Is 1.25 per lb of alloy lead a good price?

[letsmeltlead2693]

I know of a store I brought lead from that sells blocks of lead for 1.25 per lb plus tax? Is this a good deal if it is made in a block and ready to melt if you just have to cut it? It is clean so all you need to do is flux and pour. I have access to this place when my dad feels like taking me.

[clodhopper]

If you have no other source of lead, it's not to high.
When you buy from roto-metals there is always shipping costs in addition the price of the alloy.

[fryboy]

umm what kind of alloy ??? you can get clip on ww's here for around a buck a pound shipped ( usually ) some alloy's are considerably more expensive tho all could be termed " lead alloy " ww's will suffice for at least 80% of our casting needs ( and in fact is overkill for quite a few ) look around for a indoor/outdoor shooting range , it made bullets once it should mak'em again , yeah it takes work [shrugz] an indoor range lead may be a bit soft also , btw ? for a retail price it's actually within the realm , a bit more than most here would pay unless it's certified tho ( and if it is certified all the better )

[letsmeltlead2693]

The lead is from whatever the guy melted into the block. It maybe WW or lino or roofing lead. It is a random alloy. The guy working there said the people that sell the lead to them melted WW in them, usually or whatever they find. I like lead just to have lead, regardless of the alloy as long as there is no zinc and the lead is heavy and dense.

[letsmeltlead2693]

I have a few sources. It is not easy to find lead, but I can get it.

[captain-03]

The lead is from whatever the guy melted into the block. It maybe WW or lino or roofing lead. It is a random alloy. The guy working there said the people that sell the lead to them melted WW in them, usually or whatever they find. I like lead just to have lead, regardless of the alloy as long as there is no zinc and the lead is heavy and dense.

How do you know they did not melt the zinc right in with all the other stuff?

[letsmeltlead2693]

I really don't know if they melt zinc in the weights. It is a gamble but a reward because you might on the slightest chance get a block of very pure lead. Usually you get a block made from WW. All I like lead for is it is easy to melt and is heavy and dense.

[fryboy]

pot luck alloy is just that ... you may get one good bar a bad bar and a terrible bar all at the same time , is it worth a buck and a quarter ? ...ummm IMHO NOT ! what are you going to use it for ? sinkers ? eh alloy isnt as important then nor is repeat-ability , there may be zinc in it and it wont cast for diddly , it could have battery lead in it that the dross could produce toxic fumes when remelted , then again it could be lino ....( wouldnt bet on that tho ) if you're like most of us here and want to make decent shooting boolits no sir it's not worth it , if you just want to melt it to melt it ...eh and cant find anything else ( like re-melting what you have ) sure why not but again for about $1.00 a pound you can get a decent boolit alloy from many folks here , muddy creek sam has some good stuff ( tho sadly i read that that may not be around much longer ) the captian sells ww's ( both kinds ) as well as range lead when she gets it at decent prices , and if you posted a request with a general going rate offer you'd have lots of folks here be willing to ship it to you ( that 20 cents a pound tho as you noted didnt go far ) the relationships some have for where they get their ww's are carefully cultured and rewarded - even when they pay for them ( which is actually most the time - either cash up front or pizza and a 12 pack or all the above ) i cant find ww's in my area , i'm pretty sure that several retired guys with more time on their hands and longer known contacts have it pretty well sewed up around here lolz , i still ask when i have the opportunity and even tho i strike out about 99.6% of the time that .4% does help and also means that yeah i'll keep asking , you was looking for soft lead , run a add in your local craig's list , make it detailed for say old water/sewer pipes and/or roof flashings , you may or may not get lucky but there's only one way you're going to find out , i still see guys offering 4x face value for silver coins ...maybe they even get a few but considering that a silver dollar is worth 90% of current silver price ie; about $30 an oz. or 30x face value ( appox) folks would be a fool to sell to them ( but fools are sometimes plentiful [shrugz] ) btw ? if you offered $1.25 a pound for ww's here you'd be offered more than you could afford

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I haven't paid that much yet. I am able to buy foundry pure lead, with 1.5-3% antimony in it for the above spot price. Up to 900lbs per week. I pick up two 100lb containers every two weeks.

Rich

[2wheelDuke]

I wouldn't pay a buck and a quarter for unknown alloy. If you're allowed to inspect it well with a center punch that you've compared to known alloys and a drop of acid, then maybe on some alloy that doesn't show signs of contamination and is hard enough to have some SB and maybe SN in there.

[letsmeltlead2693]

I'd be interested in some cheaper lead. Anyone selling in the 95 cents a pound range for good soft lead? My dad won't let me mess with acid, is there another way to test for contamination with a weak acid like vinegar or something?

[Westwindmike]

letsmeltlead,
I've been wondering. How old are you? I'm guessing 14 or so?

[letsmeltlead2693]

No, I'm 19. I still live with my parents. Still have rules to follow, because there are still rules you parents give you if you live with them, regardless of your age.

[Hardcast416taylor]

As my Dad used to say many years back "Don`t buy either horses or cattle sight unseen". In other words, if you don`know what is in the lead blocks you have a good chance of getting what you don`t want.Robert

[letsmeltlead2693]

Yeah, once I brought from the racing store where I get the 1.25 per per pound lead, I got a block of zinc. The dang zinc won't melt no matter how long I heat it. Here is a pic of zinc I got a while back. I cold chiseled it to cut it to see what the inside looks like.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_223664f43f8b471f6e.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=4064)

[Alvarez Kelly]

If you KNOW it's zinc, you can sell it to a scrapper too...

[SlowSmokeN]

I am paying .75 a pound here. But if that is the only place you can get it than it really doesn't matter. You have to do what you have to do.

[letsmeltlead2693]

I can get WW for free, but it is hard work pulling them off of vehicles at the scrapyard. That source, I can't go there all the time or they might start charging. I can buy lead, or find it on the side of the road in the form of dropped WW. My neighbor is supposed to give me some free lead, as he has given me 50+ pounds before. I might have a source from a plumber if he ever calls.

[letsmeltlead2693]

I asked my dad if I could buy from here and he said no because of the people that get scammed. How could I convince him that you people will not scam me. I told him many people said that they got their stuff and paid them. Is there anyway I can make sure if I was allowed to buy from here, I get my product or money and the other guy gets his money or product and both receive what they need? I have not many sources and need more so please tell me.

[Bill*]

You can check out the people here by clicking their name. then click the link to see their profile. Anyone who's been here for a while and has a fair number of posts isn't going to risk their reputation by cheating you. (do that and show your dad), and good luck....Bill

[canyon-ghost]

Letsmeltlead, this is a good source for lead. How do you know these guys are honest? It's pretty simple, 45nut is the site owner, his name is Ken. All these men know each other's address and possibly phone numbers. You should see my notebook, half the sources in Swappin' & Sellin' are already in there. The old "I know where you live" thing.
You'll have better luck with the small guy in the S&S section, odinohi, Blammer, and the others, I've done business with. You can get wheelweight for $1 a pound, and it's from another caster just like you.

Ken and the moderators go a long way to insure the scammers are gone. I shoot this lead.

[canyon-ghost]

Aside from this forum, you need other sources as well. One of mine is a tire shop. I go out with extra 5 gallon buckets and hunt up lead staches. If someone has some, I'm there getting it for the price they ask (within reason, I don't pay $4/lb or anything).

http://www.missouribullet.com/results.php?category=12

http://carolinacastbullets.com/

[a.squibload]

...is there another way to test for contamination with a weak acid like vinegar or something?

Search here for "citric acid zinc test" (I think that's how it was posted),
cheap and safe.