How much are ya paying?

[mugsie]

I've been bitten by casting. I decided to accumulate an amount of wheel weights, then purchase some casting equipment (Lyman has a starter kit with lubisizer, pot, ingots and some other items for $130 some odd dollors or such). My problem is I just went to a gas station and the guy says "yup, I have several 5 gallon buckets of em'. I was thinking of bringing them to the scrap metal place. How much are you paying?". I had no idea what to answer. I said I would get back to him.
So - what is the going price (on average) for a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights?

Thanks for the help....

[Wicky]

Over here in Aus, when I can get them, a carton of beer is usually the going rate for a 20 litre bucket - that equates to about 5 gallons I think.
Offer a couple of cartons of beer, be cheaper that giving cash and would be appreciated I reckon.:drinks:

[trooperdan]

Offer about twenty cents a pound if they insist on cash.. or do as I have done and give the guys in the shop a $25 certificate good at the local Pizza Hut

[randyrat]

Call the local or nearest scrap yard and ask them what they are paying. Under cut or go over just a little and you'll have a nice supply for a long time. If they find out you greesed them your done.

[Swamprat1052]

Theres a guy here recycling wheel weights and about all the shops are getting their weights from him and letting him have all the old ones. I have a shop or 2 that I am getting some from still but its about over I'm afraid. I was at a scrap dealers today and they arent getting any wheel weights either, but they had a good bit of lead, in chunks. They were asking $3.00 a lb for it. Its still there, I have several hundred pounds of weights in ingots still. You can still buy em on ebay for around $1 a lb plus shipping.

Swamprat

[Andy_P]

I'd start at $20 and go as high as $25 for a full 5 gal bucket. That's only one store - you should look around.

[waksupi]

Over here in Aus, when I can get them, a carton of beer is usually the going rate for a 20 litre bucket - that equates to about 5 gallons I think.
Offer a couple of cartons of beer, be cheaper that giving cash and would be appreciated I reckon.:drinks:

Well, beer IS legal tender in Australia, isn't it? :drinks:

[JeffinNZ]

Beer is legal tender in NZ also.

Merlin turned lead into gold. I turn gold (beer) into lead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[boommer]

I did a deal with a scrap 72 cents a pound for soft lead 300 pounds about two weeks ago in ottawa IL THATS WHAT HE WANTED but got him trade it for some pallets that I got from a buddy in witch he got from his brothers pallet company FREE!! SO now I have to load up few 100 44 mags for free for my buddy. This will cost me about a pound of powder a few primers some wheel weight bullets it's his brass and a little time and everybody HAPPY ! sometimes you can do a little horse trading. JUST LOOK AROUND FOR YOUR RESOURCES maybe there something he will take in trade.

[Bullshop]

And I turn lead back into gold, well the paper exchange.
BIC/BS

[standles]

Be sure to factor in TRASH into your offer. Tire shops are bad about the used WW bucket also being a trash receptacle for lug nuts, broken bolts, et.c etc.


Steven

[kellyj00]

hell, I can't even get that far. Everyone here in suburban Wichita KS seems to think that lead is EPA regulated or "already has something worked out with someone"

Ok, I'll stop complaining now.

[Blackhawk Convertable]

WW's here are are in the 34¢ per pound range currently. So a 5 gal bucket full is in the $30-40 range. Some guys are lucky and can get free ones, or the $5-20 a bucket pricing. Around here you pay the going rate. I usually call the scrap yard for pricing just prior to going out. That way everyone is happy and I can get more the next month.

[sundog]

I know it's not WWs, but anyone buy a car battery lately? Sheesh! Sticker shock!

[kooz]

Typically I have not had to pay more than .25/lb, but I did have a Discount tire store ask me for .50/lb last week and this same shop used to give them to me for free .

[mtnman31]

I scored half a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights for free last weekend. There was a little trash in it and about a half dozen zinc weights; first time I have encountered stick-on zinc weights. I know you can find them and pull them out of the pot by limiting your temperature as you smelt but, I figure I am usually sorting through smaller quantities of weights and there is no reason to not pull out the junk first.

I have noticed it getting more and more challenging to find free or cheap sources of lead. It just takes a little persistence and bartering. One of my best sources for wheights "dried up". Some other caster snuck in and made a deal with the shop for all their weights. I wonder what the trade involved?

[Andy_P]

Yea it's getting tougher to find WW and lead - it's being used less, controlled more and up in value for scrap. Maybe there are more casters as well - let's hope.

I've lost a few sources and lowered my standards and gone back to one I previously abandonned. Every shop has their own "style" and these boneheads throw the WW into an empty but not cleaned grease pail. Smelting is a stinky, fiery PITA, but they're free.

[bc3660]

$.85 a lb here in salem OR.

[Boz330]

I know it's not WWs, but anyone buy a car battery lately? Sheesh! Sticker shock!

Just put 2 in my 7.3 F250, right after a new cam position sensor and 4 new tires. Double SHEEESH!
Asked about WWs when I got the tires and got about a 1/4 bucket, they had more but the guy was butthead and said he would give me more when I came back for rotate & balance. You would think that a $K worth of tires would rate some WWs. Might do a little shopping next time and see if they might get a little more generous if it looks like they might lose the sale.

Bob

[rockrat]

I would pay $25 for a 5 gal bucket around here and be happy at that price!

[joejr]

a friend of mine couldn't get any .375 win ammo for his big bore 94.he bought the dies boolits and brassand i loaded him up a 100 rounds.he has given me 5 5 gallon buckets of ww's in the last 2 years.i just smelted 125# of cupcakes last weekend its nice to have friends like that

[Wicky]

Waksupi, I thought it was the only legal tender until I was shown some little bits of paper with numbers on them!!:drinks:
Out of interest I rang a place in Adelaide yesterday who will mix pretty much any alloy you wish, cost is $7.50 a kilo, about 2.2lb, minimum buy 100 kilo and add freight to that. Mind you 100 kilo would probably do me for a while.:castmine:

[Duckdog]

It is getting very difficult to find WW in my area. I know one tight arsed salvage yard owner and he sad he didn't have any WW at all!, and I did manage to find some at .60 a pound. With the price of gas and the limited luck I've been having in my small town, it doesn't sound all that bad, as I can get all he has all in one stop, loaded with a forklift. He said he has 4-500 lbs. and most of the usual crap is picked out. I guess with the gas and the fact that I don't have to end up with a sore back for a week makes this an option that is acceptable. I don't like having to pay much for WW, but I think this was kind of coming down the pike for a long time. Grab em while you can still get the cheapies!

[TX BOOMER]

The 8 buckets I just got cost me about 10lbs of ground venison . That was the first of the month. Time to make another round , they all told me to come back in about month for some more. :Fire:

[snowwolfe]

Would be tickled pick to get a full 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights for $100

[HollandNut]

A good friend has a recycling business .. My price is 13 cents a pound for WW and 18 cents for pure ...