Interesting Scrap Yard Find

[Mitch]

Stoped by the local scrap yard today.They had two 50 lb pigs and a bucket with some old pipe.The pigs are the interesting part.They are stamped PB/SN and a numberone marked 4836 the other 48361.They both have daek green and black paint on the ends.No other marking is on them.70 cents a lb is what I payed.If all else fails I guess ill send it to be tested.Sure made my day.

Bob

[Hickory]

Congratulations.
Good find.

[Dusty Bannister]

I really like checking the scrap lead boxes to see what might be lurking there. That is about the local scrap price here, so you did good. Depending upon what BNE says, you might have done really good.

[CastingFool]

One scrap yard I go to, won't sell lead, the other one I've gone to, wants $1.50/#

[Mitch]

Lead is an addiction for me I have plenty but keep looking just for days like today.You never know what shows up here and there.this is the fist time I have found nice whole pigs.Correct on it may be very good.Might be bulk solder with a hi amount of tin.

[country gent]

Sounds like counter weights from an old John Deere roller the stamped in numbers would be part numbers

[lightman]

If I didn't have more lead than I will probably ever use I would be envious of you guys that can buy from scrap yards. All of the smaller older yards around here have been bought up by bigger yards and they won't sell to the public. They won't even let you walk around and look.

[Mitch]

About 50% of the scrap yards here will sell to the public.So I have a few choices.


After some thought on how the pigs are maked with only PB/SB for the content.My thought it it just may be 50/50 solder.there would be no need to give a % for content if this is the case.

[Winger Ed.]

they won't sell to the public. They won't even let you walk around and look.

That's got to be a insurance liability kind of deal.
Car mechanic shops won't let you in to watch them work on something any more either.

They would sell to the public for more than they got at the foundry, and didn't have to take it there.
There would be no reason to not sell to the public unless they were forced not to.

[NyFirefighter357]

About 50% of the scrap yards here will sell to the public.So I have a few choices.


After some thought on how the pigs are maked with only PB/SB for the content.My thought it it just may be 50/50 solder.there would be no need to give a % for content if this is the case.

If it is I want my Bell solder ingot back! lol

[lightman]

That's got to be a insurance liability kind of deal.
Car mechanic shops won't let you in to watch them work on something any more either.

I figure you're right about the liability thing. The sue happy world and all of that!

I miss it too! I used to build lots of things from new "scrap" steel bought at a bargain from scrap yards.

[kbstenberg]

You guys are lucky. Our politicians determined that in our best interest. The scrap yards can't re-sell anything back to us.

[Mitch]

sorry all I keep typing SB not SN as it should be.My bad.so the pigs are marked PB/SN.
From what I read I know I am lucky to have places that do sell to me.In the last 7 years I have collected a nice stash of lead and alloying metal.the last few years I still find lead but not in the amounts I use to find.it gets less and less all the time.Now it is mostly 20 to 50 lbs at a time where in the past I passed on hundreds of pounds.it was a budget thing.

[Winger Ed.]

I miss it too! I used to build lots of things from new "scrap" steel bought at a bargain from scrap yards.

I used to buy more from the scrap yard than I took in to sell.
6" Spools of wire for $5, new Copper plumbing tube & fittings for 25% more than scrap price,
and some cool looking stuff to hang on the wall--- like a (cracked)helicopter tail rotor.

My biggie was building two Alum. racing hydroplanes, a 12' and a 16' from new stock & sheet out of the scrap yard.

[samari46]

I can relate to going to a local junk yard and after selling what I brought ended up spending that and more. Checked out the brass container one day and found a 30" long 3" in diameter brass round. Still right where I stashed it in the garage. Found an old brass propeller and all it needed was a file to clean up the blades and some time polishing it. I've seen coffins, brass artillary shell casings (most of which I added to my collection) brass cemetary plot markers and other goodies. Frank

[Mitch]

I had the pigs tested not a good as i would have like but still just fine they came in at 3.5%SN 96.5PB.not bad pver 1--lbs of close to 1 in 30 shuold make some good BP bullets.Now on to the next project

[PhatForrest]

You guys are lucky. Our politicians determined that in our best interest. The scrap yards can't re-sell anything back to us.

Gotta make sure the Chinese buyers are happy, first and foremost.