$25 for a 5 gal bucket full

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Guys
I hope, I did good, went to the local tire shop, had another flat.........
Standing around BS's with the guys, and spotted a 5 gal bucket full of WW's, seemed to be a lot of those flat type WW's,
I picked up one and could easily bend it with my bad wrists, along with the other types etc.

I asked, if I could get some of the ww's, the new local owner stated, for $25 you can have the whole bucket full..........
he wanted the metal bucket back. He also said to come back in about a month and I'll have another bucket full, if you want them,
I told him, I would be there like clock work...........

The bucket came home with me, after getting some help lifting it into the bed of the PU........
I dumped them on the shop floor and returned the metal bucket.........

I hope, I did good....... now have to sort thru them...........which will be later this afternoon,
too cold to stand outside for long 15* right now.........there does not seem to be any trash,
just some valve stem cores/caps etc, and several of the large commercial trucks ww etc.

Tia,
Don

[marek313]

It will take some work to separate them all and smelt but for the price you did good. I dont like to mess with WWs but for that price it would be worth it if those are mostly lead.

[Grmps]

weed out all the ones marked FN (steel) ZN (zinc) if your not sure nip it with a pair of side cutters if it cuts its lead.

keep the clip-ons separated from the stick-ons (flat ones) the stickons are soft and close to pure.

I use a magnet to help weed out the FN steel but remember the clips on part is also magnetic.

[6mm win lee]

And look out for ones marked Fe, too. I hate those. But watch more so for the Zn marked weights. Bad juju.

[William Yanda]

weed out all the ones marked FN (steel) ZN (zinc) if your not sure nip it with a pair of side cutters if it cuts its lead.

keep the clip-ons separated from the stick-ons (flat ones) the stickons are soft and close to pure.

I use a magnet to help weed out the FN steel but remember the clips on part is also magnetic.

I think you meant "Fe"

[Bazoo]

I think 25 is a good price for a bucket. If you get in the range of 40-50 pounds of usable lead, thats in the range of .50 a pound, and its fun! Fun to make something nice and shiny from something old and dirty.

[lightman]

If your yield is ok you got a fair price. Read the stickies about sorting wheel weights. Not knowing your experience I won't offer advice but feel free to ask. I would separate the stick ons from the clip ons. If you have a good yield try to cultivate this as a regular source. Sorry to hear that you had a flat but maybe something good will come of it.

[sw282]

You wont know the ans til you sort thru the bucket... Lotsa time required. 5 gal will maybe go 125 pounds. l use a pair of hand pruning shears to test each weight. My mechanic saves them for me. When l go for an oil change or service he gives me what he has.. Over the last few yrs l avg 50/50 trash versus lead. l separate the SOWS/COWS

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Guys
Here is an quick update to 5 gal bucket post,

So far, I have right at 40#'s (not including the bucket weight), cut and sorted into a bucket,
I cut off the ends of the ww's on each side of the metal clips, the clips are in another bucket, that I did not weigh.

Found several, I could not cut, barely left a dent in them, into another bucket,
found some flat types (numerous) that don't feel right, weight wise, they bend easy etc, into another bucket,
unsure what they are.........feel like heavy foam rubber................

Have about 2 dz commercial truck weights, all lead, (not weighed),
have a 1 # coffee can 1/2 full of pure lead, SOWW, (not weighed).

Had to quit, back can't take bending over like that and the right wrist is aching from all the cutting etc,
it feels like Thursday, before I'll finish up, I am sore......... LOL

Tia,
Don

[Namerifrats]

No need to cut the weights on either side of the clip. Clips will float to the top. Just cut a notch into them to make sure they are lead. Lots of steel clip ons these days, many are covered in plastic.....watch for pin marks to quickly ID plastic coated steel. The foam rubbery weights are trash. Be careful of the ones you can barely cut into....Zinc is a lot harder that lead.

[lightman]

I don't cut the clips off either. Its just too much extra work. When I sort weights I dump the bucket out on a flat surface, usually where I can sit down near it. Then I start picking through it. I start with the trash, like lug nuts, valve stems, tire stickers, ect. Then I grab the stick ons, separating the harder ones from the soft ones. Then I grab the steel. This leaves the lead and zinc. The steel are easy to id. The zinc are a little harder to id but many are marked. I'll pick up each one for a look. The questionable ones get put into a pile and after my eyes get tired I'll make a test cut on the questionable ones.

Wheel weights are easily my favorite alloy and have served me well for what I cast and shoot. Life was easier back before weights were made from other stuff! Sorting is not so bad after you develop a method. After you have sorted a few buckets you get where you can pick the zinc out easier. If you miss a steel one it won't matter because it won't melt at the temps that we work at. And if you miss a zinc weight you have a second chance at it when it floats up. And a small % of zinc won't ruin a batch of lead, although I strive for none.

[DxieLandMan]

Sounds like you got a good score of WW. I got lucky too and was able to get 192lbs for $50. Of those, about 1/3 are Fe and Zn. I've sorted 40lbs so far but I have enough lead for a while. GOOD SCORE!

[Tom W.]

The last bucket I bought was $20 and that was seven or eight years ago. It's still sitting under the steps at my house in Eufaula because I can't pick them up due to the port in my chest. If I EVER manage to get them here I'll be melting them into ingots. A lot of them are from big trucks.