Alloy of Lead in Lead and Oakum joints

[Wiley0717]

New to casting and scored 100 pounds of scrap rings from a plumber, he couldn't what or if it was pure or alloy, anybody here know?

[truckerdave397]

Pure lead.

[LakeviewBulldog]

Agree with truckerdave, I get the same thing and it is all dead soft. Smells something horrible when you smelt them. Ask your plumber buddy to save you any old lead drum traps that he finds. Those are where the real lead is in old plumbing.

[Wiley0717]

Awesome, thanks guys. Told him to save all he finds!

[teg2658]

Pure lead. Find someone who casts shotgun slugs or black powder round balls and he will trade you for range scrap or harder alloy.

[RogerDat]

Yep nice plain lead, will smoke a bit when melting down as the oakum burns. The oakum is also something of an insulation from the heat, makes the lead a bit slower to melt, will go faster if you can put some plain lead in the bottom of the pot so they joints end up sitting in a puddle of molten lead.

Always do joints starting from a cold pot, you don't want to drop them into molten lead since they can easily have some moisture in them, tinsel fairy is not a nice lady.