Are WW a thing of the past?

[trickg]

Hey guys - I haven't posted in a week or so - been pretty busy, but I wanted to post in about some experiences I have had recently in my efforts to find a source of lead, and to that end, a source of wheel weights.

Keeping in mind that I don't yet have a casting setup, I'm still making inquiries about wheel weights, and in my area, there are a lot of tire stores and auto shops. The problem is that every time I ask, I get the same story: due to rules and regs, they can't give them out or even sell them to Joe Caster - they have to turn them over to the folks who come regularly to pick them up.

I've heard this story enough times now that I'm beginning to wonder if it's even worth it to start doing my own casting - especially when I know of a source where I can get commercially cast bullets for a touch under 8¢ a bullet. If I have to start buying casting alloy, I can't buy it that cheaply, so what's the point?

Anyway, I have read that lead is getting harder to come by, but with so many tire shops in my area I figured that I could find at least one who would hook me up, but I'm not sure that I'm going to be able to because I don't have an inside track on any of them.

[mikenbarb]

Check with your local Dentists and scrap yards. The dentists use a small lead film backing for x-rays that they have to pay to get rid of and real happy to give them away instead of paying. I got about 25 dentists in my area that I give plastic containers to and do a monthly visit and swap the full ones for emptys. They always have a smile on their faces when they hand them to me and so do I when I leave with 5 more pounds of NICE virgin lead. Also my local scrapyards have tons of lead for around .25-.75 per lb. and worth making a few weekly calls to see what they got in to sell you. Just a thought and may be worth checking out. Good luck.

[454PB]

If you really want to start casting, spend more time checking tire shops and get the word out to your friends and family that you are looking for lead. Hit the "mom and pop" tire shops, most of them have no recurring pick up of used weights. I found one that had been simply storing them for years in an outbuilding. You only need to find one shop like that to acquire 2 to 10 buckets of wheel weights, and you're set for a while. Talk to contractor friends and let them know you need lead. They sometimes have scrap lead from replumbing or roof repairs. Wait until you have a supply before buying the casting equipment, there not much sense in having the tools before you have the materials.

[trickg]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. As an interesting side note, I have developed a very good rapport with my dentist. He's one of the nation's leading reconstructive dentists, and he published an article on the reconstruction of a tooth that I broke that had one of his fillings in it - it was kind of a quirky repair due to how it broke, which is why he published the article, but I digress. The point is, not only is this guy a great dentist, but he's also a great guy and I have no doubt that he'd probably give me the lead sheeting. However, one question on the lead sheeting - is it safe to use? What about the radiation it absorbs?

I have neighbor who is also a dentist, so I might be able to open that up as a source too.

I'll keep digging around, but all of the major tire places I have asked are all regulated and have no interest in hooking me up with even a few of their WW.

Edit: My dentist's x-ray setup is pretty high tech - it actually scans the xray into the computer as it x-rays, so he may not have any lead other than the lead in the aprons.

[Three44s]

You needent worry about radiation from lead shielding ..... as soon as the power is cut ...... that's it!

Three 44s

[Pepe Ray]

the reason lead is used for shielding is because it DOES NOT ABSORB RADIATION!
That's why it's called SHIELDING.
Get all of it you can. Pepe Ray

[trickg]

the reason lead is used for shielding is because it DOES NOT ABSORB RADIATION!
That's why it's called SHIELDING.
Get all of it you can. Pepe Ray
Well, actually it does absorb radiation:
http://www.hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q5362.html

Based on that article though, it would appear that there is nothing wrong with the lead and that it would be perfectly safe to use and I'll hit up the two dentists I know to see if I can get it.

I'm going to assume though that this lead might not be perfectly suited for bullets (it's probably pure lead) and that I'm going to have to come up with some antimony and tin to create a suitable alloy, right?

[Russ in WY]

Is pure lead & you will need to alloy it to get the proper hardness for most boolit casting. The only thing it would work for as soft would be Black powder rnd balls or fishing weights. My 2¢. Russ.

