Stickon Wheel Weights... Zinc?

[MikeS]

Hi All.

Since I managed to get the last of my clip on Wws stuck on my band saw (long story) I've been mixing my stick on weights with lino. As I put them into the pot, I take out the ones that are obviously iron (marked Fe) or zinc (marked Zn), but I've come across an abnormally large amount of weights that don't want to melt, some float on top, some drop to the bottom of the pot, and just stay there, they don't seem to melt! I've been taking them out of the pot as quickly as I can so I don't contaminate the pot with zinc. Is it possible that they're lead, and just not melting quickly? What metal would go to the bottom of the pot, zinc would float, right?

I don't want to be throwing away good lead, but I also don't want to contaminate my pot! Has anyone else here that smelts as they go seen anything like this? Thanks!

[HammerMTB]

Zn weights float. I've never seen weights sink to the bottom of the melt. I'll be following with interest to see what others have to say....

[Doby45]

You should be able to put a good clip into a lead stick on weight with some side cutters or wire dikes. If you can't dent the weight with wire dikes it is either zinc or steel.

[selmerfan]

Well, linotype melts at a lower temp than lead. Lead is denser than linotype. Get a thermometer, see where your lino temp is at, and if it's lower than pure lead's melting point and it sinks and stays there, I wouldn't see that as abnormal. I'm just winging it here, so if I'm wrong, please correct me. There are folks here who have forgotten more about metallurgy than I'll ever know.

[cajun shooter]

Check the weights with a magnet. I started finding steel weights about 3 or so years ago in this area. I went to Harbour Freight and purchased a telescopic one with the magnet being about 2 1/2 inches. Works very well and fast and allows you to sit in a chair if need be to sort out the weights before smelting. They will of course float on top as the zinc weights but will never melt at casting temps.

[MikeS]

You should be able to put a good clip into a lead stick on weight with some side cutters or wire dikes. If you can't dent the weight with wire dikes it is either zinc or steel.

That's just it. I checked all (well most, I might have missed a few) of the weights with a cutter before adding them to the pot. Also, pot was cold when I added them, then turned it on, so I guess it's possible the pot wasn't hot enough to melt pure lead I guess.

[Doby45]

That is very possible as most stick ons are closer to pure lead than clip ons.

[blackthorn]

Go to your local pool supply store and buy a bottle of Muriatic acid. Cut the bottom off a plastic vitamen bottle and put about 1/8" of acid in it. Clean the paint, oil/dirt etc off a bit of the weight and just touch the clean area to the acid. If it is Zinc it will Fizzzzz.

[Longwood]

That is very possible as most stick ons are closer to pure lead than clip ons.
I just finished smelting a 5 gal bucket of ww and nearly half of the stick-ons were junk. AKA Fe and Zn. They don't look much like the lead ones and are easy to identify.

[Doby45]

I would definently not go by look. I have found stick ons that look like zinc and zinc that looks like lead, easy test with the side cutters.

[frkelly74]

They will ring differently when dumped on a concrete floor. If I hear a ring I start to look for zinc and usually find it. Also it seems that the best looking weights are suspected of being zinc, it is harder material and doesn't get as beat up. There are multiple clues that you need to observe.

[Longwood]

The steel ones were obviously not lead. I just checked the junk, I did not find any stickons made from zinc. I did find a couple of strips of some that look a little like the lead ones but are magnetic.
If they don't look like lead, don't feel like lead and look like they are made with a punch press, they are probably not lead.

[bumpo628]

I just sorted four buckets of stickies. Here's how I did it:

1. Separate the obvious lead weights in the long strips first.

2. Hold a wire cutter in one hand with a strong magnet stuck to the back.
Anything that is questionable can either be checked with the magnet or cut with the dikes.

3. I also used a larger, weaker magnet when I got down to the single pieces.
You just need to look at the parts stuck to the magnet before you throw them in Iron bin. Sometimes lead gets trapped between the magnet and an iron weight.

Most zinc is labeled Zn, but there are some smaller zinc weights that have no label.
Most iron is labeled Fe, but there are some dirty weights that look like lead.
After a while you get really good at identifying them by shape.

With clip on weights, I noticed that most of the zinc weights are too clean.
The iron clipons usually have rivets holding the clip to the weight. This helps identify the smaller ones since it is hard to use a magnet because the clip is too close.