ID an Ingot

[OBXPilgrim]

Hello folks,

Hope nobody has recently asked about this -

Went WW scrounging today & ended up at the local recycling center. I found some ingots mixed in with some plumbers lead & wondered if any knew of this brand and/or composition.

The ingots were around 5-7 pounds each & had "I L CO" cast into the face. Looked like they were a commercial item.

Searched through the archive & didn't see anything listed.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, love the forum - went through neck surgery mid-September, had a cople disks replaced & titanium plates installed & a bone spur removed. You guys sure have made to recover interesting.


And another question - I have a couple counterweight plates that I think are pure lead. They are 18" by 18" by 2". What would be the best way to cut them down to decent size chunks to smelt into ingots?

[fecmech]

I can't help you on the ingots but I've used a plain ol skill saw with a regular carbide tipped blade to cut up large thick pieces of lead and lead alloys. I would suggest a good dust mask over your nose so you don't breath the dust and a face shield if you have one. The "sawdust" particles from cutting lead sting a bit more than wood sawdust. Lead cuts about the same as hardwood though. Good luck. Nick

[KYCaster]

Hi, Pilgrim. Like Nick said, a skill saw with carbide blade works well. It sometimes helps to squirt some mineral spirits on the blade to lubricate and cool it.

The ingots are most likely plumbers lead. They're usually round or hex shaped, 4-5in. dia. X 1-1.5in. thick and linked five pcs. together, so you should find evidence of a sprue where they were joined. As close as you can get to pure Pb without getting lab grade.

Jerry

[Pilgrim]

I melt my brick (or other bulk) lead by heating a corner/edge/end whatever with a small propane torch. I basically melt as much of the pure lead as I want/need off teh larger chunk and leave the rest alone. I melt it into the pot into which it will be alloyed or from which it will otherwise be cast. FWIW....Pilgrim

[454PB]

A sawsall works well for cutting big chunks like that, the hardest part is holding the chunks while they are cut. Slabs that size weigh 265.4 pounds in pure lead.

[OBXPilgrim]

Thanks all.

265.4 lbs - holy cr@%^*!!!!!

Had to run out and measure them (just SWAG on 1st dimensions). They are about 11"x14"x1.5", and I'd guess 75-80 lbs each - how close would that be? (94.5 lbs? - same ratio) I can't lift them until I heal a little more - had to get my 19 yr old to move them a month ago.

[454PB]

Yes, 94.6 pounds.