Has anyone purchased casting alloy from a mill?

[Mal Paso]

Having 60lb boxes delivered by Post Office is a problem. I found a dealer who will sell me pure lead scrap at a decent price and hardball alloy for $1.65/lb but he has to order the alloy and shipping to Ca is $700/1000lbs and $1000 for a ton.

My thought was to blend pure with hardball. I asked about other alloys. He said one customer ordered 5/5/90 (Lyman #2) it was a custom order which doubled the price.

Have any of you bought from a Mill? Is that a realistic price for shipping, Ill to Ca? Do any of you have a better deal you are willing to share?

Thanks!

[dbosman]

Accepting delivery at a business, might lower your delivery cost.
Some of the participants are truckers. I'm sure they can offer better advice.

[nvbirdman]

Rotometals has an outlet close enough to you that you could drive there in about two hours.

[Mal Paso]

The price was for delivery to a loading dock in Salinas Ca where they can load it on to my truck.

Rotometals is more than double the price because they are geared toward small batches. It's a great service but I'm looking for the next level up.

Or is there one of you near me with a ton of lead for sale? I will typically cast 100 lbs at a time and shoot 4-500 lbs a year. All my scrounging equipment is gone and the source is no longer available.

Or 500 lbs would be nice. I was pricing larger lots to justify shipping costs.

[dragon813gt]

I have in the past but they shut down. Another member used to order from the same place. It cost an additional $.35 a pound to have it delivered to a commercial business w/ a loading dock, which I worked at. Still cheap as I was paying $1.35 a pound for 96/2/2.

Rotometals will take larger orders. Call them to discuss it. My issue is they’re on the other side of the country from me so shipping is high. Paying for lift gate service at my house wasn’t much more than delivering to a commercial dock where I could pick it up.

[jmort]

Here is a quote for official Doe Run lead alloy two years ago. Closest foundry. I was not overly impressed. I could drive to Missouri Bullets and get it for almost the same cost with no freight. Around 500 pounds. I do not need 4,000 pounds.


"It was a pleasure speaking with you on the phone this morning.



The Doe Run Company is pleased to offer the following:



2 bundles / ~ 4200 lbs. / ~ 2 tons– 6%Sb 2%Sn bullet casting lead alloy

Price: $1.4695/lb. plus Freight & Fuel Surcharge

Terms: FOB Boss, MO

Payment Terms: To be determined by our Credit Department (Mark Young is on CC to this email)

Lead Time: Shipment can be made 1 week after receipt of order

Quote valid through COB 04/08/2016

Attached Doe Run General Terms apply"

[Grmps]

See it you can find a member in Ill who can pick it up and ship it to you for some lead or ??

"Having 60lb boxes delivered by Post Office is a problem." for you or them? They are required to deliver unless you ask them to hold them for you to pick up

[RogerDat]

Might want to post a WTB in the swapping and selling to explain quantity and need for it to be local or delivered. It just may be that one of the folks selling bulk WW or berm mining will be close enough to work something out. Or check out vendor pages to see if any lead vendors are fairly local or will work with you on commercial shipping options.

I found drop ship to residential was way more expensive for a roll up shed door and for rolls of fencing material. Was cheaper for me to drive to warehouse loading dock in Detroit and pick the fencing up with a trailer. Ordered the roll up door through local big box store which saved over drop ship. Commercial address delivery price was much lower.

If post office is a PITA about delivery to house offer to have them hold the boxes and you will come pick up. Then order them in lots of about 5 at a time. Moving 300# of 60# boxes is not too bad and you might have sturdier help at the office.

[country gent]

The plant I worked at bought our mish metal alloy from a foundry. It was shipped and came in the plant molten. ( 40,000 lbs of molten aluminum in a insulated pot stays hot a long time LOL). The one problem with foundries or mills and the individual buyer is the small quantity, They want purchases in the full load range. If there is a foundry or mill you can drive to and pick up yourself its better.
I have seen roto metals offer specials on bigger orders and price breaks on quanity, same with buffalo arms. All tough if for pick up you may have to order and wait for them to get it all together for pick up.

While not quite the same but similar I some ways. Our local club would make a group buy of Star and National bullets years ago. When we did this the order was called in and noted for pick up. ( Was a 1 1/2 hour trip each way). Usually a week or so later we got a call that the order was complete and we would go and pick it up.

[Geezer in NH]

When the post office makes a complaint about the 60 pound box make a formal complaint of that PO and name of the person. Seems they like the pay and bennies but do not want to do the job.

The PMG takes complaints of non-delivery and delay or the mail and interstate commerce seriously.

[Dusty Bannister]

For those on the eastern half of the country you might try Ney Metals in NY as a source. Old information but they are probably still in business.

info@neymetals.com

[Tom W.]

Sanders lead in Troy , Alabama may have some. They recycle batteries. When I worked at the sawmill I'd get a 60 lb. ingot every so often and mix it with w/w or Ni.Babbitt.
Or, you may check with a local sawmill in your area and see where they get their lead or Babbitt. I worked in the filing room and got to order it. Somehow a box or ingot would end up in my truck, before the order was delivered.... Benefits of being nice....