Standardize WW alloy???

[41mag]

I did a search but came up empty on this.

I was wandering if it would be proper to standardize say several different batches of WW ingots into one alloy in order to keep things on a more standard basis?

Right now I have ingots from three different sources of WW, and was considering blending them into one batch. While I realize that there is always going to be some differences, this just seems like it would make things a whole lot easier in the long run.

[Bloodman14]

That's SOP for me; I alloy into several batches depending on source/type of metal.

[Freightman]

Then when you get that done and the manufacture changes hie composition, then what? I just can't see how you can standardize something that is out of your control. I think I will just cast and shoot my W-W's and enjoy while they are still here causes less stress.

[leadman]

With most of the scrap lead going to China and India, and them not caring what is in the scrap, what do tyou think is in the wheel-weights now?

I had a long conversation with a guy that owns a foundry here in Az. He sells mostly to India and China. He is the one that told me they do not care what the alloy is. One of the products these companies make are wheelweights.
He wasn't interested in selling locally if he would have to mix a certain alloy.

I mix my alloys in #100 batches to help keep my alloy as consistent as I can. It is possible to find larger containers to do larger batches, but it would take more heat and then if I ever spilled it!

[captain-03]

That's SOP for me; I alloy into several batches depending on source/type of metal.


Same here ...

[Defcon-One]

I chased this issue all over town here:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=121461

The final result was that there is no magic mix. They are mostly made in India and China as stated above. The US manufacturers that I called both said that they'd get me a mix fomula, but they never did.

I use 0.29% Tin, 3.0% Antimony, The rest Lead as my base for calculations. I also do large batches to promote uniformity.

[41mag]

I mix my alloys in #100 batches to help keep my alloy as consistent as I can.

This is along the lines I am talking about. I only have around 250 or so pounds so figured I would blend the ingots so as to keep my alloy more consistent.

[white eagle]

mix em all
then take your alloy and test the bhn \
I would not waste time keepin em separate

[mold maker]

Since the only intended contact is with the guy that installs them, I'd bet the foreigners don't give a hoot what's in them. You know that if they paint our kids toys with lead paint, they don't care.
It's going to get worse as we drift quickly towards a, no lead WW society. What's produced from now on will be any trash they can melt and pour.

[cbrick]

I was wandering if it would be proper to standardize say several different batches of WW ingots into one alloy in order to keep things on a more standard basis?

Exactly what I did. I have (had) 800 pounds of all clip-on WW blended together into 5 pound ingots, I already had it all in 5 pound ingots from a about 5-6 different sources.

I don't have a pot big enough to hold 800 pounds, about 100 is all so I did it the real PITA way, I melted a pot full and made ingots with about half, re-filled with more ingots, fluxed and made more ingots with half. Kept at it until all of the 5 pound ingots had been blended at least 3 times. I do mean PITA, it took a long afternoon to do it but it was a one time thing and is behind me.

Now it's true that if/when I score more weights they won't be part of the same blend but with 800 pounds blended about as uniform as it's practicle to get with a home set up I'll not worry about the next weights. Will I re-do the 800 pounds if I get more weights? Not a chance in @#$&*, I may not live long enough to use the 800 pounds so . . .

It's also true that when I add ingots to my casting pot I can have confidence that my alloy changed very little if at all.

Was it worth it? Sure if for no other reason than my piece of mind when I add ingots. I don't think it would be worth it with small lots of weights unless you save them up and then blend several hundred pounds that will last a long while.

Rick

[badbob454]

instead of re melting all the ingots , just stack them one for one from each batch . and when you cast, it will blend ..., i add @ 10 pounds at a time in my ol drippy 20 pound lead meltin machine so 10 pounds 5ingots from each batch ....sounds easier .

[blackbike]

41mag, you got the right idea, I`d say do it. use up that batch it will be constant. when thats gone, take all you`r newly found ww and make a new batch, it will be close to last batch. later blackbike TX.

[Ole]

To be honest:

I wouldn't waste the propane to melt usable ingots.

If you want to do it for fun, then fine, but recognize it won't be worth it to most folks.

[jsizemore]

Try this. Cast some boolits from each batch. Load some from each batch and see how they shoot. If there ain't much difference then what's the use?

That being said, if waving a dead chicken head over your ingots makes you shoot the boolits from them better, then go for it.

[largecaliberman]

I did a search but came up empty on this.

I was wandering if it would be proper to standardize say several different batches of WW ingots into one alloy in order to keep things on a more standard basis?

Right now I have ingots from three different sources of WW, and was considering blending them into one batch. While I realize that there is always going to be some differences, this just seems like it would make things a whole lot easier in the long run.

One of the tricks of the trade is to melt the largest batch as possible. By doing so, you can cast more boolits with uniformity.

[JeffinNZ]

If you go to Castpics I submitted an article "What's with wheel weights".

[cbrick]

Article wouldn't load for me. The title and link are there but no article.

Rick

[geargnasher]

instead of re melting all the ingots , just stack them one for one from each batch . and when you cast, it will blend ..., i add @ 10 pounds at a time in my ol drippy 20 pound lead meltin machine so 10 pounds 5ingots from each batch ....sounds easier .

I did this a while back when I had anywhere from 5 to 40 lbs left from about a dozen lots of WW-ISH lead, all in ingots. Great way to equalize large batches in a relatively small smelting pot. I divvied it up into equally proportioned 70-lb batches and resmelted the whole mess, now I have 350 lbs of consistent, pre-tinned alloy tweaked to my liking to work from. This batch of alloy is similar to what's already in my traps (in fact it contains a lot of my own recycled boolits), and 500 lbs is about right for keeping the cycle of cast, load shoot, recover, smelt, cast load shoot.....going. I won't have to dip into my other lead reserves for some time at this rate.

Gear

[bslim]

I've melted down over 1800 lbs. of WW's over the past 6 months. All of the WW's were taken from the pail and into the smelting pot with a touch of tin. They were then poured into 1# ingots. From these many batches of melted WW's, I have poured over 20,000 38 cal CAS boolits. None of the batches were segregated and all poured into great bullets. For my particular application, sorting batches would be a complete waste of time.

[41mag]

WHile I understand the issues involved with using my own WW, my position is I am picking it up from here and there already in ingot form. Just a simple check has already revealed it isn't al lthe same.

While this "might" not be an issue, due to the fact that most of my boolits will be for my 454, I simply thought it would be worth while to consolidate it into one batch there fore eliminating issues down the road. Once the load is worked up it's a done deal and go on down the road.

I agree for smaller batches or lower pressure and velocity loads it should not be an issue, but I have already experienced a full blown leading issue with my 41mag years ago, and I do not care to go there again.

[cbrick]

Mike, as you can see from some of the posts a few don't think it's worthwhile. As you can see from my post #10 I do think it's worth it if you have enough alloy to blend into a single uniform lot. It's a one time thing and once done it's behind you. If for no other reason it's worthwhile to me simply for the piece of mind of adding 10 pounds of ingots to my pot the alloy did not change, I am still casting with the same stuff.

From what you have described I'd say go for it if you have enough alloy. It is worth it.

Rick

[Matt_G]

I would do it if I were you.
You'll have a nice consistent alloy to work with.

[zomby woof]

I keep each smelted batch separate. I then use each batch to blend a usable alloy. It's been working good so far.