been offered scrap lead - how much to pay?

[biscot]

I've been offered some scrap lead that was taken out of the wall of a chiropractor's office.
I'm guessing it's about 100 lbs. He's not sure what the composition is, but he says it's in good shape - not painted or anything.
I told him I'd give him a fair price for it, but I'm not sure what that might be (this will be my first scrap lead purchase).
Any guesses what the composition might be, or what I should offer him?

Thanks.

Bill
:lovebooli

p.s. I've called around to local recyclers, and only one recycler (there's four in the phone book) buys scrap lead - they pay 10 cents a pound - I'm thinking of offering him twice that.
It's about a hundred mile round trip for me, so I'd have to combine it with another reason to drive there.

[Hickory]

Offer him 30 cents a pound.

[biscot]

So, do you think it's probably pure lead, or alloyed with something?
How would I know, and does it really matter? Just a hardness test, smelt it and see what comes out, etc.
I'm a newbie at this - I've just been buying already-smelted WW lead from suppliers here.

[chris in va]

It's gonna be pure lead to block x-ray emissions. I'd offer $40. The recycler down the road buys at 50 cents, sells at $1.10/lb.

[Springfield]

If it is clean, 50 cents is fair. If it still has glue on the back maybe less as that is gonna stink up the place when you smelt it. And if you do your smelting in a small area like your garage or a backyard very close to neighbors you might even want to not get it, or trade it to someone else.

[biscot]

OK, I've offered him .25 if I go pick it up, .40 if he delivers it. Just a matter of transportation at this point. He's just got it sitting around and wants to get rid of it.

[fryboy]

fair is a tough term to pin down , among us that use it it's value is always higher than those who dont , in this case only your conscious can guide you , please note the discrepancies of the scrap yards ( as well as a lack of conscious ) even while i understand all involved they want at least today's market value for clean lead while selling you scrap and oxidized stuff that needs further smelting and refining ( Ie; they bleepin' nutz and greedy ) if he's a shooter and a reloader a few pounds of boolits on top of whatever you offer him would be a bonus and also keep you firmly in his mind in case he ever comes across more or sees more someplace else ( lil bonuses are nice like that ) to us much like the scrap yard the cheaper we can get it the better but that doesnt always breed repeat offers or keep us in their minds when they happen across other possible deals , sadly also doubling the greedy local scrap yard prices can also come back and bite us in the collective rear IMHO $30-50 is fair for a 100#'s while perhaps not full market value it does take the smelting etc into consideration and as we both know it can be used for trade here at about a buck a pound ( and 100 #'s of scrap should yeild at least 90#'s of ingots )
as for composition .... while it could be up to 6% antimony the chances of it being pure are greater and there's really no way to know until cast and tested ( the specific gravity test comes to mind )

and our amigos are right if it has glue the stench is foul beyond belief and can also be noxious

[Ajax]

OK, I've offered him .25 if I go pick it up, .40 if he delivers it. Just a matter of transportation at this point. He's just got it sitting around and wants to get rid of it.


I think you offered him a good price considering local prices.

Andy

[biscot]

Thanks everyone for the advice - much appreciated.

Bill

[starbits]

If it has glue on the back set it out in the cold (I assume it gets cold in Idaho :mrgreen:) When it is good and cold beat it with a hammer and most of that glue will probably come off. Beats the stench of smelting it.

Starbits