I’m at a loss

cost can be a motivation.  The cost per ounce on some of the lubes is sinful.

I started 49 years ago with C-H lube 'cause it came with my press.  A little goes a long way, but when I ran out I just used 10 weight motor oil, then $.25 quart.

When the spray dry lubes came out, I switched cause they are cleaner to use.  Tow of the brands I use to use quit the business,, so I'm on a third one.

If you want to find experimenters, look at all the bore cleaners made in kitchens.  The motivation is to find something that works better or faster than Hoppes #9.

Borax has been used forever, for fluxing for forge welding. So, an easy jump there. Sawdust for fluxing works, as does anything carbon based. If your shop is like mine, there is always a bit of sawdust around.
I suppose it will be a REAL surprise to hear that many of us use kitty litter as a top layer in a bottom pour lead pot? 

waksupi wrote: I suppose it will be a REAL surprise to hear that many of us use kitty litter as a top layer in a bottom pour lead pot?

If my wife saw me taking kitty litter out to the shop she might think I had a
pussy out there!

I have a bottom pour pot. What does the top layer do?

Alan

Irish Bird Dog wrote: ....ditto here.....bottom pour pot....what's the top layer do???????

Holds the heat in the pot and keeps the surface of the lead from oxidizing.

Don Fischer, are you talking about the comment I made on the Ammo Brass Trader Forum?
I'll try to answer your questions as best I can, but please remember this is just what works for me, in the way I cast, for the pot I have. What I have experienced may not work well for you, in your situation.
First of all I dip cast, all of my Boolits are ladle pored. My dipper is open faced and oversized, it is actually a small lodge frying pan ashtray with a little lip that I have attached a piece of  all thread to and a chunk of broom stick for a handle. It will hold 1 1/4 lbs. completely full, which it seldom is, unless I'm casting ingots.
My pot is large made from a piece of 12" pipe, I welded in the bottom with a 2" recess so the flame from my burner is trapped in the bottom, and doesn't escape around the sides.
The burner is the standard two ring turkey fryer set-up, on a very heavy duty stand.
So If I start with clean ingot, I dont add any Borax until I have achieved full melt and close to casting temp, actually now that I think of it I dont flux until fully melted when making ingots either.
I'll add about two table spoons in the average ingot mix for flux, keep in mind my pot is 12" diam. You may use less. then I stir with my ladle scraping all of the inside surface of the pot, you see that the flux will lump up a bit,  but smokes very little and doesnt flash.
If you happen to dump more than you need, dont panic, it will just stay as burnt, melted flakes on top. There is only so much dross, and it is not going to absorb your melt.
When you skim the top with your slotted spoon, you should notice that the dross has a lot less alloy in it, as compared to using petroleum product. Ive also found the using a screen strainer instead of using spoon works really nice.
Like I stated before, this is what works for me, with my set-up. If I can answer any questions give me a holler,
Justin

Alan, I have a Lee pot and it does seem to be hit an miss on the temperature, turn it up---turn it down---turn it up---etc.

any ways to avoid this.  I was thinking of a themometer in the pot?

Dross on the top of your pot is part of the compromise between bottom pour and ladle casting. With a bottom pour you have to flux maybe twice at the most, during your run.
With my set up I flux when I return all the sprues to the pot. The timing seems to work out for me. I always cast with multiple molds, at least three and as many as five with the same alloy requirement. I have a 9x13 metal baking pan that I drop my sprues in. It is also where lay my molds after filling. As I'm casting, I can regulate temp by leaving a mold out of the rotation or if a mold isnt dropping good Boolits because its cold, I can hit that mold a few times, to heat it back up and not lose temp on my other molds because they are laying on the hot sprues. I think that this is why I like my set up so well, I have the ability to regulate my mold and alloy temp really well.

Its not that I'm anti- bottom pour, this is just what is working for me presently.  If I ever pony  up the funds for a good bottom pour and find a better way to do it, as fast as I can drop Boolits now, thats what I'll do. Then I'll wonder why I ever did it any other way.
I think its a learning process, you do what you do, until you find a better way.

Steel I'm not sure of your definition of dross.  It is usually impurities, and oxides.  Things that are lighter than the base metal, that is why it floats.  the dross I skim is much lighter (when cooled) than lead.

Some of it may be lead oxide (the open pot thing).  But is not the same density as my pre-cast post cast lead.

I use the same baking pans that you do.  Great things.  I put the cast bullets into one that has an old towel so they don't dent, another for the dross and sprue cutoffs.  Having a system makes it go quick.  I am casing lead that is 99+% most of the time, as it is for cast minnie balls/conicals.  hate skimming the pot with my ladle, any other tips on skimming dross?  thoought the kitty liter stuff might help but seems to us top pot guys it isn't much help

I use a teaspoon to skim the dross from my Lee bottom pour pot...but wear gloves when reaching into the pot for safety.  I also use some bullet lube to "burn" off the top of the pot when needed.  I use an old 3 sided file with a wood handle to stir the pot when needed.  I also use a aluminum muffin pan for small muffins to make my ingots in.