Weird stuff found in lead!

[Rotaxxx]

I final Got around to melt down some lead bars I got years ago to pour into my muffin pans for my 10# pot. They were nice and clean on the outside. Man did I ever find some weird stuff in that lead, like big springs and those little screwdriver bits for a drill. So it got me thinking what weird stuff have you found in your lead that you have smelted down? Anything interesting?

[bumpo628]

The worst things I've found are razor blades. I always wear two pairs of rubber gloves when I'm sorting.

There are a couple of other threads on the subject that have some good stuff too.

The Things you find in a WW bucket
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=128075

Strange Things Found in Wheel Weights
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=116559

[Hardcast416taylor]

Since I have lost my faith in buying ingot bars from an unknown to me seller I can`t comment on found junk. I find enough interesting items in pails of weights I acquire, valve stems bolts, x-acto blades and about anything that can be spit out of a human mouth!Robert

[NHGrumpyGramps]

I found a wrist watch in one bucket of wheel weights. I think it was a Timex

And no it did not keep on ticking!

[DLCTEX]

Wrenches, razor blades, a cell phone, and all kinds of trash.

[clintsfolly]

A mint tin with weed and papers inside made great flux Clint

[alkazoo]

a fancy tire pressure gauge. One that has the meter built into it. Seemed to work ok when i tested it at home. I will drop it back off at the shop next time im out that way (45 miles away)...also, lots of the same described above, tire stems, cig butts,

[Rokkit Syinss]

Half a bologna & cheese sandwich, fries, what may have been a Quarter Pounder, used condom and used tampon.....none of which make good flux!

[firefly1957]

I bought some old house water pipe from a guy it had never been used was about a inch around with a 3/8 inch hole in it nice soft lead. He threw in some old sewer pipe that was in his dads farm house and they replaced it it was all pinched and torn 4'5 inch across (when in proper shape) and maybe a 1/4 inch wall thickness. Did I mention both ends were pinched? when I started melting it it smoked and stank and started to burn really well it was full of dried human excrement! It did make decent flux but did it stink a lot! Have also found some strange things when melting down range lead like screw nuts pieces of fractured iron and tungsten cores.

[evan price]

Found a cleaning jag that had obviously been fired into the berm.

[nanuk]

I final Got around to melt down some lead bars I got years ago to pour into my muffin pans for my 10# pot. They were nice and clean on the outside. Man did I ever find some weird stuff in that lead, like big springs and those little screwdriver bits for a drill. So it got me thinking what weird stuff have you found in your lead that you have smelted down? Anything interesting?



perhaps I misunderstand, but do you mean someone put other stuff into the ingot mould when they poured the lead?

so you buy lead ingots and get other stuff hidden inside?

that is just wrong

[firefly1957]

nanuk I have never done it but someone in a hurry could have that poor of quality control, the thing that bothers me is those items would have floated so he had to let the lead harden a little then pour more to hide items . But then if you are buying from someone using muffin molds quality is not really a concern is it.

[fredj338]

I've found all kinds of stuff, but I sift thru it before smelting. SOme bad things get tossed into ww buckets & I don't need a visit from the tinsle fairy or EP when their is a mushroom cloud of black smoke in my backyard.

[bumpo628]

perhaps I misunderstand, but do you mean someone put other stuff into the ingot mould when they poured the lead?

so you buy lead ingots and get other stuff hidden inside?

that is just wrong

I didn't catch that before, but that is what he said. I have never heard of steel objects included inside of purchased ingots. Those must have been bought off ebay... Rule number one of buying lead is: do not buy ingots off ebay.

There is no excuse for that wherever he bought them from.

[firefly1957]

Another thought came to mind on this I wonder if some was trying to temper the metal and lost it? One method of Tempering steel is after case hardening to put it in molten lead to temper if the person did not know the lead needs to stay constant temperature it would harden and he would lose part? Just wondering why parts are in ingots may be way off base.

[3006guns]

Half a bologna & cheese sandwich, fries, what may have been a Quarter Pounder, used condom and used tampon.....none of which make good flux!

Kinda makes you wonder what the guys at the tireshop were doing during lunch, doesn't it?

[sqlbullet]

I found a hypodermic needle once. Of course it was medical isotope lead. I figure one needle in 20,000 lbs isn't really objectionable.

And, the lead comes from a pharmacy, not a treatment center. They use the hypo to draw from vials, not to inject into humans, so there was no real bio-hazard.

[bumpo628]

Another thought came to mind on this I wonder if some was trying to temper the metal and lost it? One method of Tempering steel is after case hardening to put it in molten lead to temper if the person did not know the lead needs to stay constant temperature it would harden and he would lose part? Just wondering why parts are in ingots may be way off base.

You sir, are an optimist and always see the best in people.
Don't ever change - it's no fun being cynical.

The problem is that the steel would float in the lead and would therefore be impossible to lose. No, that sounds like something more deliberate.

[firefly1957]

Bumpo628 If you watch poured lead harden it would be possible but not likely to put a spring in and as bottom hardens remove tongs But I do agree someone was cheating is the most likely reason that happened. Something a bored kid might do when his dad makes him pour lead intended for sale.

[Rokkit Syinss]

Kinda makes you wonder what the guys at the tireshop were doing during lunch, doesn't it?

Kinda yeah.

[fishnbob]

63/37 Sn/Pb is a terrible boolit alloy but it's other use pays the bills

Hey Rokkit Syinss, What does this mean?

[Rokkit Syinss]

63/37 Sn/Pb is a terrible boolit alloy but it's other use pays the bills

Hey Rokkit Syinss, What does this mean?

An alloy of 63% tin and 37% lead is eutectic solder used in electronics and I build spacecraft for a living.

[nwellons]

In a batch I got today, I found 4 or 5 deep sockets for lug nuts, half an adjustable wrench, 3 or 4complete brake calipers from bicycles and the usual lug nuts and junk.

[Ronbo256]

Hey Rokkit Syniss, I've been an electronics tech for most of my adult life, almost as much 63/37 has passed through my hands as boolit lead. I loved watching the wave soldering tanks when I worked at North American Philips aka Magnavox. Too bad NAFTA moved that job to Juarez. :(

[Rotaxxx]

perhaps I misunderstand, but do you mean someone put other stuff into the ingot mould when they poured the lead?

so you buy lead ingots and get other stuff hidden inside?

that is just wrong

Yup that's what I was meaning, A friend gave them to me. I am not too sure were he got them from.

BTW nice to see someone else from Sask on here too! :)

[Rokkit Syinss]

Hey Rokkit Syniss, I've been an electronics tech for most of my adult life, almost as much 63/37 has passed through my hands as boolit lead. I loved watching the wave soldering tanks when I worked at North American Philips aka Magnavox. Too bad NAFTA moved that job to Juarez. :(

Hey Ronbo, wave solder (shudder) and these guys only think they've seen the tinsel fairy in full spate. 500lb. pot and the roof decided to leak one day while we were at lunch, talk about a mess.