Lead WW Connections

[Powellcole5490]

So while I'm cautious about giving away any "secrets" about my lead collecting, I figure if anyone here was having problems finding WW then I should help a fellow caster out. One problem we all run into is the major chain tire dealers refusing to allow us to recycle their lead. They would rather pay somebody to come and pick it up to dispose of it correctly or they ship it back to the factory. Oh and of course the EPA and hazardous materials and we are all getting cancer...blah blah blah. Well the other day I had to pleasure of meeting a tire shop mechanic and so I asked the question. He said his company does ship them back to the manufactorer, but he could hide some away for me. Well I just went by there and he hid about 200 lbs worth! So for $30 I was impressed at my score. Quickly looking through it, I saw quite a few Fe WW so I will have to go through them. So now I have a "contact" and he said he has about another 150 lbs at the shop he can get. So if you are looking for WW's you may try my tactic. The only thing I would recommend is making worth their time and effort. Some of these guys may not be following company policies so take care of them so they can continue to take care of you. There it is.... my "secret" [smilie=w:

[fredj338]

All true, but some guys worry more about keeping their jobs than making an extra $30/m. As always, it pays to ask, no harm no foul.

[jonas302]

Honesty should never be overlooked as an option

[a.squibload]

Powell, when you get "enough" (if that ever happens) let me know which shop,
I'll go get some too! I'm near Buckley AFB.
Save the steel & zinc to trade in, beats throwing it out.

Also I've been thinking about the 55-gal drum of WWs over at Pull & Save off Peoria,
it's been a year or so, but maybe it's still there.
I couldn't EVEN tip it. They offered to load it in my truck.
I should have made a deal then, they wanted around 40¢ / lb.
'Course there might be a transmission or something in the bottom of the barrel.

[leadbutt]

'Course there might be a transmission or something in the bottom of the barrel.

rofl.

[Powellcole5490]

Powell, when you get "enough" (if that ever happens) let me know which shop,
I'll go get some too! I'm near Buckley AFB.
Save the steel & zinc to trade in, beats throwing it out.

Also I've been thinking about the 55-gal drum of WWs over at Pull & Save off Peoria,
it's been a year or so, but maybe it's still there.
I couldn't EVEN tip it. They offered to load it in my truck.
I should have made a deal then, they wanted around 40¢ / lb.
'Course there might be a transmission or something in the bottom of the barrel.


Ok, I'll let you know. Seems like in order to find my lead I have to travel around quite a bit. Littleton, Longmont, or Westminster. Seems like the only lead sources are on the other side of Denver. I live just north of base near Colfax and Tower. I think if I came home with a 55 gallon drum of WW, my wife and I wouldn't talk for quite some time.

[mrbillbus]

I think if I came home with a 55 gallon drum of WW, my wife and I wouldn't talk for quite some time.

You don't have to ask her to help unload it.










:kidding:

[Powellcole5490]

Could be a good thing though. Maybe it will give me more time to do what I want.

[Dennis Eugene]

I don't get it? Why would ones wife get mad about a barrle of lead? Dennis

[KohlerK91]

I don't get it? Why would ones wife get mad about a barrle of lead? Dennis

A 55 gal barrel of WW at .40 cents a pound would be near 1650lbs(150per 5 gal)or $660 dollars on lead and not her..........thats why!!!!!!! I know I would get the evil eye if I brought that much home.

[Dennis Eugene]

OH ok.

[bslim]

If it's not too far to drive, I'd be taking a couple of 5 gal pails with me, and empty that barrel a little at a time.

[shootinxd]

Being the Service manager at the local Ford dealer,I collect all I can.Gave away several 5 gal buckets before I started casting my own to keep the cost down for my ADDICTION.

[a.squibload]

At my 4WD club meeting I met the "new guy" who is a mechanic, he works on
buses and trucks, he said he was saving WWs for a guy but the guy moved.
My eyes lit up. We'll see how it goes.

[ihookem]

I got some ww the other day. I payed 15 bucks for about 50 lbs. I know it was too much now. What the heck, he is my mechanic and has saved me thousands. Anyway I asked if they are lead, he said possitive. They are very hard to bend though. Do you think they are an alloy, tin, or something else. I never used ww so I don't know how hard they are. If they don't cast I can use them for sinkers or sell them to the scrapper. I have a real cool scrapper that most likely would sell me pure lead. Are there any ww that can't be used for boolits is my question.

[a.squibload]

Do a search, there are many threads on that subject.

Basically you can't melt the steel ones, and you don't want zinc in your melt.
A magnet shows the steel ones (touch the end of the weight, not the clip),
and the zinc ones ring almost like steel when tapped or dropped.
Wirecutters or pliers can easily dent lead WWs, zinc are REALLY hard to dent.
ALMOST all zinc I've seen have "Zn" on them (stickons and clipons).
All steel I've seen have "Fe" on them.
After you sort a bucket or two as above you'll be able to mostly sort them by how they look.
A quick check by dropping, tapping, pinching, or magnet for the ones you can't tell right away.
Keep your smelt temperature below about 750º (Or 700º, right guys?) and the zinc won't melt,
they will float on top.

I sort to make it less likely I will miss a zinc WW, and I don't want to spend the propane
heating up the steel ones.

Did I miss anything?

edit: PS: 30¢ / lb is not bad, I've paid more. Beats no WWs!