How to weed out rejects from your wheel weights

[ghh3rd]

I got my first lead yesterday, a 3 gallon pail that weighed in at about 130 lbs. It was extra heavy for its size because I just discovered that it's about 2/3 stick ons. Grimy too, I looked like I had overhauled a motor after separating the clip ons from the stick ons.

As I found suspicious pieces I scratched them on the driveway. Some were very soft (definitely lead), others scratched to varying degrees (still suspicious), and others were very hard (definite rejects). Some ring when you drop them (rejects).

The stick on strips also have quite a few suspicious pieces. I'm concerned that I may accidently let some zinc pieces get into the mix, and need help identifying them. When you scratch a piece of zinc on cement, will it still rub off like lead does, but to a lesser degree?

I have read that zinc melts at a hotter temperature than lead so it should float as long as you don't get to it's melting temperature. Since I'm using a coleman stove the temperature probably fluctuates quite a bit and I'm concerned that I may enter the melt zone for zinc.

Can anyone tell me their successful method in sorting out Zinc. Too bad there's no such thing as a 'lead magnet' :(

Thanks,


Randy

[clintsfolly]

try to twist the stick on ww lead will flex zinc will not. clip on ww with rivets are zinc some have raised area where the clip goes in the best test is to try to cut with wire pliers. smelt at a low temp 700degrees the zinc you miss will float just skim with the clips have fun Clint

[waco]

i also smelt ww on a coleman stove. i ran across a few zinc ww in my batch.
i had the stove turn up all the way. i dont think it can get hot enough to melt the zink unless you let it cook for along time. once the clips started to float to the top, the zinc weights came up with them....no big deal. just scrap off and discard them:drinks:
:castmine
hope this helps ya!:-D

[2muchstuf]

The zink that I encounter are riveted to the clip.
If the clip is molded into the weight, doughtfull if it's anything but the good stuff.
I think zink is marked with Zn or something close to that.
Whatever, if it don't melt right away,get it out of there.
2

[randyrat]

Use a small hand held wire cutter. Lead WWs stickon or others will score, Zink will not zink is much harder.
Just pinch an edge with you wire cutter, you'll see what i mean after you run into a few.

[j20owner]

I've seen Zinc clip-ons that are NOT riveted on. I need to collect all my Zinc/Steel WW's together and get a group photo. I've even found steel stick-on weights, but they are marked Fe.

[opentop]

I've seen Zinc clip-ons that are NOT riveted on. I need to collect all my Zinc/Steel WW's together and get a group photo. I've even found steel stick-on weights, but they are marked Fe.

There's a sticky some where around here that talks about zinc WW's

[Gunslinger]

I find zinc weights to be pretty easy to recognize. They are much brighter than all the others, and doesn't have a lot of dirt sticking to them.

[carpetman]

zinc wheel weights are much brighter-----How do you give them an IQ test?

[Gunslinger]

IQ test :confused:

[high standard 40]

In the past two weeks, I have smelted five 5gal buckets of wheel weights. At least as it applies with the weights being used locally here, I have learned to identify zinc weight visually for the most part. My procedure is to dump out the weights and sort through them to remove trash etc first. As I go through them, I look for any riveted weights which are usually the steel weights. Some steel weights are not riveted though. Doesn't matter if you miss these because you're not gonna melt those. The markings on the weights indicated what they are made of. Zinc weights usually have Zn on them but not always. Some here have posted about using cutting pliers to check each weight. That is very time consuming and tuff on the hands but very accurate. Pure lead will only be found in your stick-ons. Check one of those with the pliers. Lead will mark very easily. That's your benchmark. Stick-ons are also made in zinc & steel. I have learned to identify them visually. Using your benchmark lead stick-on, check some clip-ons. Lead will mark fairly easy, but will be noticably harder than the stick-on. Any thing that is hard to mark with the pliers, throw it out. If you go through enough, you will learn to identify most if not all by sight. Then keep your melt temps on the low side and the zinc will float with the clips. Another good idea is not to start with a full pot of weights. Start with the pot only 1/4 full. When those melt, skim the clips then add more. I have found this gives you more control at a lower heat and gives you the ability to remove the bad stuff before it can melt if the temps get too high. Using this method, you can keep your temps on the low side. With a pot full to the brim with weights, it take quite a while to get them all to melt. I find it is faster to add a little at a time as they melt. Heat transfer to the added weights is faster because of the melt already in the pot. Try it. Smoke and smell is better managed also this way because your can remove floaters as you go. Hope this helps.

Charlie.........

[ghh3rd]

All very helpful... thanks!


Randy

[mtgrs737]

Zinc weights sometimes have the clips staked on stickon zincs are hard and brittle. I keep my smelting temp down to below 700 degrees and the steel and zinc floats and does not melt, they get skimmed off with the clips, no problems! I will post a picture of the staked on clip zincs.