What do you pay for wheelweights?

[VP]

I stopped off at Discount Tires and asked the manager if he had any scrap wheelweights. He looked at me funny. Then I offered him ten bucks for a bucket full. He told me to go out to the tire man and take them all, and give the money to him.

Tito, the tire guy, traded my empty white plastic bucket for one about half full, and helped me carry it to my car and put it in. It is 75 pounds exactly, including the plastic bucket, and 3 wheelweights I picked up in the parking lot on the way out. Contents are nice clean wheelweights, a lot cleaner anyway that my last bucket which sat for 8 years gathering dust, and lots of the tape-on pure lead weights, and one allen wrench set with all but 2 of the allen wrenches in good shape.

Now I'm not so cheap that I want to quibble over ten bucks, I mean, Tito told me he was in training to be a cop, and was saving up for a rifle, which he would buy when he turned 21, and we talked about casting bullets for a few minutes, and I would have given him ten bucks without the wheel weights. But I'm just curious-- those of you who do pay for your scrap wheelweights, what is the going rate? Is there a going rate? What do the tire people make off scrap wheelweights?

I've never been able to buy any before-- I got run out of every tire shop I went to, and then got lucky at a truck stop and got 80# for free and didn't go back to a tire place for 8 years until today.

So I know most of you have free lead fall out of the sky or whatever into your melting pots, or like Buckshot have your neighbors leave it in front of your garage for you, but those of you who do have some buying arrangement, what are you paying for scrap wheelweights? Thanks--

[David R]

Last time I bought wheel weights, I paid $10.00 for a 1/2 bucket WITH the top of the bucket filled with the stuff from the bottom of the radiator repair tank. I ended up with 40 lbs smelted solder and still have the wheel weights. I think I got an awesome deal. I own a garage, so wheel weights are not a problem. I have not smelted the wheel weights yet, I have a bunch of ingots already, but they keep for ever.

[Willbird]

I sort of wing it, but sometimes I get them for $.05, and usually for $.1 per lb, and they seem happy with $10 for a full bucket that record weight was 160lbs, but typically runs 120lbs or so.

Just beat the bushes more, I didnt think of the local Ford dealer until a guy hanging out at a tire shop that worked there told me to drop in, net was 280 lbs for $10.00.

Leave buckets with your name and ph. number on them, ask them to call when they are full, typically so far they do so.

Also hit the radiator shops, they seem happy to get $.10 for 60/40 solder dribbles, one place I got 300lbs cleaned of 60/40 for $30

One good indoor range haul can net you 4000+ lbs, and the scrapyards are only paying $.03......rathole all the lead you can, My goal was 10,000lbs but maybe that isnt enough.

Most importantly do what you say you will, that seems to suprise the heck out of them.

Bill

[BruceB]

If I time it right, namely when the shop's scrap-WW bucket is about full, I get the full bucket in a trade for a 12-pack of cold Pepsi....call it about $3.50 for a bucket. At that rate, I don't even argue if the bucket's only HALF full, because it's still a bargain.

It's usually a good idea to take along an empty bucket, too, but I've never been refused at "my" shop for lack of a replacement pail.

A few years ago, I used to trade cold beer for WW at the same place, but the boss finally put his foot down, saying the guys were "drinking too much beer". Efforts to convince him that it wasn't "drinking" as such, but actually just re-hydration, were not successful. Pepsi's cheaper than beer, anyway, so I didn't argue much.

[VP]

Last time I bought wheel weights, I paid $10.00 for a 1/2 bucket WITH the top of the bucket filled with the stuff from the bottom of the radiator repair tank. ... I own a garage, so wheel weights are not a problem. ... they keep for ever.

Gents this is all great information! Thank you. Question for David: As a garage owner, can you tell us what the wheel weights are worth, if you do NOT use them for casting or sell them to a caster? I still am wondering what value they have other than to us casters. Can you sell them to a scrap dealer? Is there an expense for "hazardous" disposal, and are we casters doing a favor to tire places or garages by taking them off their hands?

