wheel weights

[Dustinxxx]

Just bought 40 lb of wheel weights off eBay. Paid 39.00 shipped. Guy said its 100% lead....did I get a good deal?. I will double sort em when they get here to double check they are all infact lead.

[bumpo628]

That is the going rate.
Always double check, then start off the melt with the large obvious lead weights. After it's going, add the small ones.

[Defcon-One]

I get a 5 gallon bucket (2/3 full) of wheel weights at my local tire center for $5.00. Last time I went he sold me 2 buckets for $10.00, one weighed 80 lbs. the other 100 lbs. I pulled out 22 lbs. of stick ons and about 12 lbs. of steel and Zinc, which left me with well over 100 pounds of lead ingots after smelting, plus the pure lead from the stick-ons. So, in VA $1.00 a pound is not a great deal, but everywhere is different.

All that really matters is that you are happy with the deal! Remember, it will make a lot of nice bullets if you do your part.


Edited to ad: Prices are going up here lately and the wheel weights are harder to find. I think we have a trend here. Your deal is looking better every day.

[jsizemore]

You could buy WW ingots from folks on this site for $1/lb shipped. More better then the ww price.

[Ole]

Dustin if you need anyone to help you get started I'm local (Tempe).

Hit me with a PM and I'd be willing to meet you to help you get started and share my knowledge with you.

I just started 2 years ago, but i've learned a lot in that short 2 years.

I bought a lot of my stash on ebaY. It's a decent deal if you need the lead.

Have you tried getting lead at local scrapyards?

[pmer]

I seem to buy WW for $40 - 60 and once or twice $70 a bucket. I hate to pay much less for fear of getting bumped by someone else.

Today I had an eye opening experience at an auto salvage yard. I had luck there twice before and this time he said to go on my own take em off the vehicles in the yard... I thought WOW and came back when I had more time.

Well I learned it was quite a job walking around prying and pounding WW off of the wheels. And the score wasn't as big as I thought it would be either. A lot of cars had no wheels and I must've walked past 70 vehicles and didn't have a load WW brag to about either. You can pound them off pretty fast from loose rims with no tires on them but now I can appreciate a full bucket of WW.

[skytex]

They make a tool that'll let you pop em off with little effort.

[Charlie Two Tracks]

I bought some from Muddy Creek Sam on this site. The lead was in ingot form and very clean. No smelting required. It was Isotope lead.

[Dustinxxx]

ya i bught some lead off here already for a good price, but i decided to get this so i can get all of the expierence of casting lol.. Im a newbie to it. But after last night i realized smelting the ww isnt that fun lol

[garym1a2]

About $50 per 50lbs sounds about right for ebay. Just make sure to get a good seller, some are pros and you get good stuff. Some are not and you could get trash.
On this web site you have a better chance of getting good material.

[Bulltipper]

Hey guys, I have 2 boxes of smelted clip on WW in ingots ready to go for $50 plus $11 shipping. I guarantee no zinc and the quality is top end. PM if you are interested. I am trying to fund a lightweight hiking tent for horse camping this summer...

[Roundnoser]

Dustinxxx, Just keep in mind that 40 bucks for 40 pounds of WWs (if they are clip on's), won't equal 40 pounds of processed lead. You'll loose 20% give or take from the steel clips.

If you can buy it for 1 buck per pound in ingot form (from a reputable source, as its already been said), that would be a much better deal cause you're not paying for steel clips.

If you can't get lead locally, consider buying from guys on this forum...You'll get good lead at a fair price. These guys won't sell junk, its good stuff...thier reputations as casters and fellow forum members depends on it!

Good luck casting...enjoy!

[bumpo628]

ya i bught some lead off here already for a good price, but i decided to get this so i can get all of the expierence of casting lol.. Im a newbie to it. But after last night i realized smelting the ww isnt that fun lol

Yeah, smells like a tire fire. :veryconfu

[mold maker]

Ingots off evilbay can only be trusted if ya know the seller. Lots of zinc contaminated lead is sold there to get rid of it.
There are several members, that have a great reputation for shipping clean lead, at good prices. Check the swaping and selling thread.

[Dustinxxx]

Ya i think next time ill just stick to getting here. I started smelting it today, and not even a 1/3 into the box im running into zinc and iron/steel (fe) weights. Also found a spark plug and couple valve stems.. I asked him 2xs if they were all LEAD and he said yes. I just got done sending him and email, we will see what he has to say. Im probably out of luck. But it was worth a try lol.

[Dustinxxx]

Wow i was suprised at his fast response.. He offered me 10 more lbs of wheel weights, then said or do you want me to wait for you to go through the box so you can tell me how much more would make up for it. I do give him credit for being a good buisness man, but it will be the last time i buy on ebay lol

[Heavy lead]

Wow i was suprised at his fast response.. He offered me 10 more lbs of wheel weights, then said or do you want me to wait for you to go through the box so you can tell me how much more would make up for it. I do give him credit for being a good buisness man, but it will be the last time i buy on ebay lol

With all due respect he is not a good businessman, a good one will in fact make money, but only honestly.
I'd note it in his feedback, wouldn't even think twice about it.

Good luck with the new pastime, it's a ball. I usually buy all my lead here.

[Dustinxxx]

i meant for atleast helping to fix the problem. He could have just said i dont believe you, or not replied. Im going to start buying my lead from here.. FOr one i hate the smelting process lol..

[bumpo628]

I wouldn't ding him if you actually receive the 10 extra lbs. At least he made it right.
That doesn't mean he's a good businessman, as indicated above.

You don't have to give glowing praise in the feedback or even leave it at all.
Better to get it here in the future.

[sharktown]

How do you tell if the wheel weights are lead or zinc by just looking at them??

Sharktown

[Dustinxxx]

I didnt tell by just looking at them. I have been going through them one by one with tin snips. But you can tell by looking at them in they have a zn or fe on them. That means they are zinc or steel ( iron)

[roverboy]

I got about 30 lbs. of WW today and a few look different and have MC stamped or molded on them. They look a lot more silver colored than normal WW. Anybody know what they are?

[*Paladin*]

I got about 30 lbs. of WW today and a few look different and have MC stamped or molded on them. They look a lot more silver colored than normal WW. Anybody know what they are?

Probably painted lead, but try cutting it with some dykes. All of the MC WW's I've seen are lead, or they will say MC-Zn (ran across a few of these MC-Zn WW's this last sort/smelt).

[roverboy]

Thanks Palladin, I'll try and cut them and see how hard. They just looked wierd to me.

[a.squibload]

Well, you can't, absolutely (sort by looking).
But almost every zinker I've found has "Zn" on it.
Almost.
Sort one by one, use a sidecutter (wire cutter) or pliers and squeeze 'em.
Lead dents easily, zinc doesn't.
If hand gets tired using dykes/pliers, use a big screwdriver to smack 'em,
makes a dent in lead, different noise for zinc.
Can also tap 'em on concrete floor, they sound different.
After a bucket or two you'll get pretty good at IDing 'em by eye.
Remember stickon WWs can also be zinc.
Then keep your pot temperature low, steel & zinc will float.
Save 'em for recycle, trade, or zinc anodes for fence posts, etc.

Search this forum, plenty more info on how to ID 'em.

Oops, I didn't read to the end of the thread before I posted!
Yeah, lots of lead ones are painted (epoxy?), will still dent pretty easy.
I don't think they paint the zinkers.