Unknown Scrap

[deepwater]

Per phone conversation my local scrap yard has about 500# of lead alloy shavings. I can not imagine what they would be from and, consequently, what alloy. I have not seen them.

Any good guesstimates as to what it could be?

Fred

[frankenfab]

One of my customers is a battery company that makes giant batteries for forklifts and BIG generators, etc. The terminals are humongous castings that are then machined. There are hoppers full of lead shavings everywhere.

[zuke]

Does it really matter?
With the way lead's going, you or someone else will find a use for it.

[10 ga]

Could be some type of babbit from machining bearing/fittings?? Just take some acid and give it a "zinc" test. If the test is negative buy away! 10

[deepwater]

The lead shavings have paper mixed in.
Does X-ray shielding come with protective paper?
What alloy is x-ray shielding?

It does matter. I would like to have some idea of the alloy so I know the type of bullets I can cast with it as is (BPCR), what it may need added for pistol speeds or rifle speeds. The small chips can not be hardness tested.

[frankenfab]

I got some 3/8" plate from the scrapyard that had paper on it. It bent very easily by hand, so I am going to say it was pretty close to pure lead. I have no idea of its origin, but it was good pure stuff when smelted.

[lwknight]

Deepwater , you did not mention the price. If its cheap and passes the zinc test , just get in in your hands and worry about how to alloy it later.
There are a number of simple tests to do that will help you get a good estimate on the composition. Anything lead is valueable and will only go up in price over time.

[deepwater]

Thanks for all your replies and assistance.
This material is $00.50/# .

[jsizemore]

Are the 'shavings' uniform? Very thin and 1"x1 1/2" with black pieces of paper about the same size?

[lwknight]

Maybe you can buy a bucket full and go melt it to see what you actually get out of it.
I normally have about 5 to 10 percent loss to dirt and other junk. Even the lead pipe has a lot of extra weight built up inside it.

[bumpo628]

I would go buy 50 to 100 lbs and give it a try.

[deepwater]

So I received a new supply of sheet rock mud plastic buckets, 4 gals now instead of 5. Clever way to increase the price 20%!!

The lead under discussion is composed of punched 20 gauge (thickness) slugs about 1/8" in diameter with paper on 1 side. 4 gals weighed 148#. I believe that the slugs are the kerf from a turret punch machine. A lot of the paper was not adhered to the lead.

Smeltinig this product was easy as the solid material could be transferred into the pot with a ladle or shovel. The paper served as flux and seemed heavier than I had anticipated and it was thick on top of the melt. Probably between 5% -10% waste. Poured ingots @ 650 F. and product was clean.

Hardness is between WW and roof flashing.