More range lead

[melloairman]

I brought home about 250 pounds of range lead today . And James I did think about that 1400 pound nugget you got that I had to pass on while I was digging in the sand. Sorry I did not get back to you on that P.M. you sent me till today . I have a bad habit of not looking at my mail files on forums . Marvin

[jimmeyjack]

It has been a lot of hard work breakin that thing up. First I tried a chain saw, wont do that again. next I built a fire under it and got about 100 pounds. Finally I used a skill saw to cut it then a wedge and 12 pound mallet to nock them off. Only 900 pounds to go. I was going to sell some but with it being 93-6-1 I will hang on to it and sell off some wheel weight stash.

[Jon]

Have a OA torch? A sawzall might work well too.

[Edubya]

It has been a lot of hard work breakin that thing up. First I tried a chain saw, wont do that again. next I built a fire under it and got about 100 pounds. Finally I used a skill saw to cut it then a wedge and 12 pound mallet to nock them off. Only 900 pounds to go. I was going to sell some but with it being 93-6-1 I will hang on to it and sell off some wheel weight stash.

I read some where a fella had a big hunk and he built a bonfire on top of the ingot and melted it down. I don't know the details of how he separated it or got smaller ingots from that but if your gonna use a torch be ware, at about 12-1300 degrees you will have dangerous lead fumes.

Another thought; wrap a cable around it and hoist it above a coal fire and melt it down.

EW

[par0thead151]

im thinking a splitting AXE would work well for the lead...

[melloairman]

May be that shovel in my hand is not that bad after all LOL . What would one of those demolition saws do to it ? Marvin

[melloairman]

Do you know anyone that has a water cooled cement cutter ? That should work I would think . Marvin

[RedneckAlbertan]

Do you know anyone that has a water cooled cement cutter ? That should work I would think . Marvin

I don't know how well that would work... the teeth on those are fairly smooth, I think that the surfaces with the imbeded diamonds would get gummed up.

I think that using water to cool a sawzall or circular saw would be a heck of a good idea though... just keep the water away from the motor.

[jimmeyjack]

im thinking a splitting AXE would work well for the lead...

I thought so too till I tried it. Its hard to explain how hard a chunk of lead this size can be when hit. The fire would be the way to go but its parked under a tree at this point. the sawzall was a joke as was a demo hammer. The lead tested with 6% antimony so I think it age hardend.

[melloairman]

I used a grinder to cut through some I had . And what I found out was if I slowed it way down it would cut through . But if I picked up the speed it would clog up the wheel . But what I had to cut compared to what you have is nothing . A propane tank and a touch with something under it to catch the liquid as it melts might be the easy way out .Marvin

[lwknight]

I have used a weed burning torch to melt some large chunks. It uses a lot of propane and takes awhile to get it rendering but the drippings come pretty fast once you get it going.

[DukeInFlorida]

Last time I had a HUGE chunk of lead, I got it up on a platform of sorts, and hit the edges of it with a torch. Caught the silver run off with a cupcake pan. Had to keep adjusting the angle of the chunk, so that the run off went where I wanted. Once you get the chunk melting, don't waste the heat, keep at it till it's done. If you can put a big enough flame on it, it will go fast.

[lwknight]

Well.. Duke , you are tougher than I am for sure. It don't melt fast enough to stand there with a 40+ pound backpack tank. I put the tank on the ground and put my bobo on a bucket and blast away.

[mac1911]

how about drilling holes along a line and splitting it, much like cutting large slabs of stone?
I did this with some smaller pieces I got a few weeks ago. I drilled holes along the cut line to ease the band saw blades work.

will this work, http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CDsQ8wIwAQ#

[WHITETAIL]

I agree with mac1911.
Take a hand drill and drill a fault line
where you want to break it.
Then use a wedge and split it.