different lead alloy in WW

[40Super]

I am smelting my first bucket of WW's for the first time and am trying to keep the temps just barely above melting point(575F to 600F). I have found several clip-ons that won't melt,but they are soft,cut easy,don't have that zinc "ring" on steel,and they look like many of the other lead WW that are melting.They do all have the same "style " and stampings. I'm assuming they may be more pure lead,but I am keeping them seperate and will see how they melt .
Anybody else notice this or ever try to seperate certain "brands" to see if any are a better alloy than others? I have about ten to fifteen pounds of brand new looking "GM" weights that I am seperating also.I tossed a boatload of them off to the side in the bin when I was picking my bucketfull at the recycler,so I can get many more lbs if they run good alloy. I know ,big waste of time, but thats how I like to learn useless things:-?

[Stick_man]

I am smelting my first bucket of WW's for the first time and am trying to keep the temps just barely above melting point(575F to 600F). I have found several clip-ons that won't melt,but they are soft,cut easy,don't have that zinc "ring" on steel,and they look like many of the other lead WW that are melting.They do all have the same "style " and stampings. I'm assuming they may be more pure lead,but I am keeping them seperate and will see how they melt .
Anybody else notice this or ever try to seperate certain "brands" to see if any are a better alloy than others? I have about ten to fifteen pounds of brand new looking "GM" weights that I am seperating also.I tossed a boatload of them off to the side in the bin when I was picking my bucketfull at the recycler,so I can get many more lbs if they run good alloy. I know ,big waste of time, but thats how I like to learn useless things:-?


If all you want to learn is useless things, you have come to the wrong place. :violin: :kidding:

At 600*, you are barely above liquidus for most of the boolit casting alloys. For some, you are a little below it. Try bumping your temp up to maybe 650* and most of what you WANT to have liquid will become so. The bad stuff won't liquify until well upwards of 700* (it seems like the Zn WWs melt at about 775* or so)