Sticker WW question for the collective boolit folks

[perimedik]

*** here. Been doing some more reading and from what I understand, smelting the sticker Wheel Weights leads to the equivilent of pulling cotton candy like balls of glue and dross off the top.

I had a thought and tried it with a pound or so of sticker WW

I took a small glass jar and poured some ACETONE in it. It disolves the glue backing and evaporates quickly. I easily pulled the glue sticker off the back and they were pretty darn clean. I sat them on the deck to dry (they did quickly)

Has anyone done this (days before) to make things easier for melting them down?

Also - The last 2 buckets I culled had a thick soup of motor oil and cat litter at the bottom which covered the clip on WWs. Should I bother trying to reduce the crud of just melt it/cook it off?

Thoughts

[Gtek]

I am still learning every time I fire the pot up. Two weeks ago I melted 350# of stick ons. I have found with my set up is throw them in as is. Keep pot at 700 F and let cook. I know you want to stick your spoon in there, step back and let them cook. Stinky as it is let them go, all of a sudden it becomes real dark and hard and does not stick to anything and lifts right out. Also most of the nasty comes out with it. Big stainless spoon with holes bent 60 degrees. Gtek

[cbrick]

I melt them as is and do my very best to stay out of the smoke, breathing that can't be good.

Rick

[kbstenberg]

Perimedik I agree with Gtek. While you are doing your initial melting your also doing your first cleansing of the lead. Just my 2cents

[Gtek]

I forgot one thing, COLD POT START! The Tinsel Fairy, when ever one visits she can be from mild to wild. Gtek

[SciFiJim]

When I first started, I would wash the WWs with a hose in a wheel barrow. Now I hand sort to get out the stick on WWs and trash. I also toss out the obvious zinc and steel weights. I skim the non lead WWs and trash before the melt gets hot enough to melt the zinc weights.
As for the stick on WWs, I just melt them separately and let the glue burn. I will add a handful of sawdust on top to help keep heat in while melting. It also combines with the glue and helps to get rid of it.

[blackbike]

Low heat, hand full of saw dust, lid, and stand back.One trick I found is to place the frier and pot on a slighty warped peice of plywood, step on the corner and slighty rock the pot. The rocking motion sloches the molten lead and the heat transfer is much much faster, like stiring the melt, but you are away from the fumes.