WW sources drying up

[44 WCF]

Everyone should pay attention to their supply of wheel weights. These tire shop chain stores are becoming more difficult to deal with in my area for buying WW's due to their requirement for record keeping etc,, seems it's becoming exceedinlly easy for them to ship back to their WW supplier. I don't have the anser to combate this, least in my area.

[bslim]

chain stores in our area will not sell WW's no matter what reason you give them. Corporate policy and that rules!

[Stick_man]

The answer is often to look in places you'd least expect to find them. The bigger chains (Big O, Firestone, etc) often have "arrangements" with Interstate Battery to send them in for making batteries with. I don't believe there are many WW makers in the USA anymore. Most are made in China. Around here, I have had my best luck with the little mom-and-pop type tire stores. Anyplace that does anything with tires is a potential source and worth checking in with. The worst they can do is say they won't sell to you.

Good luck with the hunt for these elusive little devils. They are becoming almost as protected as the spotted owl or the Cali Condor. Soon, however, they will be going the way of the dinos and woolly mammoth.

[watkibe]

This has been the case for a while now. I did have an idea : offer $20 for a 5 gallon bucket of WW, take it home and sort out the lead, and then take the zinc and iron weights back so the tire store can still sell about 60% of the bucket they sold you to the regular recycler. In essence, they would be selling the same thing twice.
Unfortunately, I live in a small town, with 2 tire stores. When I showed up with a smile, a bucket, and a twenty dollar bill, they wouldn't even let me in the door, just "blah, blah, blah, we don't do that, they aren't lead anyway, corporate won't let us" and so on.

I am worried. Casting bullets has been a major way that I have been able to afford to shoot, since WW were so cheap and plentiful. I might actually have to buy some casting alloy. The cost ranges from 1 to 4 dollars a pound, the quality goes from virgin metal alloy to range pick-up lead.

[fredj338]

This has been the case for a while now. I did have an idea : offer $20 for a 5 gallon bucket of WW, take it home and sort out the lead, and then take the zinc and iron weights back so the tire store can still sell about 60% of the bucket they sold you to the regular recycler. In essence, they would be selling the same thing twice.
Unfortunately, I live in a small town, with 2 tire stores. When I showed up with a smile, a bucket, and a twenty dollar bill, they wouldn't even let me in the door, just "blah, blah, blah, we don't do that, they aren't lead anyway, corporate won't let us" and so on.

I am worried. Casting bullets has been a major way that I have been able to afford to shoot, since WW were so cheap and plentiful. I might actually have to buy some casting alloy. The cost ranges from 1 to 4 dollars a pound, the quality goes from virgin metal alloy to range pick-up lead.
At much above $2/#, it's just not worth the time to cast plinking bullets. The lead ww are still w/ us but fading fast. I give it 2-3yrs tops, about the life of a set of tires. Much after tha, it's all zinc & steel. There are other sources, but those will also start drying up as the EPA & other do gooders invade our space & tell us what is good for us. Get it while you can boys & girls.:violin:

[Fatman]

I have been extremely lucky in the fact that I've never had to buy lead. Now I don't cast bullets but fishing lures. I thought after 30+ years of casting lead I knew alot!! UNTIL I came here and learned a whole lot more.

My local mechanic in town not only saves the lead wheel weights for me, he even sorts them!!! Tire weights in one, stick on's in another and he keeps all of the new Zinc ones to recycle.

My cost a pizza and a 6 pack every now and then!!!

And even better, I rent and the outside spigot broke and the landlord sent the plumber out, I had been casting a few jigs and he asked where I was getting my lead. Anywhere and everywhere I told him. Tells me how much you want, I have a stash of old lead water pipe, give me a few hundred jigs and you can have some.

Needless to say it was roughly 400 pounds, and was all cut into 8 inch pieces.

Keep looking guys, it's out there hiding.

Fatman

[Trey45]

I'm still averaging 300+ pounds of ww every 2 months, but my price has gone up from 20 to 25 a bucket. I'm getting all I can, I see the writing on the wall.

[357maximum]

The days of the lead wheelweight are at a close. If you disagree with me maybe you are the man to help the feller that sent me this email awhile back. :shock:


asSalamu-alaikum


I hope that I have the right person who will assist me.

My name is doctor musa Abdullah from Libya and also a reputed man in Libyan government who deny the evil of Gaddafi the Libya leader whom had forced Libyan people to be under his regime when average people survive with $2 per day. Libya is the second oil producing country in the entire surface of this earth but our citizens live in poorest condition according to international standard.

Please I need your urgent help as Gaddafi has continued to torment the entire population and kill those who are in his administration that denounce continuity. I write this to see if you could help me to keep this money with you for my Kids as most of our house and assets has taken by Gaddafi loyalist with unending torture and cluster bombs. My wife was shot when I announced my resignation. I am not sure if I would live more but in case anything happens to me I would like you to help me keep $6m which is right here as I write to you for my Kids since I might not survive this situation aftermath.This money is not from any kind of bad source it is the proceeds from my inherited oil wells in benghazi. I have a relationship who is an army official and a loyalist to Gaddafi that will help me take this money to Tunisia and fly it if you can keep the money for time being and give back to my kids when the right time comes.

