Is there a better way?

[rollmyown]

Does anyone get their lead/wheelweights smelted and ingoted at a foundry? I've been thinking about doing this. I havn't costed it yet, but as it will just leave me with clean alloy to cast with it sounds very attractive.

[montana_charlie]

What do you mean, exactly?

Would you buy, or collect, wheelweights ... and then take the raw stock to a foundry to have them 'do the work' of producing ingots from your metal?
I'm thinking the labor charge, just for the time spent sorting the zinc out, would make the whole deal too costly.

Rotometals will mix any alloy you like, so they could probably sell you 'clean ingots' of simulated wheelweights.

CM

[rollmyown]

Yep MC, that's what I mean. I sort it and they smelt it.
As I said I don't know if it's viable.
I don't have Rotometals here, and have access to a fair quantity of wheelweights.

[ilcop22]

It's definitely not viable. Save yourself the money, get yourself a hot pad off amazon and a large stainless skillet for 10 bucks. Dump as much raw as you can fit in there and pour it yourself. Or, sell what you have an buy some stuff from Rotometals (online). Either way, you'll come out ahead vs. having a foundry do the work for you.

[fredj338]

YOur free ww would trun into quite expensive alloy. Not to mention, you would have to have litteraly dozens of tons of ww to even get a commercial smelting operation to do them.

[clintsfolly]

Or post your location and see if a local caster will clean and cast into ingot for a %. Clint

[para45lda]

+1 on what Clint said.

I for one would help you smelt them down. What a difference watching someone else sweating over my smelter!

Wes. :redneck:

[rollmyown]

I'll be making a couple of calls anyway, just to put a price on it. You never know your luck.
It's definitely not my favorite job. Smelting with a mate might make it less of a chore.

[canyon-ghost]

Blammer sells some foundry lead, might check on that. It's in 7 lb rounds.

[cbrick]

I don't have Rotometals here,

Where is "here"?

Over $100.00 and Roto Metals ships free.

Rick

[bumpo628]

I would sell my raw wheel weights, maybe 50 lbs for $40 shipped.
Then buy WW ingots for 50 lbs for $50.

It'll only cost you $10 per 50 lbs and everyone's happy.

EDIT: I see that you're in Australia. That changes the shipping cost significantly, so it would be better to either do it yourself or trade them for ingots with another local caster.
You should add your location to your profile.

[rollmyown]

Where is "here"?

Over $100.00 and Roto Metals ships free.

Rick

Don't think that deal applies to Australia.

[sav300]

rollmyown,there is a foundry in Brisbane and I think they have a advert in the SSAA mag at the back.

[chambers]

I would just buy or borrow your melting equipment and just do the melting. I had two melting stations going last weekend and did 650# total in about 3 hours( 6 five gallon pails of ww). Yes it dirty process but look at the end result!

[cbrick]

Where is "here"? Over $100.00 and Roto Metals ships free.

Rick


Don't think that deal applies to Australia.

I had no idea you where down under, no way to know that. That's why I asked "Where is here"?

Rick

[rollmyown]

I had no idea you where down under, no way to know that. That's why I asked "Where is here"?

Rick


No problems Rick, Many probably don't recognize it, but the SSAA in the orange banner under my name stands for Sporting Shooters Association of Australia.

I have and use my own smelting equipment, I just find it a chore with little enjoyment.

[cbrick]

I have and use my own smelting equipment, I just find it a chore with little enjoyment.

I agree except . . .

Once the job is finished and your looking at all those clean, shiny ingots ready to go . . . Now that's enjoyment and well worth the dirty job that is for now in the past.

Rick

[rollmyown]

rollmyown,there is a foundry in Brisbane and I think they have a advert in the SSAA mag at the back.

I'm nowhere near Brissy either, but I might still call them out of curiosity.
It'll give me a better idea of what the cost is likely to be. My closest foundry will be in Hobart (Tasmania).

[rollmyown]

I agree except . . .

Once the job is finished and your looking at all those clean, shiny ingots ready to go . . . Now that's enjoyment and well worth the dirty job that is for now in the past.

Rick

Got to agree Rick. It's like mowing the lawn (on steroids) - great when it's done.

[blackbike]

you`d be suprised what a little cold beer will get ya. More lead more help.caution if you can`t drink don`t drink and melt

[rollmyown]

I rang the foundry, it's $180.00 for 200kg. Less than 50c per pound. The main problem is it's poured into 8kg ingots.

[clintsfolly]

some ingot are made to be snapped in to smaller chunks. May want to ask. Clint