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Smoke
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Marvelux flux
Apr 16th, 2026 at 10:37pm
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Is this stuff better than wax or wood shavings for cleaning up really dirty lead while alloying?
  

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bpjack
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #1 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 11:05pm
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Run away fast.  That stuff is nasty.  I use flaked carnauba wax per a recommendation from Walt Melander of NEI fame.  Available on eBay or Amazon among other places.  I light it after sprinkling some on the melt and let it burn.  If I am lucky, I will have remembered to take down the paired smoke detector that goes off in the garage as well as the shop where I am casting in front of an open door with a fan blowing out.  If I forget about the detector, the family comes running after the one in the attached garage goes off. 

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Cbashooter
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #2 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 11:28pm
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I used marvalux a few years and everything above and arround the pot rusted from the fumes.
YES on Walts flux,it smells so good.
  
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Jonathan
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #3 - Apr 16th, 2026 at 11:37pm
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   I have been using Marvelux for ten years or so and have no problems with it. It works well and produces little smoke which is important to me. I used to use a bit of beeswax but the smoke made it impossible to flux inside without opening windows and using fans, not too practical in cold weather.
  
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JerryH
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #4 - yesterday at 12:38am
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Like bpjack and Cbashooter said, don't go there! Horrible stuff! I use bees wax, and yes it smokes a bit, but it doesn't corrode everything around it.
  

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westerner
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #5 - yesterday at 5:04am
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Marvelux flux rusted me pot. I use old bullet lube. I use a striker to set it on far which burns up the smoke. I never cast bullets in the house. Don't think the fumes er good fer ya.
  

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SteveStevens
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #6 - yesterday at 8:40am
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Marvelux questions will always get you white or black answers with no middle ground.  Grin
I have used it for all of the 50 years I have cast bullets and still using the same Lyman pot I started out with and never knew there were issues until I read about them but I still use it with no problems. I do now also use a spoon full of sawdust as it really helps keep the tin and antimony alloyed instead of floating on top.
When melting down scrap lead I use sawdust and gun grease seems to do same job at least cost
  
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gunlaker
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #7 - yesterday at 9:07am
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I've been using it for many years too.  I can't compare it to anything else because I haven't really tried anything else.  My Lee pots have a little surface rust on the top but they've been in service a long time.  

Maybe I'll give those flakes a try and see how it compares.

Chris.
  
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silver
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #8 - yesterday at 9:13am
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I’ve never used anything but paraffin wax and acacionally saw dust,
Being a cabinet maker I have lots of it but never used anything else. I like the wax better is there a problem with it?
  
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beltfed
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #9 - yesterday at 10:13am
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Nothing but old candles for the last 70 years of casting. Ignite the smoke.
Tried Marvelux flux. the parrafin candles work better
to re alloy the dross tin back into the alloy.
beltfed/arnie
  
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Smoke
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #10 - yesterday at 10:14am
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No problem with the wax.  I have about 300 lbs of really dirty lead and (clean) tin to allow up (30:1).  I was told that the Marvelux was much better at cleaning up than wax, so I thought I'd ask.

Thanks all.
  

The longer everything goes according to plan, the bigger the impending disaster - Howard Taylor
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GT
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #11 - Today at 1:04am
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Smoke,
I have an opinion on this that you can ponder... 
In the past I have had access to, and used a lot of range lead, several tons of it anyway.  I do prefer using Marvelux for the melt that is really dirty, but don't use your regular lead pot...
I use a cast iron pot on a cheap propane burner out in the middle of the yard.  Melt all that dirty stuff, flux heavily, pour into ingots, Then use wax to make your mix with tin - in another pot if needed.  I found a cheap cast iron pot made in the far east,  I stamped "used for lead - not for food" in the bottom of it.  Just be careful not to load it heavier than you can handle, ask me how I know that...
GT
  

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Smoke
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Re: Marvelux flux
Reply #12 - Today at 1:22am
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That's what I needed to hear.  The lead I have is really dirty.

Thank you.
  

The longer everything goes according to plan, the bigger the impending disaster - Howard Taylor
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