Having trouble finding lead.

[timcar86]

So I thought I would dip my toe in the waters of casting. I rounded up the necessary equipment to pour some lead ingots and try that out before I cast bullets. The only thing left for me to do was get some lead so I called all of the tire and auto garages in the area to see about wheel weights. None, and I mean none of the shops claimed to have any. I'm sure they were holding them for someone else but not one would sell me any. I say sell because after I asked to pick them up and they told me no, I offered to pay to remove them. Anyone else having this issue? Or are you guys getting there before I call?

[Clod Stomper]

I've looked around recently (within the last couple years). I'm having the same problem. Most shops I've checked won't sell to individuals. Even if they did, I believe most wheelweights are now made of steel or zinc.

Fortunately, I bought a 5 gallon bucketful years ago and I haven't used it all up yet. I don't cast as much as I used to.

I do have a shop saving some for me. I hope they're mostly lead.

I hope Caster and Dolomite won't mind sharing some of their lead acquisition tips with us.

Will

[Caster]

We're sorry but you don't have proper clearance for this level of intel.

J/K

You just gotta stay at it. You will hear no a lot. Especially if there's another caster in the area. I work in a tire store. THere's a reason there are never any scrap wheel weights available from where I work.

Hit the big truck stops too. The WW that come off semi's are MONSTROUS! Be ever vigilant for zinc. BUT, don't throw that zinc away. Keep it separate. If you're lucky, some day you can track down a cannon shooter. They don't give a flip about zinc. They usually cast those large round balls from an iron mold. They consume SOOOO much they're glad to take a deal zinc. I once traded a large pile of zinc to a cannon shooter for half as much lead. We were both happy. Doesn't take a genius to figure; Casting 3 inch and 6 inch cannon balls will vacuum up a stash pretty quick.

[Superman]

Still a lot of lead weights being used. All I can say is keep checking.

I got a 5 gallon bucket free from 1 dealership and smaller amounts free from a couple other shops, bought some from a couple places. Several said they had promised it to someone else, they said they made fishing lures and weights out of it, or that they couldn't sell/give the lead out. So I have 2 and 2/3 buckets of lead wheel weights, about 50 pounds of stick-ons and about 2/3 bucket of steel and zinc weights. Think I got $50 in all of it.

The one truck shop in town told me that tires on big trucks dont get balanced.lol

[Dolomite_supafly]

I have a few places locally that I get lead from. The biggest thing is go by in person. If you cold call you will not get any positive responses.

Dolomite

[timcar86]

I did it! Woot! I told my son I'd give him 5$ to fill up a mason jar with bullets dug out of my range's burm. I sorted the rocks out and cracked open any solid copper jackets and threw them on the pot. The hotplate I got wasn't hot enough so I had to finish on the camp stove but I was able to get 2 muffin sized ingots. I let them cool too long and ended up ripping out two of the molds on the muffin tin but got it right on the second try. All in all it was pretty cool and a lot easier that I had imagined. Thanks to everyone for all your help.

[pcrc11]

I've managed to collect a five gallon pail full of range lead in just a month or so of picking. I keep a gallon can in my truck and always try to fill it up at least half way when I go to the range.

[56FordGuy]

The one truck shop in town told me that tires on big trucks dont get balanced.lol

That's actually true. Most semi trucks only have the two steer tires balanced. The 8 drive tires and 8 trailer tires are very rarely done, especially on company owned trucks.

We deal with lead at work, but not wheel weights. A growing number of companies don't want to release lead to an individual because there is some liability. Lead is hazardous when it's being melted and cast, our guys are supposed to be tested for lead poisoning every 6 months. Say a company gave John Doe a bucket of lead. He took it home, started melting and casting it in his unventilated basement, and a few months later gave himself lead poisoning. What's to keep him from turning around and suing the company he got the lead from? I know it's an unlikely scenario, but a lot of companies get very cautious when it comes to potential liability, whatever the odds of it are.

[Guest Riverrat]

I trade fish for wheel weights. Get all I need.