Question for the Casters

[vaiger]

I am new to casting and I have been using wheel weights. I have a buddy who is a "thing finder". You name it and he finds it. I mentioned to him to keep his eyes open for some lead and next thing I know he shows up with an 80lb block of lead. Not knowing its origin, should I have any concerns? I know I have read that you shouldn't smelt lead from car batteries. This looks like it has already been melted down from its source material. Any concerns, or just proceed with the normal safety precuations?

[MacGyver]

Whenever I see huge chunks of lead like that, my immediate gut reaction is radiation safety. It might not hurt to hit it with a geiger counter to make sure it's not hot.

[dlm37015]

melt it again fluxing well .check the hardness you might have to alloy it with wheel weights .

[Photoguy67]

I could be really bad, if you want I will take it off your hands. For safety sake you understand.

[dlm37015]

me too

[Caster]

melt it again fluxing well .check the hardness you might have to alloy it with wheel weights .

This is what you need to do, re-pouring it into into an ingot mold for easier future use.

Take a knife to it, if you can dig into it really easy, you are for fact gonna have to alloy it with wheel weights. On the other hand, if this ingot of yours is pure lead, DO NOT mix it with wheel weights. Seriously. I can trade you out wheel weight lead for pure lead. Already in small ingots and clean as a whistle. You can always make pure lead harder but you can't really make is softer. I use pure lead for things like slugs and other use it for muzzle loaders and whatnot where W/W lead is unsuitable.

I can test the hardness for you and tell you what brinnell hardness it is. If you'd like to know, take a cold chisel and knock off a chunk about half the size of your thumb and get it to me. I'd be happy to tell you what you got.

Edited December 2, 2011 by Caster

[Dolomite_supafly]

I do know they use large lead weights for race car ballast. I have two 20 pound chunks a friend gave me. I have been melting down wheel weights for slugs. I might try some of the wheel weights in my 1911 to see how bad they are gonig to lead the barrel.

I do know that dropping them into what hardens them up enough to make a "tink" sound when tapped together, not the usual "thud" lead makes.

Dolomite

[Caster]

I do know they use large lead weights for race car ballast. I have two 20 pound chunks a friend gave me. I have been melting down wheel weights for slugs. I might try some of the wheel weights in my 1911 to see how bad they are gonig to lead the barrel.

I do know that dropping them into what hardens them up enough to make a "tink" sound when tapped together, not the usual "thud" lead makes.

Dolomite

If youre getting leading using straight wheel weights, gimme shout, there's something seriously wrong. I cast boolits for a 45 acp out of lead a lot softer than W/W's and get no leading at all.

[Dolomite_supafly]

I haven't bought the 45 acp mold. I do have a 9mm mold that I will use when I run out of the 1K I just bought. Right now I am trying to find something somewhat accurate out of a smooth bore shotgun. The Lee Key Slugs are hit and miss, literally. I can have 3-4 hit withing 6 inches at 100 ayrds then have one hit the ground 1/2 way to the 100 yard line or hit 15 feet left or right. I am going to try solid .690 round balls next.

Dolomite

[R_Bert]

Whenever I see huge chunks of lead like that, my immediate gut reaction is radiation safety. It might not hurt to hit it with a geiger counter to make sure it's not hot.

Heh, a little radiation is not nearly as dangerous as the lead itself, or certainly application of the lead at high velocity.

They used to sell bricks out of Y-12 and ORNL all the time. I would cast with them in a heartbeat. Treat it like normal lead..don't eat or breath dust & vapors, wash hands after handling. You'll be fine.

B.

[vaiger]

Thanks for the input guys. I will melt it down and use normal precautions. Caster, if it seems soft, I will send you a PM and we can talk.

[Caster]

Thanks for the input guys. I will melt it down and use normal precautions. Caster, if it seems soft, I will send you a PM and we can talk.

YEP! Do it!

[Guest canebreaker]

There's nothing wrong with using battery lead to melt for boolits. It's melting the batteries to get it. NOT WORTH THE TIME for the amount of lead you get. Mostly knock the terminals off and melt them down. You won't get a good return from the plates.

Lead sheets from an xray room, once it's melted down a couple of times, it loses it's reading.

[Caster]

There's nothing wrong with using battery lead to melt for boolits. It's melting the batteries to get it. NOT WORTH THE TIME for the amount of lead you get. Mostly knock the terminals off and melt them down. You won't get a good return from the plates.

Lead sheets from an xray room, once it's melted down a couple of times, it loses it's reading.

Oh for love of God don't tell people that man! Don't even hint at it for fear of somebody unknowingly trying it. Google Stibine Gas. That mess can kill a grown man fairly easily. Not to mention they haven't used real lead plates in batteries for a long time. The stuff nowadays looks like a screen with a paste of stuff in it. You're right, It's not really suitable and sure as hell ain't worth the risk. I mean, sure, go ahead and do it if you like, there's headstone company out there that could use the business.

[dlm37015]

Oh for love of God don't tell people that man! Don't even hint at it for fear of somebody unknowingly trying it. Google Stibine Gas. That mess can kill a grown man fairly easily. Not to mention they haven't used real lead plates in batteries for a long time. The stuff nowadays looks like a screen with a paste of stuff in it. You're right, It's not really suitable and sure as hell ain't worth the risk. I mean, sure, go ahead and do it if you like, there's headstone company out there that could use the business.

so right