[Pepe Ray]

I guess we suckers should be more perceptive when viewing such tempting bait.
Brevity ,etc.
Pepe Ray

[trickg]

Is pure lead & you will need to alloy it to get the proper hardness for most boolit casting. The only thing it would work for as soft would be Black powder rnd balls or fishing weights. My 2¢. Russ.
My Dad once got a bunch of old cable from the telephone company that had a lead sheathing (the cable was about an inch or so in diameter) and he used tin snips to remove the sheathing. It was really soft lead, and Dad thought it was pretty much pure. I don't recall if he ever tried to alloy it so that he could use it, or if he simply disposed of it - he never had problems getting WW, and since he cast almost exclusively from WW alloy, he may not have even messed with it any further than that.

At this point, ANY lead would be good - even if it's pure lead, I'm sure I could figure out ways to create a good bullet alloy.

[454PB]

This has been discussed before, and you can do a search to find lots of information about dental Xray shields. I get thousands of them from my daughter, she is a dental assistant. I cast some boolits from one batch, then did a hardness test. They cast well, and tested 8 BHN. This indicates that they are not pure lead, but close to it. Since it casts nicely, I suspect it has a small amount of tin in it.

[trickg]

This has been discussed before, and you can do a search to find lots of information about dental Xray shields. I get thousands of them from my daughter, she is a dental assistant. I cast some boolits from one batch, then did a hardness test. They cast well, and tested 8 BHN. This indicates that they are not pure lead, but close to it. Since it casts nicely, I suspect it has a small amount of tin in it.
Groovy! So how do you alloy it to make it usable for bullets?

[mikenbarb]

Radiation??? I thought I was shooting green tracers.LOL.:-D

[WildmanJack]

Well darn !! I asked my dentist just this past week if I could have the old lead from the x-ray films and he said that they were considered a "bio-hazard" as they had been inpeoples mouths and had to be sent to a bio-hazard company!! Maybe he missed something!!!
Jack

[jsizemore]

You could point out to the dentist that the lead gets heated to at least 620 degrees. I think that will take care of about all mouth bourne bio-hazards.

[Conan]

It would kill anything on the lead but unfortunately the govt. doesnt' see it that way. 'Sensible' is not a term certain oragnizations are familiar with. Kyle

[pps]

Well darn !! I asked my dentist just this past week if I could have the old lead from the x-ray films and he said that they were considered a "bio-hazard" as they had been inpeoples mouths and had to be sent to a bio-hazard company!! Maybe he missed something!!!
Jack

And henceforth your medical bills keep rising. More unfunded government mandates.

[jack19512]

Are WW a thing of the past?








No, just the lead ones.:roll:

[mikenbarb]

I just got back from the 2 tire shops I get my ww''s from and I had no problem loading the 3-5 gallon pails full into my wagon. I was curious and asked them about the hazardous scrap thing and they laughed and said the guy was pulling your leg and proably has a friend who casts boolits for him with it.LOL. Im in NJ and we got some pretty tough laws here and never heard of a WW being hazardous because their all dropped off at the scrap yards for .20 cents a pound and thats why their happy to get a 12 pack for them. I would look into it furthur and offer a few bucks for them and I give my guys 2 boxes of reloaded #6 shot every time I go and they love me!:-D Its a cheap price to pay for 200 pounds of lead.

[trickg]

Mike - just keep in mind that I live in Maryland and we have all kinds of political shenanigans going on here - this state is one of the bluest of the blue. Anyway, as a result, the whole "regulations" thing might be part of that.

I'll keep digging around and I'll probably start checking out some of the mom & pop repair shops. I started with the big ones (Firestone, Goodyear, NTB, Just Tires, etc) because I figured that I would have better luck getting more of them, but if it's true that some of the mom & pop places just hang on to them, I might have some luck there.

One other thing to consider about where I live is that while the bulk of the population (Baltimore, PG County, etc) is very liberal and anti-gun for the most part, there is a BIG redneck element where I live, so I'm likely to have some competition in my endeavors to scrounge for lead.

[Bob Krack]

I've tried many many tire shops with no avail. The only supply convenient to me is the shop my family and I purchase tires from. Over the years, we've probably purchased 20 sets of tires from them..

I get about 1/2 of a 5 gallon bucket every 6 weeks or so - if I am diligent about picking them up.

Vic

[Refraktorius]

In the European Union lead-WV's are being phased out for good. Once the weights in use are all changed, they will be gone.


