I figured i'd melt down battery terminals instead of wheel weights today

[KaliforniaRebel]

Instead of using wheel weights this time, I thought I'd try to melt down the battery terminals instead to see if it's feasible to substitute the connectors once the death of wheel weights is upon us (maybe). I go to a nearby junkyard for scrap lead and usually they'll part with some. The yard doesn't care if I take a pocketful or two, but I couldn't have it all otherwise CAL OSHA would be asking questions where their scrap is going due to possible hazmat contamination through public means. :-x I call it B.S.

Anyway, I get what they'll separate with and I toss it into my melter.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Swagman00/CIMG1723.jpg

Yes, I know it's aluminum and I hear the "You really shouldn't use aluminum" argument quite a bit. The heating element is only 1000w and it takes FOREVER to heat up. Being that I have it as low as possible for casting, I have no fear of the lead either overheating or the aluminum getting hot enough to melt the pot.

Anyway, the junk and lead part ways in the pot. I can't believe how much garbage the terminals have compared to wheel weights. It must be like 3 times more then just the clips you pull out.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Swagman00/CIMG1726.jpg

End result after junk removal is about 19 and one half 1/2 ib. bars. I stick with the half pounders for the Lee 10 ib. bottom pour. I have no idea on hardness or alloy content, but I imagine somebody here has already tried it.

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Swagman00/CIMG1729.jpg

Other then that, I let my henchmen stack it up for casting later. : )

http://i927.photobucket.com/albums/ad120/Swagman00/CIMG1731.jpg

[a.squibload]

A lot of junk, but free lead is good lead!
Better keep plenty of pizzas handy for your assistant...

[Gtek]

We both need to clean our work bench! Gtek

[alfloyd]

His bench looks cleaner than mine. At least he had a space to setup for the photo shoot. :)

Lafaun

[Revolver]

You get that 7.62x39 Tul at The Walmart?

[RugerFan]

As far as hardness, I've found that some are nearly pure lead and others are closer to wheel weights. Most of what I've come across lately are the harder ones.

[canyon-ghost]

Good post, that's a unique way of slow-melting scrap, brings ideas to mind........hmm.

[Bill*]

That garbage can is starting to get a mite thin on the bottom from dragging, you might want to put a piece of plywood or something on it before the hotplate drops through :mrgreen:

[mdi]

I worked as an Auto Electrician for a large city utility, mainly worked on heavy equipment. I have fabricated/replaces battery cables quite often and always saved the lead terminals. I always brushed off the white corrosion (fuzz) before I took it home and smelted them. The lead is near pure and very soft, so it forms a tight connection to the battery terminals, and I mix it with linotype or 60/40 solder to harden it up a bit. You're right about the amount of junk in a potfull of terminals, with the stiffeners/forms and left over copper cable in the terms., but it's still good lead.

[KaliforniaRebel]

Yeah, my bench is a mess. It's getting harder to find the tools and materials between .40 cal, 9x18, 7.62x39 and x54.

The trash can holds up ok with a stack of milk crates underneath to save room around here. I'd hate to find out how lead looks splashed across the concrete if it fell through.

I picked up a bulk shipment of Tul 7.62x39 from CTD. Thank goodness the lousy ammunition shipment bill fell through last year as ammo costs would have shot up here. Our local Walmarts don't carry any ammo here for some reason.

My biggest problem lately is the junk that still mixes with the lead in the bottom pour now when I had no problem of this prior with skimming and pouring from the top. Would anybody have tips on cleaning lead techniques by chance?

[40Super]

For your hotplate melting go to the hardware store and pick up a 8inch heater duct coupler. You can cut a channel out for the handle and it works good as a heatsheild/wind deflector. It will speed up the melting quite a bit.

As for the junk in the lead, have you fluxed? Try some pine sawdust, mix it up as good as possible and skim the ash/garbage off the top. That should clean up pretty good, though its hard to get it all out. In a bottom pour the heavy lead actually traps junk between it and the bottom of the pot.
Once I skim the dross off the top, I take a flattened spoon and scrape the bottom of the pot and up the sides. Try that, you'll see the garbage popping up with the spoon.

I do that as till I covered every spot of the pot a couple times over, or until the skin on my hand starts melting from the heat, whichever comes first.

[KaliforniaRebel]

Usually i'll throw in a glob of solder flux when I melt. Maybe the pine chips will work better. I'll give that a shot next time.

Good points to cover. I'll save this to MS word for the next time I melt.

[runfiverun]

be aware that new battery terminals are being made from zinc and other stuff besides lead.