Possible 20k pounds of lead but......

[finishman2000]

it is encased in steel of some sorts. i haven't seen them yet but told that the lead musta ben poured into them. they about 18"x18"x8". they came out of an idustrial plant andf that's all i know.
anyone ever hear of this sort of thing?
he usually scraps everything he gets but knows that he won't get his usual amount for lead as long as it is in the steel.
how much $$$ should i offer him? i'm thinking .20-.25 a pound since it is a risk that it is good lead (for us) and the time to cut the steel and melt the lead.
thx

[runfiverun]

each block should weigh about 1,000-1,100 lbs off the top of my head depending on the steels thickness.
i'm just kinda figuring 1/2" steel.
lead weighs a bit over 700 lbs for a cubic foot and steel is 430- 470 somewhere in there or so.
if the blocks weigh in at 800 instead of 1100 it's all steel.
i'd chop off a corner and put it in a big fire to get it out if it's lead.

[finishman2000]

the guy said to my friend that he thought each one was "about" 1200lbs.

[runfiverun]

sounds like close to pure then, and a fairly thin steel shell too.
i'd call the local yard and see what they buy for and offer somewhere around that.

[beagle]

That sounds like hydraform moulds for forming curved aluminum aircraft parts. They stamp 7075-0 aluminum into curved parts, cut them out and then heat treat, prime and paint. When I was at The Bell Helicopter plant about 20 years ago, they had a back lot full of them left over from UH-1 production runs during Viet Nam.

It may not be pure lead but an alloy as I think they milled the mating surfaces.

If it pours, it shoots./beagle

[uscra112]

I thought that for forming they used Kirksite. But I wasn't there. . . .

[WILCO]

I'd pass on this, as it's a lot of work, time and cost. Plenty of folks here selling lead for a fair price with less stress.

[Hardcast416taylor]

Another thing nobody has mentioned as of yet, how do you plan on moving this heavy object?Robert

[finishman2000]

when there is a will there is a way lol. moving them will be easy, getting the lead out should be...interesting. if the price is right i'm going to do it. i'm thinging on trying to cut the steel first with a circular saw (steel cutting saw of coarse) into four cuts, one all the way around sideways and one the other way. then use a wedge and try to pop the lead out of the steel. once out use the same saw to cut into smaller pieces to either sell or use. i have no need for that much lead but figure at 60lb a box i should find some interested parties.
since it is so much i may ever send a piece out for testing. this way we know exactly what we got.

[powderburnerr]

sounds like it would be easy to saw down both sides the length of the block and pop off the steel.
Then a tripod , a comealong and a hot pot underneath , .lower away and ingot as she melts.

Might even be able to use the pipe as a heater , set it up on an angle and apply heat , out runs the lead and the pipe keeps stuff hot.
sounds like a fun time to me.......

[PanaDP]

If you have a way to lift them, couldn't you just build up a brick furnace to set the boxes on and melt them in the steel boxes?

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

Maybe drill a 3" hole in the bottom and just heat with an oxy-acetylene torch and melt it out...?

Rich

[finishman2000]

there are holes in them, that's how the lead was put in them. i may weld an elbo onto the hole thread in a black pile and lower one into a 55gal drum with a good wood fire going. i should have some pics in a few days, i'll be sure to post them.

[Salmon-boy]

Wow.. If I had the chance, I'd get it just for the fun of it..

A 3/16in drill bit, Weil or Porter style propane burner, a bunch of insulation and a certified boatload of ingot moulds....

[leadbutt]

Might even be able to use the pipe as a heater , set it up on an angle and apply heat , out runs the lead and the pipe keeps stuff hot.
sounds like a fun time to me.......

I second that idea. Just call a roll back to haul it.

L. Bottoms