Help, First time smelting wheel weights

[opentop]

I processed my first batch of wheel weights today. Out of 40 pounds of WW’s, I ended up with 33 ingots. Now, what would the alloy look like if it was contaminated with Zink? I found 6 Zink WWs floating on top. I’m just scared about contamination. I tried to keep my heat low, and didn’t leave the pot unattended. Using a 20 pound pot, I filled it up and waited until the clips were melted loose. After skimming them off, I added more WWs and skimmed the clips off as soon as I could. This is when I found the Zink WWs. Looking at the Zink weights, they didn’t have any evidence of even trying to melt. Also the alloy was still cold as it stuck to my ladle. On this note, I feel I’m safe. The ingots are a dull gray in color, not real bright and shinny. I took three random ingots and placed them on a scale and they came up to 3 pounds dead nuts.

I also tried casting some fishing sinkers (I hade a mould laying close by) and they were very difficult to remove from the mould. But they had fairly good fill out. If Zink was present, would they fill out well? The alloy also seamed very tough and durable.
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee271/Chikin_03/lymaningots.jpg

[mto7464]

If you did it as you say, you're safe.

[compass will]

I processed my first batch of wheel weights today. Out of 40 pounds of WW’s, I ended up with 33 ingots. (snip). I took three random ingots and placed them on a scale and they came up to 3 pounds dead nuts.


sorry I can't help with your casting question, you are one step ahead of me. I am waiting for a warm weekend that it don't rain so I can do my first batch.

But I am interested in your smelting pot. you put 40 pounds of wheel weights in and got 33 ingots that weighed 3 lbs each for a total of 99 lbs of ingots? I need one of your smelting pots! :-D

I have been wondering what the ratio of weight in vrs weight out is after you remove the clips. I guess you got 11 ingots.

I bet your OK on the zink, they floated and you took them out.

[xr650]

The big boys tell me that it will not cast with zinc.
Them ingots look good to me.

[Ken]

I think you did fine, Finding the whole zinc wheel weights and watching your temperature, by skimming as soon as you could, pretty well indicates you did not get zinc contamination.

[xr650]

Damn Will, I like you're math. :mrgreen:

I believe it is three random ingots on the scales at the same time. :drinks:

[opentop]

Hey compass will

I weighed three ingots at once. they each weigh a pound. I got 33 ingots out of about 40 pounds of WW.

Thanks xr650 and mto7464

[be603]

:-D 5 loaves, 2 fishes, 12 baskets full left over...

schucks, thought maybe the 2nd coming had snuck up on us and I'd missed it.


dwight

[jhalcott]

I thought it was a big city school math problem!! Reading and comprehending skills are not always up to par!
You did good Opentop.

[cbrick]

opentop,

The only thing that raised my eyebrows in your post was the adding more WW to the melted WW. Be VERY careful doing this, if ANY of those weights had ANY moisture on them it could very well be a life altering experience . . . NO joke, it will cause a steam explosion strong enough to empty the pot. If this happens it'll empty it all over everything . . . including you.

If zinc were present you wouldn't get good fillout. Sounds like for casting (not so much for smelting) your alloy and mould should be a little hotter.

Great first attempt, welcome to the addicted crowd.

Rick

[opentop]

Thanks cbrick,

Believe me, I know first hand about moisture in the melted alloy. I'm very careful while doing this. I just don’t have a big setup to melt them down all at once, so I have to melt a few and add a few. I try my best to keep the wws stored in a dry place.

I just tried the sinker mold to see how they cast, but threw them all back in the pot, (I don’t fish, so don’t need sinkers, LOL)

[Wicky]

be603 - at least if it was the second coming He's a cast boolit man - that would put the cat amongst the pidgeons!!:bigsmyl2:

[jleneave]

Opentop, I don't have a big set up either (yet!) so I smelt the same way that you do, melt a few and add a few. When my ingot mold is cold I get shiney ingots and when it gets hot I get dull colored ingots just like the ones in your picture. Don't only watch for moisture but also watch were your hands are at all times. I currently have a nice burn the size of a quarter just below my thumb on the outside of my hand because I wasn't watching what I was doing. I guess that will teach me to wear my gloves at all times. Welcome to the addiction!!

compass will, I loose about 20% of my starting weight after smelting them down.

Jody

[compass will]

Hey compass will

I weighed three ingots at once. they each weigh a pound. I got 33 ingots out of about 40 pounds of WW.

Thanks xr650 and mto7464

Ok, I wasn't giving you a hard time, just joking. But now I understand that you put 3 on the scale and had 3 lbs. I thought I read you weighed 3 of them, and they all were 3 lbs each, kind of like checking several to get an average. :-D

[JSnover]

Thanks cbrick,

Believe me, I know first hand about moisture in the melted alloy. I'm very careful while doing this. I just don’t have a big setup to melt them down all at once, so I have to melt a few and add a few. I try my best to keep the wws stored in a dry place.

I just tried the sinker mold to see how they cast, but threw them all back in the pot, (I don’t fish, so don’t need sinkers, LOL)

I like to pre-heat my Rim Ore by setting the weights aside in an old tuna can on the other burner (Coleman stove). A low flame is enough to dry them before they go into the pot. When they stop smoking I pick them out with pliers and slip them into the melt. Probably not necessary but I had a pretty bad experience a few years ago.
Peace of mind, y'know.........

[montana_charlie]

I only smelted a load of wheel weights one time.
The 'return' was so puny, I decided to give up on them. I started with about two hundred pounds of 'raw matter', and ended with only eleven pounds of finished ingots.

By the way, what kind of skimmer do you guys use for the rims when they float to the top?
I finally resorted to snatching them out with welder's gloves on...
CM

[JSnover]

A fork (don't ever eat with it again) picks them up pretty well. A good amount of slag sticks to the tines too, so you don't have to skim as much.

[xr650]

Charlie,
I would think a pitch fork. [smilie=1:
I want to see your smelting pot.
It must be huge. :-D

[DLCTEX]

Charlie, those must have been some trashy wheel weights! LOL! DALE

[floodgate]

montana charlie:

You're supposed to take the hubcaps off, first!

Fg

[JSnover]

Wait a minute........ I'm supposed to cast with the shiney stuff and toss out the trashy stuff??

Crap!

[smilie=b:

[montana_charlie]

montana charlie:

You're supposed to take the hubcaps off, first!

Fg
Hubcaps?
I thought that was the tin!

No wonder I was never able to flux it into the melt...
I threw in three commercial beehives...bees, wax, wood, and all...and it just never 'blended in'.

My bullets must have been tumbling badly, because they used to 'buzz' when I shot 'em. I thought it was because of the bees...
CM

[opentop]

I think this thread has been :hijack: lol