I found a ton of Plumber`s lead and Pewter is this any of use?

[Bkid]

I found about a ton of plumber`s lead in my shop from the previos owner who casted pewter. Well I found a ton of pewter also. Can the plumber`s lead be used for making bullets?

[sargenv]

Nope, it's useless to you.. you can send it to me for disposal ;)

Plumber's lead is usually pure and is nice to have for muzzle loaders or thinning harder alloys.. Pewter, depending on the composition is good for adding tin to alloys..

You have yourself some good stuff to have. Likely have many others add their $.02.

[DLCTEX]

Gold strike. Wish I could find a ton of each in my shop. You just need some other alloys to make any boolit you wish. Pewter is mostly tin. You can trade some of it for the other stuff you need.

[Bkid]

I may never need lead again,this is a lot of lead and pewter. I need to find out more about the plumbers lead. It would be nice if it had some antimony in it. I can not believe I was working so hard to get WW`S .

[Bkid]

Sorry I realized this thread need to be put in the alloy section. I found some good info in the stickies. I need antimony it seems or more WW`S. I could maybe sell some, or trade it for WW`S , I suppose.HMM? Maybe a pewter /plumbers lead mix? Need to do more research on Pewter now .

[lwknight]

No matter where you put this thread , we would find it and be jealous anyway.

Good for you. Better than some crack-head junk collector getting it and selling it for peanuts to the recyclers.

[armyrat1970]

Sorry I realized this thread need to be put in the alloy section. I found some good info in the stickies. I need antimony it seems or more WW`S. I could maybe sell some, or trade it for WW`S , I suppose.HMM? Maybe a pewter /plumbers lead mix? Need to do more research on Pewter now .

Wow. Great find.
Antimony is a little hard to smelt as it's melting temp is around 1100 or 1200. Not saying it can't be done. You can get it from ROTOMETALS, at the top of the page.
The pure lead can be mixed with linotype or monotype to make a good casting alloy. Again ROTOMETALS, but not sure if they carry monotype. Midway also carrys ingots of linotype.
Has to be some way to smelt antimony and blend it with the pure lead and pewter to get a really good alloy.
Just adding tin to lead doesn't do much to increase alloy hardness.
I'd say you hit a mother load though. Wish I could run across a quarter of that amount.

#2 Alloy contains, 90% lead, 5% tin, 5% antimony, BHN/15
Very good all around casting alloy for both rifle and pistol.

After looking in my Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, I had to edit this post to add this:
10-1 alloy contains, 91% lead, 9% tin, 0% antimony, and it list a BHN of 11.5
Seems Tin will add to the hardness of pure lead without any thing else needed. How it will fill the mold, I don't know.

[troy_mclure]

i just alloyed some 50/50 antimony/tin ingots to make #2. i didnt get the tin above 1000f but most of the antimony melted into it just fine. i did have to squish some of the bigger chunks.

its lots easier than trying to melt the antimony into the lead.

there's a place on ebay that beats rotometals price by $.20/lb, but next time ill go with rotometals and get the granulated stuff.

just treat your pewter like tin, as its most likely 98%+ tin anyways.

if you want to trade/sell some of it, ingot it up, it gets a pretty goldish color.

[Fugowii]

Wow. Great find.
Antimony is a little hard to smelt as it's melting temp is around 1100 or 1200. Not saying it can't be done. You can get it from ROTOMETALS, at the top of the page.
The pure lead can be mixed with linotype or monotype to make a good casting alloy. Again ROTOMETALS, but not sure if they carry monotype. Midway also carrys ingots of linotype.
Has to be some way to smelt antimony and blend it with the pure lead and pewter to get a really good alloy.
Just adding tin to lead doesn't do much to increase alloy hardness.
I'd say you hit a mother load though. Wish I could run across a quarter of that amount.

#2 Alloy contains, 90% lead, 5% tin, 5% antimony, BHN/15
Very good all around casting alloy for both rifle and pistol.

After looking in my Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, I had to edit this post to add this:
10-1 alloy contains, 91% lead, 9% tin, 0% antimony, and it list a BHN of 11.5
Seems Tin will add to the hardness of pure lead without any thing else needed. How it will fill the mold, I don't know.

If this is so then mixing 10% pewter into the lead will definitely make a great
blend. Pewter has some antimony in it so I would expect that it would increase
the hardness of the mix somewhat. My WW mix melts measure 10 BHN and that
includes 1.5% Pewter (mostly for the tin content).

[RICKLANDES]

I just bought some blocks of plumbers lead from a customer who had no more use for them. Mine came from the old Milwaukee lead works. I got about 32 pounds for about a dollar a pound. These will be used for .54 cal muzzleloader balls.

I would take any more that came my way.

