Originally Posted by
paprjam
A8 from Budget Casting Supply is $37.50 US. That's with free shipping.
One other thing you may try with your melt is add some Lite salt to it for flux. I use the 50/50 stuff from Krogers. Put about a Tablespoon in some foil and push it down into the melt and stir. Or you can melt it in a stainless cup and let it cool and it will crack into nice sized cubes, just drop a couple of them in. It works well for dirty Aluminum with paint and oil on it.
I don't think the zinc in the pipe would have had much effect on the Aluminum. There are Zn/Al alloys. It probably just wasn't hot enough.
Be careful with the Zinc fumes.