brimstoned Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 ...but wash them well first, flakes of BP in the lead pot can ruin your whole day! Wheel weights are pretty hard, but adding an extra 10% of silver solder really reduces wear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortartube Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I should point out that wheel weights in the UK are not lead sadly, neither are fishing weights. It's getting harder to get scrap lead here. :0( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algenco Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I should point out that wheel weights in the UK are not lead sadly, neither are fishing weights. It's getting harder to get scrap lead here. :0( Same in the US, new wheel weights are Zinc, fishing sinkers are steel Stock up on as much lead as you can find/afford Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brimstoned Posted September 19, 2012 Author Share Posted September 19, 2012 (edited) I can still get buckets of wheel weights from Les Schwab tire centers, but sadly, about half turn out to be iron(so my magnet indicates.).A few of the new fishing weights in this area are bismuth, pricey stuff. Edited September 19, 2012 by brimstoned Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 I should point out that wheel weights in the UK are not lead sadly, neither are fishing weights. It's getting harder to get scrap lead here. :0( Try the local metal recycling place, mine sells lead at £1 a kilo for cash. The last lot i bought comprised of 3-4ft lengths of 6" wide lead flashing with a bit of water staining here and there but otherwise it was like brand new. I guess roofers weigh in whats left on the roll for beer money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Well I am in the trade so at that price I will buy from you in future contact via pm I would love to know your supply £1 a kilo bring it on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 No need for a PM, ..its the fat bloke at my local metal recycling place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potassiumchlorate Posted September 19, 2012 Share Posted September 19, 2012 Same in the US, new wheel weights are Zinc, fishing sinkers are steel Stock up on as much lead as you can find/afford It's 2012 - welcome to 1984! How fucked up isn't that, that metallic lead should be hard to get? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brimstoned Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 I've taken the plates out of old car batteries on occasion.Father in law, ex-commercial fisherman, gave me two 45 lb spheres this year, just got them into ingots this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Algenco Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 It's 2012 - welcome to 1984! How fucked up isn't that, that metallic lead should be hard to get? In the US the Govt has been trying to get lead banned, there have been several attempts to get home melting/casting banned for health reasons, but that's just the cover story. The real reason (IMO) has to do with bullet casting. New regulations forbid recyclers from selling to the public.I only know 1 scrap dealer that will still sell to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brimstoned Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 Long day, thirty pounds of media produced.When the lady got home I asked her what she thought of my balls...she shook her head and walked away.Few appreciate the subtleties of pyrotechnics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 one question brimstoned do you put your balls in cold water? That's what I do and it makes them harderI can get lead here but a lot of people want it so the tire shops are on a first come first surve bases so you don't alwes get it but some times you hit the jackpot!bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brimstoned Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 I have not tried that!I would have to put the bucket far away from the lead pot though, I have read that evena few drops of water can explode to steam and throw molten lead about. Our insurance system I think is worse than yours... BTW, The first sentence of your post was too easy, I had to resist the jokes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 I found its better to reheat the balls so they`re all at the same temperature and then dump the whole lot into a 50gal drum of icy water. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brimstoned Posted September 20, 2012 Author Share Posted September 20, 2012 In an oven, perhaps?Maybe 400- 500 degrees? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 (edited) I cooked mine at 450-475F for an hour and then fired them straight into the freezing water. You need a fair amount of frigid water so the balls dont heat the water up. The goal is to cool them down as fast as possible.Here`s what mine looked like when they came out of the drum, they can take 4 days to reach maximum hardness. Edited September 20, 2012 by Col Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taiwanluthiers Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 (edited) So why does the government want to stop bullet casting? Do they want an indirect way of stopping all gun and gun related stuff? There are few substitute for lead for weights because lead is heavy and easy to cast as well as cheap, the other materials aren't nearly as heavy or cheap. Yes bismuth can be used but its more pricey. I tried checking repair shops for wheel weights and they wouldn't give me more than 1 or 2... they said they reuse them. Only option is to buy them and the price they're sold for (even used ones) is enough that I could get the same quantity of brass rods for ball mills. Edited September 20, 2012 by taiwanluthiers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nessalco Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 (edited) Though a bit pricey when you add in shipping, 98% lead runs ~$6US per pound at McMaster. 95/5 lead/antimony runs just a bit less. http://www.mcmaster....18/3631/=jdi47g I've gotten all I need from a friend who runs a tire shop, but it's not like it is unavailable commercially. Kevin <hack> Just checked Google, and many different alloys are out there, readily available. Amazon has one deal for $18.99 for 5lb ingots.... Edited September 20, 2012 by Nessalco Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 SLABs are a wonderful resource for lead but it is dangerous, toxic and messy to melt them down and reuse the lead plates and you get a whole lot of lead oxide (Litharge) that you need to convert or dispose of. A turkey deep-fryer works well to melt off the plastic but evaporates the acid off too. -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan999ification Posted September 20, 2012 Share Posted September 20, 2012 what are uk fishing weights made from? All the ones i melted were lead, hard to get the weight/size with other materials. Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brimstoned Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 SLABs are a wonderful resource for lead but it is dangerous, toxic and messy to melt them down and reuse the lead plates and you get a whole lot of lead oxide (Litharge) that you need to convert or dispose of. A turkey deep-fryer works well to melt off the plastic but evaporates the acid off too. -dag Do you think it would be possible to alternate the plates with layers of paper or thin plywood?I'm imaging the carbon reducing the lead oxide to metal would give a little more yield.Back in the day, (sounds redneck I know) we would break up the batteries and put the plates in a hubcap; then build a bonfire for the evening on top.By morning, there would be a few pounds to cast into BP bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 what are uk fishing weights made from? All the ones i melted were lead, hard to get the weight/size with other materials. Dan.Split shot size 8 and smaller are lead, and apparently those over 1oz so i guess arsley bombs may fit into that catagory for coarse fishing. Sea fishing weights used to be lead but who knows these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 (edited) I have not tried that!I would have to put the bucket far away from the lead pot though, I have read that evena few drops of water can explode to steam and throw molten lead about. Our insurance system I think is worse than yours... BTW, The first sentence of your post was too easy, I had to resist the jokes. yeah I guess I didn't think that post out to well did Iany way yes you do want it to be a was away but putting a small peice of ply wood inbetween the bucket and the lead can make it a lot safer, I have had water get into my lead once about 10ml whent up about 40cm lucky I was back a little ways and didn't get burntdo you mean are health care? if so it is all paid for by the goverment but you have to sit in a waiting chair for 10 hours before they get to youbob Edited September 21, 2012 by bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagabu Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Do you think it would be possible to alternate the plates with layers of paper or thin plywood?I'm imaging the carbon reducing the lead oxide to metal would give a little more yield.Back in the day, (sounds redneck I know) we would break up the batteries and put the plates in a hubcap; then build a bonfire for the evening on top.By morning, there would be a few pounds to cast into BP bullets. Back in the day, we just used a sledge hammer and broke them up after pouring the acid into a 5 gallon bucket and neutralized with baking soda (or so we thought). Then the plastic would be thrown away and the plates thrown into an iron pot hanging over a fire. The lead would melt and we would draw off the slag and pour the lead into ingots. Dangerous, dirty, polluting, messy... -dag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brimstoned Posted September 23, 2012 Author Share Posted September 23, 2012 Indeed, those were some good times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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