What you are to do is take 30% of this money and keep the rest for my Kids in case I couldnt make it. If you accept to help me please provide information on where this money were to be send and how you can pick up. All Arrangement and process to transfer the money is ready. I know this is unconsistitutional asking this favor from you but been a human being consider Libyan people on this scenario .This is worst tragedy and inhuman treatment and infringement in peoples life and freedom. If you do consider helping me email me back because I cant answer a phone call at this juncture as all calls is monitored by the tyrant. I will anticipate and appreciate your immediate acceptance to help me. I will update you in furtherance to get the money out from here In the next email I will send you my home address in case if I couldnt survive this situation.


I await your reply as soon as possible.

Regards,

musa Abdullah

[Swede44mag]

Internet email scam I get them in different forms all the time.

[Chapped Lips]

Question re: lead pipe.......is this a regional "find" in the US?

All the plumbers that I've talked to haven't seen it in years.

And what is the makeup of lead pipe in comparison to clipon ww?

[Gtek]

Had the week off. Hit every tire shop bottom of county up. NO LUCK-Approx 20 were asked and I was told by most "No- our supplier is in charge of recycling the toxic waste" Near the end the smarty pants in me came out and I ask if it is indeed that toxic why are the personel in shop not wearing proper PPE. Not a clue, suspect corporate control. The end is near. I own a couple pair of them fancy pliers that pulls them off. I am feeling the dark side. How long before we see newbie question- How long does it take to fill a five gallon bucket? Which way would you go for the parking lot camera? Black hoody, baggy pants and big white sneakers or fluffed up torso, bleach blonde wig, doll in baby seat of buggy. (kidding) sorry depressing morning. Gtek

[dakotashooter2]

The key is to talk to contractors who do water line repair in small towns. my community still has a considerable amount of lead service lines in use. Generally if an old house is demoed I have first dibs on any lead pipe he pulls out. It's generally not as available in larger towns because they have some type of replacement programs in effect.

As far as tire shops, it's all who you know. turn a guy into a hunting or fishing buddie and the "policies" tend to go out the window. And while they may have agreements with battery suppliers or whatever if they are doing enough business a pail full hear and there will never be noticed.



Question re: lead pipe.......is this a regional "find" in the US?

All the plumbers that I've talked to haven't seen it in years.

And what is the makeup of lead pipe in comparison to clipon ww?

[mpmarty]

I've got two co-operative tire shops that sell me five gallon buckets full for $50.00 These buckets weigh in at around 150lbs so I'm paying around $0.33 a pound. I get twenty 45/70 bullets out of a pound so it's still cost effective for me. Got around 1500 pounds on hand right now in ingots.

[sagamore-one]

It is simply amazing that a couple local big chain stores will not/ can not sell you any hazardous wheel weights,but will trade for a six pack of Budweeezer.

[tcbnick]

I found an old catfisher who has about 800 lbs of WW, but will not sell any because he makes sinkers. But after talking to him over a cold one I learned that the last tome he cast was in 1986. Now I did make a deal with him though, he would trade with me, any bad lead (zinked?) I had for boolits, he would trade pound for pound. Now I just have to find some rotton boolit lead, any suggestons?

Nick

[Sky King]

I've done real good at the local car repair shops. Especially if I throw business their way. Rotate shops. Oil changes, brakes etc.

[Fatman]

Chapped

The batch I got here in Vermont was from someone who had just kept it stacked up in a shed. The stuff inside of it was all dried out and tapping on it with a hammer it just fell out.

He's the only one I've ever met here who had saved any, now my brother in law who lives near Buffalo is in a Civil War Re-enactment group and they cast all their own - plus cannon balls. There are alot of old houses that have sat adn not been lived in for years and he and his group have it set up with local contractors to take any they find. It helps them with raw material and saves the contractors having to pay to get rid of it.

Like I said I've never had to pay for lead yet and hope I never do, that's why I have it stashed.

Fatman

[Hang Fire]

I am down to three 5 gallon buckets of WW and couple hundred pounds of ingots, but I don't shoot so much as I used too.

[fredj338]

I've got two co-operative tire shops that sell me five gallon buckets full for $50.00 These buckets weigh in at around 150lbs so I'm paying around $0.33 a pound. I get twenty 45/70 bullets out of a pound so it's still cost effective for me. Got around 1500 pounds on hand right now in ingots.

That will change significanbtly as more zinc & steel show up in the buckets. Happened here. I was getting 3gal/100# buckets for $20 & glad to pay it. Then the buckets started getting upto 40% unuseable ****, then he wanted $50/bucket. Lost that source.

[phatman]

Hi Guys,
Try going on a road trip to the more rural areas.
I'm in south Tx and finding an old closed down gas station is common. I just go out back and dig them up.
I even got paid to do it once, but it did take a week and my poor pickup has never been the same....LOL

Cheers, John

[Southern Son]

I have just moved to a larger town with more than 20 tyre shops. I have spoken to a couple and they both said the same thing "We/I used them to make sinkers." SINKERS, you could make them out of zink.

[390ish]

I got 15 gallons of WW last week after reading this thread. you guys have me worried.