battery lead ?

[firebyprolong]

Heres the deal i have a buddy working with a moter vehical battery manufacture that can get me lead from there battery wrecklemation process. havent seen it yet but belive it to be full decased plates or cells. Any thing i should be concerned about here? thought about soaking them in a solution of calcum carbonate to nuteralize any remaining acid before melting a batch. also wondering if any body has had any experince with the compostion of this lead sorce? too much zinc mabey? wouldnet even be thinken about it but a pro-caster has drove the local W_W price so damn high i cant bring myself to pay it.

[454PB]

The concensus around here is they are potentially dangerous to use. The posts on top are OK, but the plates can contain some very nasty and dangerous stuff.

[sheepdog]

Unless you do this right you'll be dead or dying before you pour your first boolit. I've talked to the guys at the plants that do this safely for a living and its no easy feat.

[snaggdit]

IIRC, the substances on the plates, in addition to the acid, are highly toxic. Even inhaling a little of the fumes could end your casting career. It is highly recommended AGAINST!

[yotatrd4x4]

From what I have read the chemicals basically make a chlorine gas which killed a ton of people during WWI and WWII so I would not even think about it!!

[sheepdog]

And guess what, until you properly process it every time you melt that lead down the gs gets released again. So it continues to be a danger. Funny stuff huh?

[Elmer Fudd]

Consult your Lyman manual regarding the risks of doing this. Then contact your regional smelter and take him 30000# of lead to make this venture worth you while. Sorry, dude.

[softpoint]

Even if you did it the "right way", You'd get a soft alloy you'd probably want to mix something with to make it usable,and that could cost you as much as WW.:drinks:

[sheepdog]

Sucks doesn't it? Its like being lost at sea and no water to drink.

[kendall yates]

Welcome to my life. I just shipped 25,000 pounds of scrap forklift batteries to the smelter and close to 40,000 last month. I have tried it before and its NOT worth it. Your best bet is to find other sources of lead that are much safer.

[Down South]

Just let it lay. It's not worth the effort or your health. I did it once and swore that I would never do it again and that was about 30 years ago.

[Tom Herman]

From what I have read the chemicals basically make a chlorine gas which killed a ton of people during WWI and WWII so I would not even think about it!!


No, your chemistry is off... There is no Chlorine in lead acid batteries. You have Lead, Lead Peroxide, Sulfuric Acid, and various plate additives such as Calcium and Arsenic.
Chlorine actually poisons lead acid cells.
Aside from dealing with acid fumes, the real biggie is that the Arsenic in the battery materials forms an intermetal compound with the Calcium, and if this gets damp (even by exposure to atmospheric water vapor) it will react and liberate Arsine gas which is deadly poison.
My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I believe Arsenic was a componment of a WWI gas, possibly Lewisite...
The best thing you can do is leave batteries alone.
Barring that, snap off the terminals and use nothing beyond that.

Happy Shootin'! -Tom

[Tom W.]

I have used some reclaimed lead that was properly processed by Sanders Lead, but that's what they do for a business....As for trying it myself.... not a chance!

[ghh3rd]

Scary thing is if you buy lead from someone, such as on EvilBay, who knows where they got it?! I appreciate it when I get a pail of wheel weights and know what I'm dealing with. Wish there were more of them though.

Randy