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Lead for casting
#3472013
08/14/12 12:39 AM
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Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 218
norm762
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 218 |
I am new to the DFW area, and I need a large supply of used wheel weights to cast bullets. If you have any concrete ideas, I would appreciate it. I have already visited untold numbers of tire stores, and a few scrap dealers. As shoot a lot, this is becoming critical for me. Thanks. Norm762
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: norm762]
#3472192
08/14/12 01:19 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 16,730
KC
THF Celebrity
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Posts: 16,730 |
It ain't easy anymore. Hard times, lots of shops are reusing them and the scrappers give you a real run for your money. Your best bet is to post a wanted ad on Craigslist and hopefully a tire shop employee can hook you up.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: KC]
#3472278
08/14/12 01:31 AM
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,762
psycho0819
THF Trophy Hunter
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Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 6,762 |
There's at least four of them on every vehicle driving down the road. They are everywhere, ripe for the picking!
Tolerance is the virtue of a man without conviction.
The end of the world began the day it was created, and life is a sexually transmitted terminal disease.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: KC]
#3472283
08/14/12 01:32 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919
maximum
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use to could get a 5 gallon bucket for the asking
now it's like kc sez, the scrap folks pay big buck to shops now for em
made many a bullet and fish weight with free lead for years- what was the slogan? oh yeah. . ."change" if i had some money, i'd bet he gets re-elected
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: maximum]
#3472308
08/14/12 01:34 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919
maximum
Veteran Tracker
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if you find some at a semi-reasonable price, you'd best buy it
i can't remember the last time i broke out a mold- those days may be done
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: maximum]
#3472389
08/14/12 01:47 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 16,730
KC
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Now a lot of the big chains are using Zinc weights too- gotta be careful when you buy new stuff. I actually went through with pliers and pinched the corner of every weight before melting the last bucket I bought. I have a local tire shop that claims to have 2,000 lbs waiting to be sorted, hope they come through.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: KC]
#3472560
08/14/12 02:28 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919
maximum
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yep. . . . some are going away from weights altogether and using weight patches.
if you can lay hands on lead, you'd best do it
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: maximum]
#3488689
08/19/12 02:23 AM
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Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 330
Mopar 512
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 330 |
I got me a lifetime supply many years ago. glad I did.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: Mopar 512]
#3488870
08/19/12 03:28 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919
maximum
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i hope you do. . . i usta think my supply was endless
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: maximum]
#3489117
08/19/12 05:22 AM
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Joined: May 2009
Posts: 7,863
Stoney
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Ask us roofers, all us roofers, nobody re-uses lead pipe jacks anymore, we replace them with neoprene flashings. Pipe jack lead works great. And sorry, I hoard mine
BAKEN-ET's Pro Staff
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: Stoney]
#3489159
08/19/12 05:57 AM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,047
nuprofessor
Extreme Tracker
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I have about 3# (guesstimate) of lead bullets that I picked up at the Black Powder range at Whittington Center that I have no real use for. If interested, let me know. Would like to get atleast some of my postage money back.
CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE FOR TOMORROW. INVEST IN TOMORROW BY TAKING A CHILD HUNTING OR FISHING TODAY.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: maximum]
#3490839
08/19/12 11:06 PM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 16,730
KC
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i hope you do. . . i usta think my supply was endless Mine was endless, and I do mean that literally. Back when lead was cheap and tire shops were willing to give it away, I made friends with a lot of the local guys. Stored it all in my casting buddy's shop in 5 gallon buckets. His crackhead son stole it all a few years ago when scrap value was high. I still haven't gotten over that...
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: KC]
#3491017
08/20/12 12:11 AM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,919
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i think that's what happened to some of mine. the local tweakers steal anything that will sell and they got some of my lead(it hurt bad cuz i already had made it up into ingots)a battery core (before i could get my 12.00 back) and the lids off my iron pots(why just the lids?)
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: norm762]
#4307540
06/07/13 06:50 PM
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Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 106
firemanstew
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 106 |
I have never melted my own bullets but I am really considering doing that now. I had a thought the other day about using the lead out of car batteries but have no idea if that is a good idea or not. If anyone has done this before please let me know the process that you use to do this!
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: firemanstew]
#4307564
06/07/13 06:55 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 22,630
Cast
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Car batteries are sponge lead, very soft, not to mention acid soaked. If you could get past the acid thing and melt down and cast the sponge lead, it would most likely be too soft. It's still lead, but you would need some wheel weights or zinc to add to it for hardening. When I was collecting lead, I could get it on eBay for about a buck a pound shipped.
Cast I have a short attention spa
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: Cast]
#4307621
06/07/13 07:22 PM
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Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 119
msj7x57
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 119 |
Don't use batteries, there are elements in them that make very toxic gases when you melt them.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: msj7x57]
#4307809
06/07/13 08:30 PM
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Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 18,984
ChadTRG42
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Don't use batteries, there are elements in them that make very toxic gases when you melt them. That's exactly what I would worry about. Lead is bad enough, but add the acids and other elements, and it would be bad.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: ChadTRG42]
#4308600
06/08/13 03:16 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 296
barnjoer
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 296 |
What do the Zinc wheel weights look like?? Are they the one's that just stick on the wheels??
He Who Expects Nothing Won't Be Deceived Keep your eyes moving & stay loaded at all times!! Proud Member of Gun Toters Forum
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: barnjoer]
#4310015
06/09/13 02:42 AM
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Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,644
Chris/HOU
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
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Posts: 1,644 |
They are lighter color, have more rounded edges and less defined markings. You can throw them in the pot with the lead ones, they have a higher melting temp and will float.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: Chris/HOU]
#4310618
06/09/13 03:32 PM
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,825
poisonivie
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Batteries are too dangerous to mess with. The risks are not worth the reward. clipon wheelweights are hard lead alloy and stick-on are pure lead.
Last edited by poisonivie; 06/09/13 03:33 PM.
Pee on Photobucket
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: poisonivie]
#4311421
06/10/13 12:27 AM
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 2,641
Fatalwishes' Wife
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I get mine from a medical xray company. They use lead in the walls....and when they tear one down they have a bunch of lead...
May want to call a few and see if you can score some there.
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Re: Lead for casting
[Re: Fatalwishes' Wife]
#4314060
06/11/13 04:46 AM
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 16,730
KC
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THF Celebrity
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Posts: 16,730 |
I would not recommend adding zinc to a production pot. The melting point of lead is 621F and the melting point of zinc is 781F. I usually run my pot around 675-700 depending on what mold I'm using, but the controls aren't fine enough to rule out floating a zinc turd in your lead pot and ruining 20 pounds of alloy.
It's also a good idea to alloy out your scrap and just use clean blocks in a casting pot. It saves you time and keeps you from having to constantly flux. Keep a layer of pure clay kitty litter on top of your alloy in the casting pot and it will keep the lead from oxidizing too.
I can tell the zincs by weight. It's pretty easy to spot them- they are almost always painted. When I alloy I always keep a pair of wire cutters next to the pot- when in doubt snip a corner. Zinc is much stronger than lead.
Also- the stick on weights are almost pure lead, so keep that in mind when casting. I keep mine to use for casting round balls, slugs, or fishing jigs.
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