[prs]

Instead of blending all of that nea rpure lead that is so sought by us who shoot the smokey stuff, trade to folks in need and recieve linotype or ww alloy in return

prs

[vulture47]

I have a ton of brand new ww's and I wish I could trade some of it for soft lead. Well not a ton actually, but probably over 500 lbs. It seems to be very hard so it might be zink, not sure, just got a thermometer a while back and haven't checked the melt point on this stuff. A local tire store got in a whole shipment of wheel weights for the large truck tires only to find they sent the wrong ones, not sure what was wrong about them. He didn't want to ship them back so they just sat in his shop until he was sick and tired of walking around them and I was in there one day looking for wheel weights and he said I could have all those I wanted so I took the whole pile. My company pickup was a 3/4 ton with good suspension and when I had them all loaded it sat the ass end down pretty good, like to brake my back getting them loaded and unloaded and into my shop. Each box must weigh in at 50 lbs or more and there were at least ten boxes. Wish I could find someone local who needed some good hard lead and had some good soft to trade off.

[Hardcast416taylor]

A blend of 50/50, ww/pure lead, makes a decent shooting alloy.Robert

[Rock]

I have a ton of brand new ww's and I wish I could trade some of it for soft lead. Well not a ton actually, but probably over 500 lbs. It seems to be very hard so it might be zink, not sure, just got a thermometer a while back and haven't checked the melt point on this stuff. A local tire store got in a whole shipment of wheel weights for the large truck tires only to find they sent the wrong ones, not sure what was wrong about them. He didn't want to ship them back so they just sat in his shop until he was sick and tired of walking around them and I was in there one day looking for wheel weights and he said I could have all those I wanted so I took the whole pile. My company pickup was a 3/4 ton with good suspension and when I had them all loaded it sat the ass end down pretty good, like to brake my back getting them loaded and unloaded and into my shop. Each box must weigh in at 50 lbs or more and there were at least ten boxes. Wish I could find someone local who needed some good hard lead and had some good soft to trade off.

Where is local for you Vulture47?

[sleeper1428]

Wow. Great find.
Antimony is a little hard to smelt as it's melting temp is around 1100 or 1200. Not saying it can't be done. You can get it from ROTOMETALS, at the top of the page.
The pure lead can be mixed with linotype or monotype to make a good casting alloy. Again ROTOMETALS, but not sure if they carry monotype. Midway also carrys ingots of linotype.
Has to be some way to smelt antimony and blend it with the pure lead and pewter to get a really good alloy.
Just adding tin to lead doesn't do much to increase alloy hardness.
I'd say you hit a mother load though. Wish I could run across a quarter of that amount.

#2 Alloy contains, 90% lead, 5% tin, 5% antimony, BHN/15
Very good all around casting alloy for both rifle and pistol.

After looking in my Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook, I had to edit this post to add this:
10-1 alloy contains, 91% lead, 9% tin, 0% antimony, and it list a BHN of 11.5
Seems Tin will add to the hardness of pure lead without any thing else needed. How it will fill the mold, I don't know.

Just a quick note in regard to melting antimony into lead or a lead/tin mixture. It's actually fairly easy if you have the appropriate flux. Unfortunately, the proper flux - a zinc and ammonium chloride mixture - isn't readily available, at least not in small amounts. It used to be marketed by LETS (Leading Edge Tool Service) as Alloyer's Flux and it's a very active flux that is relatively toxic in and of itself. Today this flux goes by the name 'Kleanrol' and is marketed by the Zaclon Corporation but when I last checked it only comes in barrel size quantities. However, if you happen to have any of this flux available, adding pulverized antimony to a lead or lead/tin mixture is simplicity itself and can be done at normal lead smelting temperatures of 700F - 800F.

sleeper1428

[armyrat1970]

I have a ton of brand new ww's and I wish I could trade some of it for soft lead. Well not a ton actually, but probably over 500 lbs. It seems to be very hard so it might be zink, not sure, just got a thermometer a while back and haven't checked the melt point on this stuff. A local tire store got in a whole shipment of wheel weights for the large truck tires only to find they sent the wrong ones, not sure what was wrong about them. He didn't want to ship them back so they just sat in his shop until he was sick and tired of walking around them and I was in there one day looking for wheel weights and he said I could have all those I wanted so I took the whole pile. My company pickup was a 3/4 ton with good suspension and when I had them all loaded it sat the ass end down pretty good, like to brake my back getting them loaded and unloaded and into my shop. Each box must weigh in at 50 lbs or more and there were at least ten boxes. Wish I could find someone local who needed some good hard lead and had some good soft to trade off.

One word of caution if you are not sure how to seperate your WWS. Never, ever smelt WWS in your casting furnace. It will ruin your day and for days to come. Been there, done that.
Get a Turkey Fryer, or as we coonasses call them, a Seafood Boiler with a 2 quart, cast iron Dutch Oven and smelt away.
PB, lead, melts at 621.43F. ZN, zinc, melts at 787.15F.
You have a thermometer and can watch your temps.
Start you burner up and throw in some WWS. They don't have to be clean, and any oil or whatever that may be on them, will be used as a fluxing agent and will be burnt off.
Keep your temps at or a little lower than 700F. When the WWS are fully molten, if there is any zinc, it will float to the top, as will the metal clips. Skim off everything on the top of the melt. Then flux with candle wax, Marvelux, beeswax, CFF, tree leaves, a stick or anything that you can flux with. Let the melt set for a few minutes and skim of everything off the top again. Then you can pour your ingots. Go to WallyWorld and buy several muffin pans. The non stick ones work great, and you can get them in different sizes. You will need several as they get really hot. And you can pick up a large ladle also. Pour your ingots and mark them when cooled as to WW allow. When you start casting in your furnace, add the ingots as needed and flux as needed.
Can't stress it enough though. Never smelt WWS in your casting pot.
Quick way to check WWS. Every pair of pliers has a little cutting edge close to the handle. Open the pliers all the way and place a weight in the cutter. If it dents without much pressure, it is good to go. If it takes a little more pressure, or hardly dents, it probably has zinc. Iron weights, of course, will probably not dent, without a hammer strike, and you can check them with a magnet at the end of the weight.

Oh, by the way. I know I do, and I bet all others here wish they had your problem of having to load and unload 500 pounds of WWS.

[Bkid]

Tin? Tin? Could you make me some fishing jigs if I bought you the mold? The best Striped Bass Ells Jigs and Bunker Spoons are made from Tin as it does not sink as fast as pure lead does.

Pewter would most likly fish almost as well.

http://www.charliegraves.com/images/RM4.jpg







WickedGoodOutdoors@Maine.rr.com


http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OAc61kW10MM/RgzcH7EtpcI/AAAAAAAAAO8/l0IJNJF-2ho/s1600/Tintin_in_Tehran.jpg
I think that I could send you some Pewter if that helps? I to am a fisherman. I thought about making some silver minnow spoons for the Northern Pike up North ,here in New Mexico.

[jmsj]

Bkid,
Where up north in New Mexico do you fish for northern pike? jmsj

[HangFireW8]

I may never need lead again,this is a lot of lead and pewter. I need to find out more about the plumbers lead. It would be nice if it had some antimony in it. I can not believe I was working so hard to get WW`S .

I've found two kinds (shapes) of plumber's lead ingots. I melted each type separately into ingots and measured the hardness.

One type melted hot, had a bluish cast, made dark ingots and turned out very soft, and I think it is mostly pure. The other melted easy, made very shiny ingots and seems to have a good amount of tin in it, like 30% or so.

I haven't heard of much antimony in plumber's lead, only plumber's lead-free solder, but I wouldn't bet against any possibility.

-HF

[Bkid]

Bkid,
Where up north in New Mexico do you fish for northern pike? jmsj

Rio Grande Gorge any where from Pilar up to Qeusta or Arsenic Springs. The cable hole is my preference of all though. I have hooked into Jaws which is the largest northern pike I have ever seen up there . There are monsters in the deep slow holes. These are the smartest and most aggressive fish I have ever had the pleasure of catching. I have hooked one of the largest brown trouts up there,not able to get him in.The fish was well over 10 pounds and over 30 inches long.

[jmsj]

Bkid.
Didn't know they had pike in the Gorge. For a short time I lived in Springer, at Springer lake they used to catch some pretty big ones once in a while, I believe for awhile the state record came from there. Just a few miles from my house is Miami lake and they catch alot of Pike out of that lake although I have not heard of any real big ones coming out of there in a long time.jmsj

[Bkid]

Bkid.
Didn't know they had pike in the Gorge. For a short time I lived in Springer, at Springer lake they used to catch some pretty big ones once in a while, I believe for awhile the state record came from there. Just a few miles from my house is Miami lake and they catch alot of Pike out of that lake although I have not heard of any real big ones coming out of there in a long time.jmsj

Yep that is right about 13 yrs ago there where some monsters up there being caught. They liked that silver minnow spoon. I do not hear of any being caught anymore though. I fished all the lakes up there. Miami Lake ,I fished one time and did not have any luck. So I drove all the way to the Gorge, and caught two German Browns within 20 minutes, right at Hondo. The next morning drove to Questa and went down into Arsenic Springs (Rio Grande Gorge). I caught 3 Northerns over 40 inches long. I batteled one for over 45 minutes. Tricky on those lava rocks,jumping from one to another to keep the fish on the line.
Man all this talk about fishing,makes me want to load up and get in the truck.

[armyrat1970]

I've found two kinds (shapes) of plumber's lead ingots. I melted each type separately into ingots and measured the hardness.

One type melted hot, had a bluish cast, made dark ingots and turned out very soft, and I think it is mostly pure. The other melted easy, made very shiny ingots and seems to have a good amount of tin in it, like 30% or so.

I haven't heard of much antimony in plumber's lead, only plumber's lead-free solder, but I wouldn't bet against any possibility.

-HF

Now that makes sense, as tin has a melting point of 449.47F and Lead, 621.43F