[RayinNH]

It might be a good idea to call the local scrap yard and find out what they are paying for scrap wheelweights. That way when you go scrounging for weights you'll have a good idea what to offer for them. Wheelweights in a five gallon bucket weigh approximately twelve pounds per inch. Do the math in your head and and you have a pretty good offering price. Small service stations are the best bet to deal with as their volume isn't high enough for the recyclers to go to them, and they don't want to bother lugging those heavy buckets around...Ray

[Buckshot]

...........Vern, I haven't bought any WW's in their wild natural form in many a moon. Since I'm at the range every Tuesday, and it's the day after they're closed, lots of people cruise in with stuff to sell. Lottsa times lead. Mostly it's already rendered into ingots. Usually it's about $.25/lb and I'll gladly pay that for clean ingots.

Had a kid shooting on the pistol line one day, so Deputy Al meandered over (natch, it's a pistol) and got to talking. The young man wanted to know what we were shooting, so cast boolits came up. Seems the guy works in a Goodyear tire store and the manager is a shooter also. Doesn't cast his own boolit's though. Heh, heh!

Several years ago I did approch a Pep Biys and a Winston tire store. I was told the same thing at both. That is that their delivery truck picks up all the old WW's for recycling. That's probably true. Also probably true is that the delivery truck driver could give a rip less if there are any to pickup, and probably tickled if he doesn't have to lug any to hoist up onto the tail of his trailer.

Further, back at home base I doubt there is anyone particularly interested in how much they do, or don't accumilate in a day/week/month. I doubt that they render and then recast their own, and most likely they're traded to who they DO buy their WW's from.

What it boils down to is to make it attractive to the place that generates the WW's. Best to approch them when they're not busy at the front desk, or you'll prolly just get dusted off. If they're distracted, your asking for WW's isn't going to make much of an impression. When/if you DO score, make it as easy and simple for them as possible. As has been mentioned, a pail with your name and phone number on it is the way to go.

Personally I don't think there is such a thing as having too much lead. One day several years ago 2 guys in a beat up 1 ton Ford dually rolled into the range. They had lead counterweights off some machine, I assume. These were 4" square and 4 feet long and curved with 1" holes about every 6". They had 16 of them in the back of the pickup, and it was dragging. They figured the weight at 300 lbs each and wanted $30 each. I bought 4 of'em and have one left.

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

[txbirdman]

Willbird, my son is the service manager at a Ford dealership and most all of them have a "Quick Lane" operation that specializes in oil changes; brake jobs; and tire sales. Naturally I have no problem acquiring wheel weights. I also just drop off a bucket and it doesn't hurt to bring the tire guys a sack of donuts when you come by to pickup your WW.
This may not be necessary for me anymore as a guy who has gotten out of casting has given my casting buddy and I a stash of stuff including 58 muffin pan ingots of Lyman #2 and 40 ingots of wheel weights. That will last us a long time.

[Willbird]

Tx, if you get a Lee 6 cavity mold and BruceB it for a couple 3-4 hour sessions your pile will start looking smaller.......and smaller....and smaller hehe


especially big stuff like 45 boolits of the revolver and semi-auto persuasion.


Bill

[jcork]

The local tire chain, Les Schwab, sells a small bucket (about a cubit foot) for $13, just raised from $10. It's just a regular inventory item in the cash register for them.

[45 2.1]

Tx, if you get a Lee 6 cavity mold and BrubeB it for a couple 3-4 hour sessions your pile will start looking smaller.......and smaller....and smaller hehe


especially big stuff like 45 boolits of the revolver and semi-auto persuasion.


Bill

Last time I did that, I killed a 5 gallon bucket full. Don't have to cast those for a long time though.

[David R]

As a small garage, wheel weights are worth nothing. I have had a few people come and ask for them. I just tell them no thank you. I had one guy stop in and say "I'm here to pick up your wheel weights" like he was the national wheel weight police. I told him to GET OUT.

They are worth what ever people are willing to pay. I think $20.00 a bucket full is plenty. I have only PAID for them the time I picked up the solder too.

