft.

Lead Melting Pots are standard articles which may be purchased from
jobbers. A pot having a 25 pound capacity is suitable for small shops
and for larger shops a 125-pound size is best. Before melting any lead
in such pots, have them thoroughly free from dirt, grease, or
moisture, not merely in order to get clean castings, but also to avoid
melted lead being thrown out of the pot on account of the presence of
moisture. Severe burns may be the result of carelessness in this
respect.

In starting with an empty melting pot, turn oil the heat before
putting in any lead, and let the pot become thoroughly heated in order
to drive off any moisture. With the pot thoroughly hot, drop in the
lead, which must also be dry. When the metal has become soft enough to
stir with a clean pine stick, skim off the dirt and dross which
collects on top and continue heating the lead until it is slightly
yellow oil top. Dirt and lead do not mix, and the dirt rises to the
top of the metal where it may readily be skimmed off.

With a paddle or ladle, drop in a cleaning compound of equal parts of
powdered rosin, borax, and flower of sulphur. Use a teaspoonful of
this compound for each ten pounds of metal, and be sure that the
compound is absolutely dry. Stir the metal a little, and if it is at
the proper temperature, there will be a flare, flash, or a little
burning. A sort of tinfoil popcorn effect will be noticed oil top of
the lead. Stir until this melts down.

Have the ladle with which you dip up the melted lead quite dry. When
dipping up some of the lead, skim back the dark skin which forms oil
top of the lead and dip up the clean bright lead for pouring.

In throwing additional lead into a pot which is partly filled with
melted lead, be sure that the lead which is thrown in the pot is dry,
or else hot lead may be spattered in your face.

Have the moulds clean and dry. The parts with which the lead comes
into contact should be dusted with a mould compound which fills in the
rough spots in the metal so that the flow of lead will not be
obstructed, and the lead will fill the mould quickly. Dip tip enough
lead to fill the part of the mould you use. When you once start
pouring do not, under any circumstance, stop pouring until the lead
has completely filled the mould. Lead cools very quickly after it is
poured into the mould, and if you stop pouring even for all instant,
you will have a wort