Cutting Lead Ingots

[kendall yates]

I have an 18 volt cordless DeWalt circular saw that will cut up to about 3 inches deep. It works great on lead and the blade never seems to get dull. I cut a bunch of lead the other day then needed to cut some wood and it was still sharp as new.

[tactikel]

My only caution would be that using a toothed saw to cut lead may create lead dust/particles, and may pose a health hazard. Doing this in doors IMHO could expose anyone in the structure to lead poisoning.
Using a plasma torch or cutting torch to cut lead could also create lead vapor and should never be done indoors without extreme ventilation. I have only used WW and ingot lead (Rotometals of course!) and have never had to chop up a 50 lb plus pig, but just want to point out potentially hazardous practices as i see them.
Always use the lowest temp possible to achieve satisfactory results.

[Dale53]

>>>The fryer burner/dutch oven is great except you can't melt a 55lb pig in one, it will sit in there (propped up) for days without melting unless you heat it from the top, too.<<<

I beg to differ. I recently melted 650 lbs of bullet metal that came in ingots that weighed from 60-85 lbs with out a problem. The first one took a bit of time (better than 30 minutes as their was little contact with the pot - just the edges). However, after the first one was melted it was no problem at all. We did the whole 650 lbs in about three hours total including set up.





That is the ONLY way I will do it in the future. Safe and relatively painless.

Dale53

[zxcvbob]

Best thing I found for cutting up a 50# pig was a carpenter's handsaw. (good exercise, too!) I wouldn't want to have to cut up a bunch of 'em that way.

I would probably cut the first one in half, then do it Dale's way.

[inuhbad]

I just use a regular hacksaw (hand saw) with a 'heavy metal' cutting blade.

Dirt cheap, and it works.

That's how I cut down thick lead pipe to fit in to my cast iron smelting pot & scavenge / salvage scrap lead and cast my own smaller ingots.

[hoosierlogger]

I have heard a log splitter works well too. I always cut them with a chainsaw though.

[yodar]

I agree with getting a cast iron pot and melting and pouring into usable ingots. This will also serve the funtion of giving you the opportunity to flux and clean up the metal before you intoduce it into your casting pot. A win-win.

works in Lee 10 and 20 # pots stand on end and stores easily

yodar