Pics of zinc

[xxclaro]

I will hopefully be aquiring a large supply of wheelweights in the next week or so, and am a bit nervous about zinc. I've smelted three 5 gal. buckets over the last couple years,and so far haven't seen any zinc. On the other hand,since I don't really know what a zinc weight looks like, I may have accidentely put one in. I was hoping someone could post some pics of zinc weights, to give us noobs a better idea of what we're looking for.

[leadman]

Look for a ZN on the middle part of the weight. Also some zinc will have rivets or holes in the metal tab to assist in keeping the zinc on the tab. The iron weights also have rivets, but aren't a concern since they won't melt in your pot.

The zinc also are not as rounded on the ends as lead.

Best thing to do is use a pair of sidecutters on the weight. Lead will cut fairly easy, you will just barely dent the surface of the zinc. Most foolproof way to sort.

If you have a temperature gauge keep your pot at 600' or so. Zinc melts about 700' plus.

[oneokie]

Use the search function "zinc", there are a couple of threads with pics.

[randyrat]

+1 on "leadmans" way Use a side small handheld wire cutter to just nib the edge. You'll feel the difference between Zink and lead WWs. Do this until you get the feel and look for Zink wws. Or untill you get the temprature method down.

[archmaker]

I had not smelted WW in several years (ok maybe a decade or two) and I smelted some WW the other day, and the zinc was easy to find because I watched the pot carefully and as soon as it started to get close to liquid I would stir the "oatmeal". And as soon as it went liquid started to pull out the clips and ANY wheel weight floating or not melted.

I looked for and grabbed the floating WW before I heated the pot up to much more.

[Echo]

I just got started rendering down WW's. I am using low heat - it may take longer, but if it's good enough for my old pal Ralph, who has rendered and cast 10 times as much as I ever will - make that 100 times as much - then it must be good enough for me. Gives me time to rescue out the Zn interlopers, and it doesn't allow the temp to rise to the point that Zn will melt.

[gwilliams2]

Like everyone has said, it's pretty easy to tell the difference once you've seen lead and non-lead WW side by side. The WW that are not lead almost always seem to be just too perfect, no dents/scratches and well pronounced corners/flat areas.. When all else fails a quick "pinch" with the wire cutters will tell all. Lead WW tend to have more rounded areas..

Glenn

[Leftoverdj]

How about brittleness? Would zinc shatter if laid on an anvil and smacked with a hammer?

[JeffinNZ]

Drop them on concrete. Lead goes 'clunk', Zinc goes 'chink'.

[leadman]

The zinc will break off if clamped in a vise and you try to bend them. Lead will bend.

[DLCTEX]

Some zinc weights are not marked, but all I have seen have a raised area over the clip attachment point, whereas the lead ones are smoother. I just keep smelting temp low until all zinc/steel weights and trash/clips are out. Really there is no need to go hotter for cleaning and making ingots.

[Gunslinger]

I sometimes get a lot of zinc and if I don't sort out some of the zinc the pot will be a pain to stir....

[mooman76]

I just melt my WWs fast. I don't weight for the lead to get real hot. Get the lead started melting. It takes time for it to get real hot so as soon as it gets started melting keep going. When you add it will melt quick too. If you get any that don't melt with the other i.e. it just sits there an floats awhile. Remove it, it's zink. Just keep it going fast and keep pouring ingots. If you keep it going fast like that the lead never gets hot enough to melt the zink.

[ghh3rd]

Start off by melting just enough lead from your last batch, or enough WW that you are positive are lead to fill the pot about 1/2". Add a few more WW and watch them melt, keeping the heat low, if any don't melt get rid of them immediately. As the pot fills more with melted lead, you'll be able to add more WW each time, and continue to scoop out any that don't start melting with the others. The trick is to be patient and keep the heat just enough to slowly melt the WW you are adding, so you have ample time to remove anything that doesn't melt as quickly.

When you're done, sample several of the removed WW, and you'll find that they are all either Zinc or Iron.

Randy

[dromia]

I will hopefully be aquiring a large supply of wheelweights in the next week or so, and am a bit nervous about zinc. I've smelted three 5 gal. buckets over the last couple years,and so far haven't seen any zinc. On the other hand,since I don't really know what a zinc weight looks like, I may have accidentely put one in. I was hoping someone could post some pics of zinc weights, to give us noobs a better idea of what we're looking for.


Do a search for zinc there are a few zinc ID threads around, they will have the good advice you've got already along with some pictures if I remember correctly.