Aluminum WW

[wiljen]

Was sorting through buckets of weights this morning, removing garbage, stick-ons, etc and doing my normal scan for anything that didnt look, feel, sound like lead when I came across several weights that were pinned to the clamp and are stamped AL on the front. I tried to cut one with a pair of sheers I had on the bench and its not having any of that. In the overall I found about 25 in the 3 buckets I was sifting through. Is it just me or are these starting to turn up for others too? I was expecting Zinc as I have found a few of those from time to time but the Al out numbered the zinc 10:1 this time.

Wiljen

[mto7464]

are you sure they are Aluminum? I would think that they would be to light to use as a good balance weight. Do they feel really light. Besides the price of Al is high. Maybe they come from some tree hugger state if they are AL.

[44man]

Can you imagine the size of a heavy one? It would take up 1/4 of a wheel.

[Dutch4122]

Doesn't the "AL" indicate that they are just finished to match aluminum wheels? At least that's what I always took it to mean.

Also, I've come across lead WW that were marked "AL" and finished to match aluminum wheels but were definately made of lead. They went into the smelting pot with the rest of 'em and there was no problem. The "aluminum" paint just burned off.

If they seem to be lite for their size and are marked "AL" I would have to say that they are made of zinc anyway, so they should be pitched with the junk.

Just my 2 cents. :)

[wiljen]

I always took AL to mean they were painted to match mag wheels too but these are a different composition than usual and yes are light for their size. They are roughly 40% of the weight of the same size made of lead. I have none that is over about 2 inches in length. They may not be aluminum -but they aint lead - that much I'm sure of. A quick hit with a torch didn't begin to melt it - in the same length of time both a lead weight and a known zinc weight were dripping liquid metal.

Whatever they are, they are light for size, and high melting point so they should be easy to skim off if you run across them.

[Dutch4122]

A quick hit with a torch didn't begin to melt it - in the same length of time both a lead weight and a known zinc weight were dripping liquid metal.

Whatever they are, they are light for size, and high melting point so they should be easy to skim off if you run across them.

That is different than anything I've encountered. Thanks for the heads up!

[wiljen]

They are NOT aluminum either - they are magnetic whatever they are. I broke the clip off one and tested - the body is magnetic. Cast Iron?

[Johnch]

I think I saw someplace that there were stamped steel WW out there

I have never seen 1 .

At least not Zinc

Johnch

[trk]

They are NOT aluminum either - they are magnetic whatever they are. I broke the clip off one and tested - the body is magnetic. Cast Iron?

Magnetic - steel or some stainless steels. Cast iron is also somewhat magnetic.

[wiljen]

Magnetic - steel or some stainless steels. Cast iron is also somewhat magnetic.

That wouldnt be pulaski VA I see in your signature would it? I used to hunt of Robinson Tract Road between Big walker and Pulaski.

[leftiye]

Easy solve. If they're zinc or Aluminum, you don't want them in your lead. Period. If they're steel they won't melt anyway (Stainless steel usually isn't magnetic, but nickel is, I hear. Doubt anyone can afford to make weights out of nickel). So, other than to satisfy curiousity, it don't matter. Also, it's much more cost effective to throw out anything that doesn't smell (not smelt) right -when you consider that it might ruin 100 lbs. of melt.

[wiljen]

Easy solve. If they're zinc or Aluminum, you don't want them in your lead. Period. If they're steel they won't melt anyway (Stainless steel usually isn't magnetic, but nickel is, I hear. Doubt anyone can afford to make weights out of nickel). So, other than to satisfy curiousity, it don't matter. Also, it's much more cost effective to throw out anything that doesn't smell (not smelt) right -when you consider that it might ruin 100 lbs. of melt.

I had no intention of mixing them in, was just trying to find a way to distinguish them from the others so I could consistently remove them. That was my curiosity, what happens when they make one that looks just like the lead one? These were light but how many of us look at the marked weight and the size on every one to determine its composition?

Wiljen

[spottedpony]

try cutting one with a hack saw or jigsaw with a fine tooth metal blade, aluminum will clog the teeth in a big hurry

[Randy in Arizona]

Real easy test - get some hydrochloric (muratic) acid and put it in a glass bottled eyedropper.

Do not do this test indoors!

Scrape a clean spot on the end of the WW. If the WW cuts instead of just scrapping a clean spot it is probably not Zinc or Aluminum.

Put a drop of the acid on the cleaned part of the WW. If it turns dull gray without any significant bubbling, it is not Zinc or Aluminum.
Dip the acid tested end of the WW into a small dish of water with a tablespoon of Sodium Bicarbonate dissolved in it.

Don't dip deep enough to allow water to wick into the crevice around the steel clip.
You might get a steam explosion when you melt the WW.

[leftiye]

Willjen, None of the mentioned metals will melt below 650 degrees, they'll just float on the lead. I'd see if my lead would be molten at 600 degrees (if not, then 650). Get one of those metal kitchen spoons with the holes, and scoop 'em out.