Lead (maybe) from cemetary...

[Y-T71]

I used to work for a local government a few years ago. One of my duties involved maintenance at our local cemetary.
Before I left I asked for and was given permission to take a bucket of small letter, numbers and symbols from old, temporary, grave markers that the funeral homes placed until the permanant stone was set.
Just in case anybody gets nervous that these were "stolen" I can assure you that I asked both the funeral home owners (whom I've know most of my life) and my superiors at work for permission. I would NEVER take something that didn't belong to me ESPECIALLY something as potentially sensative and personal as grave markers nor do I recommend anyone else do so.

Aaanywaay...on to my question.

What do I have. The copper coating appears to be VERY thin. It has a slight "ping" when struck together or dropped on concrete. Some of them are longer and snap when bent.
I'm thinking (hoping) monotype. I have a bucket of about 135#'s of these.



This piece on the scale is 1 1/4" tall x 1"wide x 1/8" thick



Any help for a newbie will be greatly appreciated!

[Jim]

I have the temporary marker from my great uncle's burial site. This marker dates back to 1980 and the letters and numbers are zinc.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I wonder if they might be collectable or reusable for something else.

But if you want to make boolits from them anyway...Pick a damaged/ugly one and melt it in a small portion of some expendable alloy and see what temp it melts at to determine what the alloy is...Or the muratic acid trick for Zinc.

[cloakndagger]

If all else fails the one with a wreath would make a heck of an accent piece, a strap buckle or the like. I seem to remember a mortician friend saying they were "pot metal" which usualy means zinc or manganese around here.

[Y-T71]

Thanks for the replies.

I had a feeling deep down that they were probably zinc. I'll try the muratic acid test. Did I read somewhere that white vinegar would also work?

I suppose I could try to trade the zinc for some lead or wheel weights.

[runfiverun]

someone here was trading ww's for zink straight up airc.
might have been evan price [not sure]

[fryboy]

shady grady , he has or had a WTB add in the want to buy section , last i knew he'd take all the zinc you had ( my problem is sort of a blessing - i've found 3 zinc ww's in my entire casting career .. the problem is i score so few ww's [sigh] )

[bobthenailer]

Thanks for the replies.

I had a feeling deep down that they were probably zinc. I'll try the muratic acid test. Did I read somewhere that white vinegar would also work?

I suppose I could try to trade the zinc for some lead or wheel weights.

The Works ! toilet bowel cleaner will work also under $2.00 for 28oz, pour it on the the bare metal not the plating , if its zinc it will foam up.

[Y-T71]

The Works ! toilet bowel cleaner will work also under $2.00 for 28oz, pour it on the the bare metal not the plating , if its zinc it will foam up.

Roger that. Thanks.

What a coincidence, my toilet needs cleaned too

Also, thanks for the heads up with Shady Grady. If I can't work out a good trade locally I'll probably go his route.

[Y-T71]

Ok, I picked up "The Works": active ingredient Hydrogen Chloride 20.00% and put a squirt on the bottom, not the copper side of my unknown metal and got no bubbles, foam, fizz, etc.

Then I put some on a known, "ZN" marked, zinc wheel weight. It instantly bubbled and foamed.

That tells me my unknown metal is probably not zinc but I still don't know what it is...

Any thoughts?

[DLCTEX]

Maybe pewter?

[fryboy]

hmmm .... i've seen markers like you've mentioned , never tested them , leaving at least a couple more test . it's possible that whatever it is is plated with something ( maybe a couple somethings even ) scratch one or better yet try to sliver it with a knife - will it do it ? if not - scrape bigger area and test it with the acid again . other test is smelt a bit and watch the temp , here's a chart i found awhile back and posted ( if the link works right - if not in their site on their header bar under "tutorials" is a metal alloy chart , that's what i'm trying to link to ( just in case )) it shows several alloy melt temps

http://shop.princeaugust.ie/metal-alloy-chart/

[bobthenailer]

Try melting it under controlled temps if its around 400 degrees it could be tin or pewter if it harder that WW@10 BHN around 20 to 30 bhn & melts around 600 degrees it could be linotype of monotype.

[shadygrady]

like all letters linotype

[shadygrady]

yes if you got 40 lbs or more of any kind zinc i will trade even for my old ingot lead