Lead and zinc

[lunicy]

Is there a way to tell zinc from lead wheelweights, before melting? This batch is real grimy, so I can't see any distinguishing marks.

[Tokarev]

There are several kinds of Zn weights. Many of them are laquered in gray colour and have Zn imprinted on one of the sides. Many of my Zn weights came in sticker format which are easier to separate, but there were also some Zn weights looking exactly like regular Pb weights. You will eventually develop a gut feeling and will be able to separate them before melting, but what's the big deal anyway?

Zn is harder to bend or break with your hands, they are lighter and of slightly different colour.

[pls1911]

On longer weights you can bend a lead weight, where a zinc item will break.
Often zinc weights are painted in lieu of a natural metal surface.
If you toss 'em into a melted mix about 600 degrees they'll float like cork before they melt.. pick 'em out quickly.

I'm in the process of going thorugh 400 pounds of recenly acquired wheel weights myself, and have never had as many zinc units before...about 15%.
A couple managed to get by me, and got into the mix, but at 150 pounds per melt in an old plumber's pot, the concentration isn't enough to spoil the batch.

[lunicy]

The big deal is the last batch I got from this place was just as damn grimy and more than half was zinc. It's a pain in the butt to smelt a full pot for only a 1/4 of it being lead. If I could easily cull the zinc out to begin with, I could save some trouble later.

[largom]

You can take a pocket knife and scratch them. Regular WW will scratch easily into the metal, zinc weights will not. You can also use a pair of side cutters and nip into an edge, again WW will cut fairly easily while zinc is too hard.
LARRY

[44mag1]

when in doubt pull it out I pull any weights that dont melt with the rest, then check them latter for what there made of. most of the time there zinc or steel.

[Jim]

..... but what's the big deal anyway?

You'll find out when you get your lead hot enough to partially melt some of that crap and it ruins the whole pot.

[sundog]

http://home.windstream.net/corkyconnell/photos/nogo_wws.jpg

[randyrat]

Throw on a pair of gloves and get your self a hand held wire cutter. Get comfortable and pinch each one. Lead WWs will score and Zink/steal will not. Save your Zink and sell them later when the price goes up.
****** Or when you melt/smelt stir a little and watch the pot when most are melted turn the heat down and the ones that float are steal or zink pull them out before the temp rises too much.
Do the same thing for stick on WWs