body solder??

[mikeym1a]

While scavenging lead yesterday, I got a bar of approx 1lb of something the has 'body solder' stamped into it. According to the internet, there is the leaded type, tin 30% - lead 70%, and then there is the lead free, which I presume to be tin/antimony. How do I tell the difference?? I'm smelting the remains of these old lead pipes, etc, and don't want to put this in the pot with what I presume to be mostly pure lead. Any ideas, anyone??:x

[Dusty Bannister]

30/70 is soft and will bend. Tin/antimony will be brittle and fracture leaving a very fine grained sparkly appearance due to the antimony, sort of like a linotype ingot.

[runfiverun]

30/70 body lead is most common but it come in many grades.
the tin amount was dictated by the surface to be worked on and how vertical it was.
the higher melt point ones were used to keep the lead near a slush stage longer so it could be worked without sloughing off the surface.

hey duane been seeing you around a bit more.

[mikeym1a]

Thanks. This one is new, never used. But is very bendable. Nice to have a bit of tin to add to the mix when ready to do so. Got about 13oz of 50/50 bar solder yesterday as well. Included in the scrap was what I thought was small weights. On closer examination, they appear to be plates out of a battery. I had two pieces in the mix, and it made a grey scum rise to the surface. When I added the sawdust, it really collected in the flux. I've more, but I don't think I'll be adding them. If they are zinc, as I suspect, I really don't want that. If CrazyGrady is looking, what do you think??

[mikeym1a]

I really do like this site. I have learned a lot here, and learn a bit more every day. If I last long enough, I might even get smart. But that would probably take a very, very long time............:-P

[leadman]

THe scum from the battery plates is probably lead oxide. As the batteries age the lead changes to an oxide, eventually falling off the plate into the bottom of the cell. If enough collects there it shorts out the cell.
I used to be able to get all the batteries I wanted and would disassemble them. I knew what the condition of most of the batteries was as I replaced them. I would take the tops off at work and clean them up there and dispose of the bad stuff there and take the lead home.
A battery that has been extremely overcharged will have plates that when they dry out just tap them with a screwdriver and it looks like dirt falling off the grids.
I shot my first elk here in Az with an H&R Huntsman in 58 cal. with a roundball molded from battery lead.

[mikeym1a]

THe scum from the battery plates is probably lead oxide. As the batteries age the lead changes to an oxide, eventually falling off the plate into the bottom of the cell. If enough collects there it shorts out the cell.
I used to be able to get all the batteries I wanted and would disassemble them. I knew what the condition of most of the batteries was as I replaced them. I would take the tops off at work and clean them up there and dispose of the bad stuff there and take the lead home.
A battery that has been extremely overcharged will have plates that when they dry out just tap them with a screwdriver and it looks like dirt falling off the grids.
I shot my first elk here in Az with an H&R Huntsman in 58 cal. with a roundball molded from battery lead.
I did put those remaining plates in the pot with my final load of pipe. I had the heat set at ~640, and they did not melt. My first pot was around 720, and the plates did melt. Anyway, I scooped them out and put them in the bucket with the dross.

[jimb16]

"I shot my first elk here in Az with an H&R Huntsman in 58 cal. with a roundball molded from battery lead. "
Did he "charge" you?

[Dale in Louisiana]

Be careful with smelting lead batteries. I deal with some BIG ones in my day job. In order to get better operation, the lead is often alloyed with cadmium and arsenic. If you think the fumes from lead are bad... And not only that, the solid contaminants are more poisonous than plain ol' lead salts.

Also, despite the fact that the electrolyte, sulfuric acid, has been drained, there's still some stuck in there. That's another thing you're better off not breathing.

Finally, you end up with a lot of slag that really needs to be properly disposed of. Dumping it in your neighbor's ditch is not the acceptable method, nor is using it to kill weeds behind the chicken house.

dale in Louisiana

[mikeym1a]

Whatever was in those plates didn't melt at 650F. The first ones did, but, the temp was up around 730F. And you are right, there was a lot of slag. I finally cleaned it out. It goes into an old roofing cement bucket. When the bucket is full, I run the slag in it through the pot a second time, to try and recover any lead inadvertently cast off during the skimming process. Metal clips go into another container for recycling, and the rest will eventually go to the landfill. (only thing I know to do with it.) Got some more lead the other day, but no more battery plates in it. This was good stuff, lead sheet and ingots, and a few bars of 60/40 & 50/50. Pretty good return. I'm learning what to take and what to leave in the salvage bin. Kind of late in life, but, I don't intend to stop learning until I'm dead.

[Centaur 1]

Dumping it in your neighbor's ditch is not the acceptable method, nor is using it to kill weeds behind the chicken house.

dale in Louisiana

Agreed, that's what used motor oil is for.:wink: