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ron brooks
07-30-2006, 01:36 PM
Alrighty now. I've been hearing a lot about zinc wheelweights and have done some searching on it here on the site. Seems that as long as you don't get carried away with your melt temperture you're okay. Say don't go over around 700'.

One question I have is that I read that if you ever get zinc contamination you can't get rid of it. If this is correct it seems to me that it will put an end to the second hand market in lead pots, molds, and ladles. Is it true that once something is contaminated with zinc the comamination can never be gotten rid of?

Thanks,

Ron
swheeler
07-30-2006, 02:34 PM
Where in the Panhandle?
Junior1942
07-30-2006, 03:01 PM
Ron, invest in one of the casting thermometers made by Lyman, etc. I keep my melt around 600 degrees until I'm satisfied it contains no zinc weights. Haven't found one yet. . . .
ron brooks
07-30-2006, 03:08 PM
SWheeler,

Stratford. It's about 100 miles north of Amarillo on 287. 287 and 54 cross here.

Ron
ron brooks
07-30-2006, 03:10 PM
Junior,

That's what I'm doing. OI was wondering though if anything can be done if say you bought a used RCBS or Lyman led pot or molds and it turned out to e contamiated.

Ron
ANeat
07-30-2006, 03:17 PM
I dont see how you could contaminate a pot or a mold. If I bought a used pot that I was suspect of any lead that was left I would just melt it and pour it out, problem solved.

Im always cautious when I do WW as I would hate to ruin 100 plus pounds of good lead when I smelt. So far I have only had one Zinc WW floating on top after all the others have melted.

Adam
Edward429451
07-30-2006, 03:21 PM
How are the zinc WW's identified without a thermometer?

What about the new aluminum WW's?

Are the WW's marked "AL" aluminum?
ron brooks
07-30-2006, 03:41 PM
I haven't heard of the aluminum wheel weights. I'll bet that they are pretty big. Must be the size of truck wheel weights on a compact. :)

Ron
ron brooks
07-30-2006, 03:43 PM
Adam,

I had always thought what you said, then I was reading here after doing a search on zinc and the poster said that once the equipment was contaminated with zinc it could not be gotten rid of. Sort of put the fear of zinc into me:???:

Here is the thrread, it's post #9.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=1313&highlight=zinc

Ron
ANeat
07-30-2006, 04:50 PM
Are the WW's marked "AL" aluminum?


Those WW are designed to clip onto aluminum wheels. They are still made of lead (For now)

Adam
ANeat
07-30-2006, 04:56 PM
Adam,

I had always thought what you said, then I was reading here after doing a search on zinc and the poster said that once the equipment was contaminated with zinc it could not be gotten rid of. Sort of put the fear of zinc into me:???:

Here is the thrread, it's post #9.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=1313&highlight=zinc

Ron


Ron I cannot see that at all, When I empty my smelting pot it is clean, I cant imagine getting lead in there that would have some Zinc in it would change anything.

I may be wrong but I hope I never have to find out.

Adam
ron brooks
07-30-2006, 05:20 PM
Adam,

I agree with you and really think that we are right.

If someone know that it is wrong, please let us know now.

Ron
Dye
07-31-2006, 02:22 AM
Ron
I am doing some test with zinc but shut it down until the temperature drops into the double
digits.
The letter or letters cast in the wheel weights are the application,not the composition.
The plastic coated wheel weights are for alloy or chrome rims.
Steel wheel weights are usually stamped on the clip and are magnetic.
Zinc wheel weights are usually cast into the clip,are hard tough to cut with a pair of
side cuts and if you break a zinc wheel weight the metal will be porous. The test I use for
zinc is file a flat spot on it and put a drop of hydrochloric acid on it,it will bubble and turn black. I have a pound of zinc and am going to try to contaminate some alloy and see what it will do to a pot ,ladle and a mould.
So far this is what I have found,it is not cut in stone I might have to change some things after I do more testing. I hope this helps Dye
Lloyd Smale
07-31-2006, 05:22 AM
the contamination will continue through a few pots if you dont clean it out but it isnt permenant. Also contrary to what you read a contaminated batch can be used if it isnt contaminated to badly. Just run the temps real hot. Reject rate will be a little higher but its better then tossing a 100 lbs of good lead.
ron brooks
07-31-2006, 08:53 AM
Dye,

Please let us kow how your experiments turn out. I know I am hoping that the curse of the Zinc while bad is not as bad as some say.

Ron
ron brooks
07-31-2006, 08:55 AM
Lloyd,

Thanks for the information. Makes since to me. Is there a way to tell if ingots or lead pots are contaminated before you use them?

Ron
KYCaster
07-31-2006, 09:34 AM
I've been told that fluxing with sawdust will remove Zinc, but I haven't had a need to try it.

Jerry
Lloyd Smale
07-31-2006, 06:41 PM
tried it and it didnt work for me.
I've been told that fluxing with sawdust will remove Zinc, but I haven't had a need to try it.

Jerry
Lloyd Smale
07-31-2006, 06:44 PM
hard to decribe this without acutally showing you but look for a little lead looking residue left in the mold or pot. When you drop a bullet from a mold or an ingot from an ingot mold there should be no residue left ( it should drop clean) When i get zinc problems it usually leaves a small amount off residue in the mold. I have casted bullets out of pure zinc and you can make decent bullets if you run it real hot. They end up real light and hard. I dont know if i ever loaded any to see how they shot though.
Lloyd,

Thanks for the information. Makes since to me. Is there a way to tell if ingots or lead pots are contaminated before you use them?

Ron
BOOM BOOM
08-04-2006, 02:53 PM
HI,
Yes you can cast Zn bulletts, they come out of the mould very light compaired to Pb.
They can also be pushed to faster vel. fairly easly. If I remember right .
For awhile they use to sell Zn washers to be attached as a gas check.
Bucks Owin
08-04-2006, 03:01 PM
I've been told that fluxing with sawdust will remove Zinc, but I haven't had a need to try it.

Jerry

I use sawdust to flux and the one time I got a zinc contamination it didn't seem to help me either....

That dern zinc is poison IMO....(But fortunately doesn't seem to linger to hurt anything if you empty/clean your pot...) Maybe my Prod Pot won't get hot enough for zinc, I couldn't get a decent boolit with it in the mix....

FWIW,

Dennis
Nrut
08-04-2006, 06:05 PM
I use NEI flux and it states on the bag ......Use to remove all zinc,copper,brass and foreign materails from molten metal...........I have had no problems with zinc, but then again maybe I have never had zinc in my pot to begin with.... I don't know..
Edward429451
08-04-2006, 07:52 PM
Somewhere I heard that lead is going to be phased out for WW's and I think they said they were going to be aluminum, not sure. At any rate, glad to know I can use the AL's, Thanks ANeat.

Darn good thread!
Bucks Owin
08-05-2006, 11:27 AM
Somewhere I heard that lead is going to be phased out for WW's and I think they said they were going to be aluminum, not sure. At any rate, glad to know I can use the AL's, Thanks ANeat.

Darn good thread!

Aluminium is kinda light I would think....

But I have heard rumors of steel WWs....(at least here in Kalifornia)

FWIW,

Dennis
Thecyberguy
01-10-2010, 08:04 PM
I just picked up 45 pounds of WW at my local garage. I paid 30 cents per pound. He tells me that here in Maine any way....next year no more lead weights...they will be steel. Thanks for all the good info...as I am just starting back into casting after about a 22 year break. Have a good 'un, Guy