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hollywood63
11-01-2015, 10:14 AM
So I was at the dentist and asked about the little lead sheets in the x ray tabs. So they gave be a box 3-4 pounds maybe. Its my understanding that these are pure lead correct? If so I was thinking instead of melting them down for boolits I would use them to slug barrels. I saw a article somewhere where a guy melted sinkers into empty cases and used them to slug barrels. Does this sound like a good idea?

ArrowJ
11-01-2015, 10:22 AM
I just scored 8 ½ lbs this week. According to FortuneCookie45LC it is indeed pure lead. He uses them for shotgun slugs, and ML balls.

jsizemore
11-01-2015, 10:25 AM
The guy that used to run the machine that produced those is a member here. The composition of the ones he made were 97% Pb, 1.5% Sn, 1.5% Sb.

You could try unpainted SOWW for your pure lead source.

jsizemore
11-01-2015, 10:38 AM
Post 21 states composition and post 33 is a pic of him in front of the machine:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?143604-Dental-X-ray-Backing-Foils/page2

There is some variation amongst manufacturers so these numbers are not the last word.

bangerjim
11-01-2015, 11:08 AM
All that foil I have found does come up around 8 Bhn and analyzes around 97/1.5/1.5. I still treat it as pure with those low numbers! But I am sure it does vary. With the advance of hi-tech digital x-rays, this source of lead is rapidly going away. Just like WW's. My dentist has been 100% digital for over 9 years. Good luck if you have a lo-tech dentist!

mdi
11-01-2015, 12:22 PM
I have made barrel slugs by pouring lead into the appropriate case (the same case as used in the gun I'm slugging). When set up, I use an inertia bullet puller to remove the slug from the case. Te resulting slug is of the proper diameter and tapered. Works for me (I did a quick look-see for the thread about this method, but didn't find it)...

jsizemore
11-01-2015, 01:20 PM
Once you've cast with dental foils you know how 50/50 + 1% Sn should cast. Once you've cast with the Sn/Sb in balance your little problems with your boolits go away other then casting pace and temp of your mold and alloy. If your just starting it's about the best alloy to use. Without running the extremes of velocity/pressure you get a good look at your casting abilities and equipment.

scottfire1957
11-01-2015, 06:18 PM
BNE analysed my dental foils.

Sample 1 Dental X-Ray Shielding
Pb = 96.2%
Sb = 2.1%
Sn = 1.7%

scottfire1957
11-02-2015, 02:18 AM
I just scored 8 ½ lbs this week. According to FortuneCookie45LC it is indeed pure lead. He uses them for shotgun slugs, and ML balls.


He is incorrect. Does he mention any analysis?


Sample 1 Dental X-Ray Shielding
Pb = 96.2%
Sb = 2.1%
Sn = 1.7%


Edit: I will send you a foil or three if you want to confirm.

Jal5
11-05-2015, 12:58 AM
I get some every year both my visit and my wife's. Got enough to melt into ingots I think. Been saving them up.

dolfinwriter
11-05-2015, 02:17 AM
My dentist retired to go golfing, and while cleaning out all the cupboards and such for turning over the office to a new "resident", his staff found a bunch of these foils. They had them in a ziploc, trying to figure out what to do with them when I asked if he had any! I haven't weighed it, but I got about a sandwich size ziploc full of them wadded up.

From what I'm reading here, I think I'll throw them in with a bunch of SOWWs I got.

Jal5
11-05-2015, 08:37 AM
I probably have enough for 1-2 lee pots full. Probably will use it for ML boolits

mdi
11-05-2015, 01:20 PM
X-ray foils are a good source for "nearly pure lead" (I ain't gonna get involved in the argument on the exact composition of the lead), but living in a small town, I only got a pound every 6 to 8 weeks from my dentist and the other dentist in town didn't use that kind of x-ray...

Green Frog
11-05-2015, 01:32 PM
The only problem I've got with lead foil is that you put a pot-sized wad into your melting pot and get about a quarter full pot when it melts! That stuff is thin! I'll still take all I can get and reserve it for "pure lead" applications like cap-and-ball revolver fodder.

Froggie

zomby woof
11-05-2015, 03:05 PM
Post 21 states composition and post 33 is a pic of him in front of the machine:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?143604-Dental-X-ray-Backing-Foils/page2

There is some variation amongst manufacturers so these numbers are not the last word.

Handsome fellow

fredj338
11-05-2015, 04:27 PM
My dentist & most, went to dig xray years ago. He did have several boxes of foils on a shelf, didn;t know what to do with them. I was glad to take them off his hands, about 20# worth after pulling foils from the paper. He also threw in about 15# of lead sheet pulled form a wall. A good day.

Harry O
11-05-2015, 04:47 PM
I talked to my dentist about the x-ray lead a few years ago. He had been giving them to another patient for sinkers, but he had died and the dentist did not know what he would be doing with them. I graciously offered to help him out. I took home about 25-28lbs worth. Since then, I get about 7-8lbs every six months. They are nice. About halfway between pure lead and WW in hardness. Very easy casting. Nice stuff if you can get it.

Walter Laich
11-06-2015, 11:53 AM
same as others here: dentist went to digital and lead went away. Probably cheaper for him in log run.

Did get many pounds of lead from them though.

the cleanup of trash on them really took time and effort

Tackleberry41
11-06-2015, 01:31 PM
A friend gave me a box of these little slips of lead, sure seemed like alot, until you melt it down. But as everyone switches to digital, it will get harder to get.

zomby woof
11-06-2015, 09:20 PM
Just a reminder if you guys are taking apart the packets to get to the lead foil. They've all been in someone's mouth. Take precautions.

iraiam
11-06-2015, 10:42 PM
Yes, it's good lead but I don't think it's pure. I used to get a bucket of those now and then. My sources have dried up for this, as they have largely gone away from film to some kind of digital imaging around here, When I could still get them, some places got to where they wouldn't give it to me. Apparently they would rather have the documentation that it was disposed of properly than give it to me. I never determined if this was because of a bio-hazard or environmental hazard (lead). No worries, it wasn't really worth it anyway IMO. They are a commercial business so under some of the laws around here they are not allowed to "throw away" certain items, like electronics and whatever else the gubmint says.

scottfire1957
11-07-2015, 01:22 AM
Yep. My 18# is packed into a 3# coffee plastic container. A lot of space twixt all those foils. It will alll melt down into my Lee pot with room to spare.