How to prepare lead plumbing pipe for casting

[Texantothecore]

I just scored a respectable quantity of lead pipe in trade for free bullets.

Two questions are:
1. What is the composition of lead in the pipes and how do I modify it if needed?
2. How do I handle the lead pipe in the smelting process? I am a bit concerned as I have seen 24" pipe shoot molten zinc out the end when the pipe was not bone dry. Impressive, to say the least.

Thanks for your considerable help guys....

[fishhawk]

got a bunch of lead pipe myself and it's about as pure a stuff you can get most times. the problem with smelting it is the water in it what i did was make a lid for my pot and cut the pipe short enough it would drop threw a hole it kept the lead steam blast in the pot. only other thing is start from a cold pot and don't add any or wait a year with it inside out of the rain and snow to dry then smelt.

[williamwaco]

You can consider it "pure".

[bumpo628]

Maybe you could cut the pipe up into one foot lengths and then pack a dutch oven full with all the pipe standing straight up. As it starts melting, the steam should vent out the top. Then you just remove half of the pipes before they melt and overflow the pot. Since they're already dry, you can add them back later as needed.

[slim1836]

I hung my lead pipe from a tree limb with a come-along over my melting pot and lowered it as it melted, worked great. Just had to make sure that the weight of the pipe was off the pot to keep it from tipping.

Slim

[runfiverun]

just cut it up.
don't add the lead to melted lead.
i usually cut it up then bring it in to let it dry out, before i melt it.

[Roundnoser]

Depends on how thick the pipe is. I cut pipe into lengths that would fit in my pot, then run it over with my car tires so it's flat. The pot will hold much more that way.

[btroj]

I just put it in the pot with a open end sticking up. Not a big deal.
It cuts quite nicely with an ax.

[1Shirt]

Yep, like Btroj says! A lot of it stinks pretty bad depending on what has run thru it, so out doors is wise.
1Shirt!

[Texantothecore]

Yep, like Btroj says! A lot of it stinks pretty bad depending on what has run thru it, so out doors is wise.
1Shirt!

Most of this pipe is coming from homes built in the 1920s through the 1950s and I bet it will stink. I hadn't thought of that and thank you for the heads up.

[Gtek]

I have not seen one, but I have heard stories about a brown Tinsel Fairy. Gtek

[Texantothecore]

I have not seen one, but I have heard stories about a brown Tinsel Fairy. Gtek



I'll point the pipe in your direction.


Yuck.

[captaint]

I cut mine up into about 8" pieces and let it dry - for a long time. If you MUST add some to a melted pot, have a lid ready and put it on top immediately. I just consider lead pipe "pure" and call it good. I grab all I can get. enjoy Mike

[Texantothecore]

I am looking forward to it. It will be nice to be able to know the make up of the alloy I am using.

Now, to find cheap source for tin!

[grullaguy]

Most of this pipe is coming from homes built in the 1920s through the 1950s and I bet it will stink. I hadn't thought of that and thank you for the heads up.

Yeah, you are going to have to cook the s**t out of it.:bigsmyl2:

[Hip's Ax]

Yeah, you are going to have to cook the s**t out of it.:bigsmyl2:

[smilie=l:

[wgr]

the joints in the pipe wont me pure

[Texantothecore]

the joints in the pipe wont me pure

What will be they made of?

[btroj]

The joints contain some tin from the solder used to join the pipes. I ignore this as even 1/2 pound of 50/50 solder in 40 pounds of pure isn't really that relevant.

I just melted down aout 40 pounds of pipe today. Added 2 pounds of momtype per 18 pounds of pipe. Souls be a nice handgun alloy, great in the 45-70 too.

[a.squibload]

I had some that looked dirty, took it to the car wash & hosed it good.
Cut it up with limb loppers / tree pruners, pretty easy.

[btroj]

Mine is dirty, but it is dry. I will refrain from washing it as I don't want to add water to my lead.
The dirt all comes to the surface of the melt, it really isn't an issue.

[Adk Mike]

I always cut the joints out with a sawsall. I then mix it in a finish batch when casting for the tin in it.

[John Boy]

You can consider it "pure".

Lead pipe is commonly thought of as being made of pure lead. Although this idea is not entirely correct, it is not far from the truth. Most lead pipe is made from an alloy called chemical lead, which has a nominal composition of 0.05 percent copper and the balance lead. There is also a significant amount of antimonial lead pipe containing from three to ten percent antimony. The single peculiarity of lead pipe, other than its analytical variability, results from the fact it is extruded, not cast. This peculiarity can deceive the bullet caster. When a lead alloy is extruded, it work softens, sometimes substantially, giving the impression that the material is somewhat softer than it really is. This peculiarity should be of special interest to commercial casters and muzzle loader shooters, since work softened material that is remelted and cast into round ball is considerably harder than in its original extruded form. Always check the hardness of the bullet or ball itself, never the raw material in its original form.

[shotman]

john is right . it is harder than pure lead. under ground has mix to stop crosion , telephone has tin in it
Hey they are banning lead and your grand parants drank water from lead pipes how many died from lead poisoning

[303Guy]

I use drain pipe lead exclusively (it's what's available) and it's not pure. I add some soldered joint for the tin. However, it is still a soft alloy but quite a bit tougher than pure lead.

[Texantothecore]

Thanks everyone, this is really valuable info.

[Texantothecore]

john is right . it is harder than pure lead. under ground has mix to stop crosion , telephone has tin in it
Hey they are banning lead and your grand parants drank water from lead pipes how many died from lead poisoning

In St. Louis we had lead scares in the seventies and supposedly it was due to children eating peeling paint. I always thought that the reason given was a bit of a stretch and sure enough in the eighties they thought to test the ground in the city and lo and behold there were very high lead levels due to leaded gasoline that had been used 80 years or so. I suspect that the ground was the real source for lead contamination. Fix was to just cover it up.

Easy. No haz mat suits, etc.

[cactus clay]

Lead pipe is commonly thought of as being made of pure lead. Although this idea is not entirely correct, it is not far from the truth. Most lead pipe is made from an alloy called chemical lead, which has a nominal composition of 0.05 percent copper and the balance lead. There is also a significant amount of antimonial lead pipe containing from three to ten percent antimony. The single peculiarity of lead pipe, other than its analytical variability, results from the fact it is extruded, not cast. This peculiarity can deceive the bullet caster. When a lead alloy is extruded, it work softens, sometimes substantially, giving the impression that the material is somewhat softer than it really is. This peculiarity should be of special interest to commercial casters and muzzle loader shooters, since work softened material that is remelted and cast into round ball is considerably harder than in its original extruded form. Always check the hardness of the bullet or ball itself, never the raw material in its original form.

i'm new to casting but have 85# of drain pipe melted into ingots and wondering if i need to add anything before casting. it looks like maybe you are saying i just have to test it to know, is this right?