Smelting Lead Pipe

[sparky45]

Smelted some Lead water Pipe today and I was surprised at the amount of purple and blue color. I have seen it before with Lead Pipe but not this much. Only smelted a couple of dozen "muffin" ingots before I had to quit but they sure are pretty. I still have about 200# of Pipe to go + ~ 80# of WW's. Dropped about 600 TC 45's as well. All is good. Now to secure more Beeswax.

[P.K.]

I'll take all that pipe! Good stuff!

So what is your question?

[imashooter2]

Looks like he's just making conversation to me.

I wouldn't mind having 200 pounds plus of pure on the shelf to make known alloy from. Most of mine is range scrap that works fine for my pistol applications, but could be anything.

[303Guy]

I've found lead pipe to be good stuff. I add a chunk of the soldered joint in in the mix.

[P.K.]

Looks like he's just making conversation to me.

I wouldn't mind having 200 pounds plus of pure on the shelf to make known alloy from. Most of mine is range scrap that works fine for my pistol applications, but could be anything.

Same here, mine is CWW. I want the sticky ones but somebody around here is a caster in hiding or is just casting fishing weights and figgered out that sticky is the way to go. Unheard of I know but they are hard to find.

[sparky45]

http://i1201.photobucket.com/albums/bb351/glynnm1945/Lead2.jpg

Here's the second pile of Pipe I received last month. Doesn't look like all that much, but the pipe has 3/8" walls. Takes about 4-5 wacks with a axe to cut it into small chunks for the cast iron pot.

[captaint]

Do be cautious with any pipe. I always cut mine in 3 ro 4 inch pieces. That way I KNOW there's no moisture inside when smelt time comes. I got some pieces similar to the pic,but mine weren't that long. After 7 or 8 months, there was still some wetness inside. Scary.. enjoy Mike

[fatelk]

The purple/blue soft lead. It even feels soft is the funny thing. I picked up a couple hundred pounds from another member here locally a while back that came from x-ray walls, so my cap-and-ball revolvers are set for a very long time. I accidentally cast a few hundred .44 round balls from WW alloy once (and once only). After trying to load one into a '58 Remington cylinder, they got thrown back into the pot.

Someone asked me years ago (before I learned a bunch here) if I had any pure lead and I said I wasn't sure. He said I would know if I had any because it just looks and feels different, and when you drop it it makes a dull thud and no clang at all. I know I'm not telling anyone here anything new, but I thought it was interesting.

[P.K.]

The purple/blue soft lead. It even feels soft is the funny thing. I picked up a couple hundred pounds from another member here locally a while back that came from x-ray walls, so my cap-and-ball revolvers are set for a very long time. I accidentally cast a few hundred .44 round balls from WW alloy once (and once only). After trying to load one into a '58 Remington cylinder, they got thrown back into the pot.

Someone asked me years ago (before I learned a bunch here) if I had any pure lead and I said I wasn't sure. He said I would know if I had any because it just looks and feels different, and when you drop it it makes a dull thud and no clang at all. I know I'm not telling anyone here anything new, but I thought it was interesting.

One of the biggest, that lack of any tone when dropped. Any "ring" to it it is suspect. Toss it in the Clip on pile or just toss it. Sticky WW are my go to WW. Yup they stink when smelting, but reall easy to sort out. LEAD is dirty with brake dust anything else rings or is clean. When it's melted it's about the softest stuff you can get from the tire shop.

[jfl1950]

I just got back from the scrap yard got some lead pipe as well as some softer lead they used on the roof 22 Lbs for %16.56.

[40Super]

I've been cutting my lead pipe in 4-6inch lengths with a portaband.Zips right through,then as one batch is melting and being fluxed, I have a bunch of the sections on the hotplate preheating and making sure to be dry,I also blast em usually with the torch through the hole if any is suspect of wetness. That stuff does indeed turn all purple and deep gold easy.Plus it shrinks quite a bit more when cooling than any of the WW and range lead I've cast into ingots.