should i save my zinc wheel weights?

[LAKEMASTER]

its been pointed out to me that zink wheel weights are garbage as far as whats in them... but i have pondered the idea of saving them to make shotgun slugs...

i also have a 5 gallon bucket of them, (all zink) sitting out side, so i was going to see what you all say before i scrap em or...............

[Gofaaast]

I figured when I get a bucket full I will smelt them and make egg sinkers. I will be using a separate pot though, and a homemade steel sinker mold.

[glenr1]

Be mindful of the dangers of zinc fumes, and that they are toxic and in an enclosed space can quickly cause death. Also that the old tale of drinking milk to protect one self from them is nothing but BS. as the fumes go into the lungs and not the stomach as the milk does. You will find people still posting that BS on the net. If you do use zinc metals make sure you do it in a well ventilated are or out side.

Most zinc salts irritate mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract after inhalation.

a-Zinc chloride :
Inhalation of zinc chloride may cause :
-cough,
-dyspnea,
-adult respiratory distress syndrome, death, resulting from delayed pulmonary vascular fibrosis.

Ten deaths and 25 cases of non-fatal injury occurred among 70 persons exposed to high chloride concentrations of zinc chloride released from smoke generators. Of the 10 fatalities, a few died immediately or within a few hours with pulmonary edema, whereas those who survived longer developed bronchopneumonia. On dissolution of zinc chloride, both hydrocloric acid and zinc oxychloride are formed, contributing to the corrosive action.

b-Zinc oxide : Inhalation of freshly produced zinc oxide can produce metal fume fever.



Basically what zinc does is, it causes the bodies natural defenses to go into overdrive. Thus the same as other heavy metal poisoning. This has been called in the past "Monday Morning Fever", "Brass Fever", "The Brass Shakes", "Foundry Flu", ect. . .

The flu-like symptoms do not generally cause alarm. But if you experience any flu-like symptoms after welding a plated material. "SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY!!" You may have been welding something that can only make you sick, or you may be dying and not even know it. Such platings can include things like cadmium. Cadmium when welded is extremely dangerous. Breathing the fumes WILL KILL YOU.


Heating Galvanized Metal:
Be very careful of heating galvanized products. Burned zinc gives a toxic vapor that can make you VERY ill (even in a well vented shop). Before I knew of it I gave my self zinc fever (a form of heavy metal poisoning). It feels kind of like a bad flu. The effects are cumulative and once you have had it, if you are exposed YOU WILL GET IT AGAIN and a worse case.

[gunarea]

Hey LAKEMASTER
The use of "Zinc" wheel weights is becoming more common and as a result the Lead community has come up with ways to use what we have. Your sinker and slug use is effective. Some on this forum are challenging the notion of cast zinc projectiles. Paper does not prefer #2 alloy. For me personally, zinc has found a haven through my shot maker. When others threw out the offending zinc wheel weights, I dropped shot. It is abrasive and wears through nozzles faster. Also it behaves a bit different in the process and actual ballistic tests. Neither are difficult to deal with. Chilled zinc shot used properly, patterns well.
As for milk to treat inhalation. My information is empirical and not derived from a chair in front of a computer screen. For mild symptomatic relief, fresh milk helps calm many of the zinc related maladies. I have welded many thousands of feet of structural bridge members with heavy galvanizing, it is not BS!
Mark my words, soon as the anti-gun crowd finds out we love zinc for shooting, it too will become scarce and illegal.
Roy

[glenr1]

As for milk to treat inhalation. My information is empirical and not derived from a chair in front of a computer screen. For mild symptomatic relief, fresh milk helps calm many of the zinc related maladies. I have welded many thousands of feet of structural bridge members with heavy galvanizing, it is not BS!

Well I have to been welding since 1967,The milk will settle the stomach part of the flu like symptoms, Why would the drinking of milk have an effect on your lungs? I have been a mod on a number of welding and metals arts forums over the years. Anybody that will weld or cast with out the proper masks or ventilation. Will end up joining the oxygen tank dragging barricade at Wally world.

[LAKEMASTER]

I thought I did a search on here about Zink wheel weights and found nothing. I figure it will be great for slugs. Which is on my bucket list

[earthling121757]

Try your search with "Zinc".

[Reg]

I save all weights that are zink and trade them with a fellow who makes sinkers and other fishing lures. They don't want pure lead in most waterways and impoundments any more.

Have thought of trying them in making shot but you wouldn't have the density you would get with lead but it would be harder. Might be an interesting experiment.

[Hogtamer]

Look at the Zlug Thread. And there's a big difference in welding galvanized metal and melting zinc to 800*

[zarrinvz24]

Be mindful of the dangers of zinc fumes, and that they are toxic and in an enclosed space can quickly cause death. Also that the old tale of drinking milk to protect one self from them is nothing but BS. as the fumes go into the lungs and not the stomach as the milk does. You will find people still posting that BS on the net. If you do use zinc metals make sure you do it in a well ventilated are or out side.

Most zinc salts irritate mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract after inhalation.

a-Zinc chloride :
Inhalation of zinc chloride may cause :
-cough,
-dyspnea,
-adult respiratory distress syndrome, death, resulting from delayed pulmonary vascular fibrosis.

Ten deaths and 25 cases of non-fatal injury occurred among 70 persons exposed to high chloride concentrations of zinc chloride released from smoke generators. Of the 10 fatalities, a few died immediately or within a few hours with pulmonary edema, whereas those who survived longer developed bronchopneumonia. On dissolution of zinc chloride, both hydrocloric acid and zinc oxychloride are formed, contributing to the corrosive action.

b-Zinc oxide : Inhalation of freshly produced zinc oxide can produce metal fume fever.



Basically what zinc does is, it causes the bodies natural defenses to go into overdrive. Thus the same as other heavy metal poisoning. This has been called in the past "Monday Morning Fever", "Brass Fever", "The Brass Shakes", "Foundry Flu", ect. . .

The flu-like symptoms do not generally cause alarm. But if you experience any flu-like symptoms after welding a plated material. "SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY!!" You may have been welding something that can only make you sick, or you may be dying and not even know it. Such platings can include things like cadmium. Cadmium when welded is extremely dangerous. Breathing the fumes WILL KILL YOU.


Heating Galvanized Metal:
Be very careful of heating galvanized products. Burned zinc gives a toxic vapor that can make you VERY ill (even in a well vented shop). Before I knew of it I gave my self zinc fever (a form of heavy metal poisoning). It feels kind of like a bad flu. The effects are cumulative and once you have had it, if you are exposed YOU WILL GET IT AGAIN and a worse case.

Good information, I was not aware of the toxic fumes produced by zinc. Thus far I've not ruined any lead alloy by accidentally mixing in zinc so I guess I've been fortunate. Just one more reason to check your wheel weights prior to smelting.

[andremajic]

Use them to make zinc sulfate and use the rest to make one big anode for zinc plating.

Good for car parts that are exposed to the elements. Jaguar used to plate a lot of their parts with zinc for corrosion resistance.

Look up DIY zinc plating on youtube.

[LAKEMASTER]

i know its zinc and not zink.

my best friends last name is zink.....

its my adhd at its finest.

[earthling121757]

Sorry, it's just I see it spelled that way occasionally or maybe that's the European spelling...

The "Zlug" thread mentioned above is a great one. And there are many threads on using zinc for bullet casting too. I've been saving mine up but haven't gotten around to trying it yet.