wheel wieghts

[hound13]

i just got some today i want to sort them to make sure i got lead and not steel .on the weights there are numbers and letters what do they mean can you give me a break down so i can sort them properly.????? hound13

[Sgtonory]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeOz63v4eYM

[Sgtonory]

Best way to test with with a pair of side cuts. Lead is soft and you will be able to put a mark on them. Zinc is very hard and you wont without a lot of force be able to put a mark on them. Steel is the same. The numbers are for use when mounting onto different types of wheels.

[C. Latch]

The numbers and letters have meaning, but if this is your first foray into sorting, I wouldn't worry too much about numbers and letters. There are some 'sticky' threads here that will tell you a lot about what the markings mean.


In the meantime, get a pair of needle-nosed pliers, and try to 'cut' each weight using the pliers. You'll quickly find that lead cuts or scratches easily, zinc will scratch with great difficulty, and iron will be almost impossible to leave a mark on, and as you begin to sort your weights, you'll notice the different range of 'looks' each type of weight has. That's a good way to start.



edit: or just read what the guy above me said. He nailed it!

[Mk42gunner]

If they have Fe on them they are iron and will not melt. It has been a while, but I believe the ones with Zn are zinc and get separated from the lead ones.

The numbers are usually the weight in ounces.

The way I sorted WW last time was to sit there with a pair of lineman's pliers trying to cut into the lead. If the cutting edges easily made a mark, the WW went into the melt pile. If no mark, or hard to cut, I took a closer look.

I still had one zinc weight slip by. I found it when I scooped the clips off the melted alloy, it was just sitting on top of the lead (a good reason to watch the temp when smelting).

Hope this helps, and welcome aboard,

Robert

[mikeym1a]

The steel ones, as stated, usually have FE on them. If you have a magnet handy, they are easy to pick out. Zinc usually, but not always, will have Zn on them. After you have picked out the obvious, just put the rest in the pot. as long as you keep the temps below 700F, the zincers that you missed will float to the top, with the rest of the junk that needs skimming. I generally try and keep my pot at around 625F - 650F. If you don't have a thermometer, you should get one. They help. Have fun! mikey

[Driver man]

You dont want zinc (Zn) in with your lead at all.

[waltherboy4040]

So far what I've found

Fe is usually steel but not always, clip it with side cutters
The ones with holes on both sides can be lead or zinc
Wws with a rivited clip on the back are usually something else but clip it

Best option I've found is to visual sort, clip any suspected ones and finally use a thermometer.

[runfiverun]

I put zinc ones in on purpose.
don't sweat getting a single Zn ww in your alloy you won't even notice it's there if it does melt in.
go through them like suggested above.
stir everything well when the pot is melted, scoop off anything that floats and inspect it further at a later time.

[bangerjim]

Agree with run above...................don't overthink this zinc thing!

You read on here where people "threw out their whole pot because they got a single zinker in there! OMG!"

I purposely contaminated 5# of good-casting alloy with 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5% Zn and tested each.

Could not notice any difference until I got to 4%, where fill-out got a bit goosy. Just added a touch more Sn to lower the surface tension and things went back to normal.

(FYI...............Zn raises surface tension of molten lead.......Sn lowers it.....giving better mold fill-out and boolit detail.)

Now.........for those of you out there that weigh EVERY SINGLE boolit...........yes, Zn weights less and will lower the resultant weight of your boolits a smidge at 4-5%. But it is certainly close enough for "gumbment werk"....and for us plinkers.

Just try to keep a whole bunch of zinkers out of your melt. That is why we all sort as best we can. I quit doing COWW's about a year ago due to the huge mess, the total unavailability, and the cost of them and the fuel to melt them. I make all my alloys from their base components now and have never been happier......or cleaner! :D

bangerjim

[Mk42gunner]

... I quit doing COWW's about a year ago due to the huge mess, the total unavailability, and the cost of them and the fuel to melt them. I make all my alloys from their base components now and have never been happier......or cleaner!

bangerjim

I am about to that stage right now. WW have become almost unobtainium around here, I ask at tire stores and get either "We trade them in." or they give me about a pint thinking I want to make just a few sinkers.

When I finally run out, I will start purchasing from Rotometal.

Robert