Paint on WW - best way to remove?

[hcpookie]

I recently got several 5 gal buckets of either new-unused or "almost new" WW from a guy at the dealer. I am very thankful he let me have some because he said they have someone that normally removes them. They all have a really thick paint all over them that melts into a nasty goop that is not unlike bubble gum on a hot summer day. Yes I'm wearing a respirator so I don't breathe in the fumes.

I'd like to know if there's any recommendations to remove this gummy snot from the pot. The best thing I've been able to do so far is to flux with some candle wax to catch it on fire and let it burn for 2-3 minutes until it turns to ash. It works OK but I find I have to do it quite often. My dad hasn't ever had to deal with WW this new so he's at a loss as to how to deal with this many of them. Is there a better way to remove the residue? I have a home-built foundry and I'm open to melting larger quantities with that if I have to.

Thoughts? Or is this one of those "no easy way out" situations? :)

[Buckshot]

...............The alternatives would probably be worse. I had a buddy that was an electrical contractor and he'd toss all his scrap copper wire in a 55 gal barrel. When it'd get full enough he'd burn it. He'd wait for a fairly windy day but still got complaints. Talk about thick black noxious clouds of smoke!

I'd think your only other option would be a solvent of some form but then you're stuck with the result, and how to intelligently get rid of it.

..............Buckshot

[44fanatic]

The few times that I have smelted the WW's, there are usually around 120lbs in my pot.
I just burn it off and it dosnt seem to be that bad...no complaints from the neighbors (yet).

[hcpookie]

Yes "worse alternatives" is kind of what I thought too :( At least it isn't as bad as a 55 gallon drum full of the stuff!

[kirb]

I get complaints in small town Idaho so had to move the operation to my place out of town. More wind fewer neighbors.

Kirb

[fredj338]

I find sawdust as a flux helps to thicken up the goop& makes it easier to skim off.

[fatelk]

I see, paint on the wheel weights. For a second there I thought you were talking about paint-on wheel weights, as opposed to clip-on or stick-on. Wondered if it was some new technology.:)

[sagacious]

About 50%+ of the ww's I get are painted. Just let it burn off while melting or while fluxing. There's really no other practical alternative. It sure makes the chore a little more obnoxious, but that's simply part of the hidden cost of cheap/free lead.

[MT Gianni]

Make sure that you have a dedicated smelting pot and are not using your casting pot. Stand up-wind.

[parson48]

I've used sawdust when melting boolits that have been lubed with alox. It seemed to work much better than other things that I have tried.

[brad925]

Maybe i just waited too long before fluxing but all that sticky **** seemed to disappear. I just did about 20 lbs of it today. All the sticky back turned to ash. I would just leave it alittle longer.

[sagacious]

Maybe i just waited too long before fluxing but all that sticky **** seemed to disappear. I just did about 20 lbs of it today. All the sticky back turned to ash. I would just leave it alittle longer.

This is correct. If you just let it sit for a spell, it'll turn to ash-- and no sticky mess to deal with.

[theperfessor]

Same thing with tar left on roof sheathing. It will ash up if you burn off the volatiles. Sawdust on top set alight seems to help the process.

[canyon-ghost]

Candle wax is a good way to go, I even bought some Gulf canning wax at the supermarket a few times. Nowdays, I have 10 lbs of parafin that I bought from the Candle Shop on Ebay. The flames when you ignite it takes all the stuff away and I just skim it off with the clips. The paint will be easier to deal with if you use more wax, and ignite it.

Ron

[WallyM3]

Paint stripper.

That is, before the melt. Water rinse very thoroughly and blow dry.

[Archer]

I just did 150 lbs, and like said above, just let it burn off, and then flux heavy. It turns to ash, and just scoop it off.

[prs]

I get the smelt up to a point where the flux self ignites. By then, the paint and such are history anyway. Heat and time are our friends. Son't skim too early or you will lose your tin content.

prs