With regards to the "dental" lead, there is some sense to the "bio hazard". If it gets in contact with saliva/blood/puss, or you have to remove the contaminated plastic cover from it, then I would consider hepatitis a real risk factor.

If he, on the other hand drops the pure lead in a separate container, and you could pour it directly into the pot, there is no real danger (I'd still wear gloves, though).


Totally off topic: I once refined some dental gold, that was seriously nasty business!
(Insert puke-smiley here)

[trickg]

Thanks for all of the replies. The thing is, for my shooting endeavors, I can't imagine ever getting to a point where I need to get a lot of lead - I'm thinking maybe 100 pounds a year would be all I would need, (if that) but I have nothing against stockpiling it either if I can find a good source.

[gravely]

I got real ucky today and stopped by a small independent tire place at lunch. They gave me a 5 gallon bucket of weights for free and indicated that they would sell the rest at the metal recycle place. Went back to work and called the recycle firm and learned that they would pay .10 per lb. Went back to the tire place and paid them .10 per lb for 3 more 5 -gallon buckets. So, I ended up getting approximately 1000 lbs of wheel weights for $45!. I am giddy.

[largom]

trickg,
I live in the "Blue" state also. Would be willing to trade you WW for pure lead, pound for pound. PM if interested.
Larry

[badgeredd]

Gravely,

I just checked the scrap price for less than truck load and it is at 17 cents a pound. You did good!!!!!

You might want to keep track of the price and be willing to pay a bit more so you can keep your supply coming to you...just a thought.

Edd

[jonk]

I'd sooner sift it out of a range berm than pay prices for it new. Granted I'd have to alloy that but I already buy tin and such to alloy the wheel weights. I'd also buy it for a reasonable cost from the scrap yard, but have you SEEN what midway charges for hard lead?????

[Railbuggy]

I live about 5 miles from downtown Cincinnati.When I get a leaky tire,I take it to a used tire dealer in the getto near downtown.Doug charges $7 to plug a tire.I always ask can I get some WW today.I payed $5 for a 1/4 full bucket.After melt,clean and flux,I had about 50lbs of boolit metal.I use it for fishing sinkers,for my 1911,and my 12ga slugs,both foster and sabot.RB

[kooz]

Around here it is getting harder to find someone that is willing to sell them. All the large chain stores have quit selling them as it seems that they have been briefed by management that the WWs must be recycled and anyone caught selling them will be out of a job. I would try and find a smaller shop and pay them descent for the weights so they will save them for you. I have a small shop here that I pay .30/lb for their weights in return they make sure the weights are spotless when I pick them up and save them exclusively for me. It is my understanding that new cars are not using lead WWs any more and that all the large chain stores have agreed to stop using lead WWs by 2009 and use zinc or iron/steel in there place. Regardless of whether this is true or not, it is certainly true that the EPA has put the scare on shops to recycle their weights and not to sell them to us. I called a couple scrap yards today to see what they charged for WWs and was told by three of them that they could not sell them to me and that they had to be recycled. So get what you can while you can and if you have to pay a few cents a pound for it thats still better than where we will be soon, check out this link for 20/1 lead alloy at $5/lb plus shipping and probably a hazardous fee to come soon for them having to handle the deadly evil lead. Good luck in your search.

[PatMarlin]

Sooner or later you will start finding lead if you stick to it. It will take DECADES to have it become scarce in this country so don't get rattled.

Then once you find it- try shooting in the same spots or buy/build a trap. Reclaim your lead, and there you have a lifetime supply. I shoot into 10" pine log round ends for portable traps, and dead stumps.

[shotman]

I dont think decades. Look at lead paint--asbestos -- took about 2 years to get off market. Wheel weights are to be banned sometime in 2009. When they put the ban on then anyone that does not keep and despose like freon. is subject to a fine. Look at solider you cannot buy anything but lead free now. Zinc is ok but light and is a problem in AL molds because of the high temp. I bought 2500lbs 2 years ago to sell on feebay. done good till everybody got into it. Now the scrap yards dont get much any more. rick

[PatMarlin]

Well yes it only takes a few years to get something off of the retail market, but it will take decades to remove lead availability from private sources. It's everywear from sinkers on up. There's no way they are going to be able to get rid of lead any time soon.

You have to be creative and look for it.