[slughammer]

I took my car for inspection at the local TIRE shop. Working second shift I don't need to drop it off, I can wait. Leaves the perfect time to bring up the question of wheelweights. These guys dont use buckets, they use a (2) 30 gallon oil drums. I had to dig them out and put them into my buckets (heavy rubber gloves are required for such operations). I don't know how you guys get FULL buckets; the mechanic told me if I fill the bucket it will tear the handle out. I filled mine about 2/3 full and that was plenty to carry. I did (7) buckets total and I'll be back in December for my inspection and another years supply....hopefully.

[HTRN]

I currently have two full 7 gallon pails of wheelweights sitting in the garage, waiting for me to reduce 'em to ingots.

Where did I get them? Sears. I asked the manager and he said "sure, but it can't be a regular thing, we gotta dispose of them through the company".. The next day I showed up with pails and damn near got a hernia moving the things. While I was loading, the guy asked me, "what are you gonna do with them?", I figured honesty was the best policy - "bullets", "bullets?", "yup".

This seemed to satisfy him.

Most of the major chains who do tire work seem to dispose of them through the company. I got flat turned down at Costco. I think the best bet is to hit the local tire stores that are "major league". They probably see old weights as a nuisance. I've go two to hit locally, plus gawd knows how many local garages.

My stance is I won't pay anything. If I don't get it for free from one guy, I'll get it for free from another. That said, the bribery method, be it beer, donuts or pizza, is a very good idea to keep the lead flowing.


HTRN

[Johnch]

Last time I needed WW , I used a 12 pack of beer to get 2 5 gallon buckets .
But they wanted the buckets back .

I am droping off 2 12 packs this afternoon to pay for the 250 lb or so of sheet lead that I traded for .

Johnch

[Willbird]

Well on the full buckets, see the WW get lovingly placed in there a few at a time, nestled with plugs of chawin terbaccy, cig butts, valve cores, and rubber valvestems.

This makes their Karma all harmonise, and they tell each other bedtime stories about the open road....

But I have had the 6 gallon buckets full, weighed 211 lbs, the handles didnt rip off,

I have thought about stopping in and saying "I'm here to pick up the wheelweights" but never tried it hehe

I guess it's like sales, I approach each stop however seems right, I have gotten a few free, but paying seems to make the guys happy.....and I'm happy to pay a fair price.

Bill

[BCB]

I have been getting mine for around 7¢ to 8¢ depending on what the guy wants to charge for a heaping 5-gallon bucket on a given day! It also depends on the weight of the buckets, of course. I don’t figure that is too bad, as a matter of fact, free would only be better in my mind. The guy that is selling them deserves a bit of $$$$$$ also.

But what really makes mine a bit cheaper is the fact that my backstops are stumps. I set them at the various ranges I mostly shoot and after a summer of shooting, I did out the smashed slugs. I figure I recover maybe 60% or a bit better. So, a 30 caliber bullet might later become a 44 caliber bullet!!! Good-luck…BCB

[Willbird]

I got a total of 900 lbs this week for a cash outlay of $48.00, heaviest 5 gallon bucket was 150lbs


Bill

[drinks]

The local tire and lube place has been happy to get rid of them, even carried them out to the van, for the senior citizen [me].
I have been having my oil changed there every 5k for the last 6 years, so I am sure that helped.
Don

[Pop_No_Kick]

I have a chance to get some Medical Lead, Thease are 3"x3"x4"h
containers used to hold Radio active XENON Dosage's

the Experation on these Dosagaes have a life span of 90 days from MFG. and these all expired aprox 5 yrs ago.

Radio activity was listed as .010 Mci (Micro curies)
I do believe a smoke detector in the home has 300 X
the activity, But uses americian 231.

The Lead Containers being outside for aprox. 2 yrs. don't oxidize
like regular lead does., So Maybe some alloy?. its soft and heavy like Pb.

They Got about 5 55 gal. drums of this.
@ 0.90 p/lb.

anyone got a Geiger counter ?
or a geiger muller tube so i can make one ?

"This is not depleated urainum (not heavy enough)"
thou I have found some here @ this oilfield scrap yard.

Anybody got some insight on this?
Hmm. Tracers without the Willy P. (Just Kidd'n)

Thanx's
Chuck