Sorting Wheel Weights

[Namerifrats]

This may make a good sticky for other newbies such as myself. I have aquired my first 170 lbs of Wheel Weights. I've searched and read alot of other post similar to the subject. My concern is the sorting process. What's good and whats trash. I don't want any Zinc messing up my alloy. From what I've gathered, the "regular" wheel weights are lead alloy that contain some Antimony, correct? The flat stick on weights are pure lead. Single flat weights with a Z stamp are Zinc and are garbage. Some of the steel clips are Zinc coated. So thats what I know so far, correct me on anything if I was wrong. I'm planning to go through and sort the pure lead from the alloy, toss the garbage, and wash the dirt and dust off of the good lead (of course letting it dry because I don't plan to smelt until maybe next week at the earliest).
So what I'm after, is whats good, whats trash, what to lookout for. And when I go to smelt, what can I do about any possible Zinc or Zinc coating? I don't have a thermometer yet, but when I get one what is a good temp to melt at to separate the trash and zinc with out causing any zinc to melt before turning it up to a bit higher temp. I plan to smelt in lots of 10-15 lbs at a time incase I lose a batch to contamination. Is this good pratice?

[Ricochet]

What you want to do is heat it just over the melting point of lead, 600°F. That's below the melting point of zinc, and the zinc will float.

[pumpguy]

Are you able to melt more? I am thinking in the order of 100# at a time in a dutch oven on a turkey fryer. If you are, you can save yourself a ton of time. Do not mess with cleaning them first. As far as sorting, that is not a bad idea. I take out all the rubber valve stems, cigarette butts, and plastic labels from the tires. I do this to keep the smoke down. After that, I dump them in the dutch oven and fire it up. After I see liquid forming in the bottom, I keep adding WW and mashing them into the liquid. This way the melt never gets too hot. Once you have added enough WW to fill the dutch oven, start skimming the trash off. You will find gravel, dirt, burnt paint and most importantly, Zinc and steel weights. Since you have brought this mix up to temperature slowly, you have no way to melt the zinc weights. After you get all the junk off the top, slowly and carefully, so as not to splash, stir a piece of hardwood lumber about 2" wide through. Be sure to pull the mix up to bring some air in to the mix and drag it along the bottom and sides to get the trapped stuff loose. After that, pour into your chosen mould. Give the moulds a while to set up and repeat. Most importantly, have fun and don't make it a chore. Remember, this is a hobby, not a job!!!

[Namerifrats]

I have a 8 qt Dutch Oven I picked up at Gander Mountian, so I guess I could smelt 100 lbs. I was just afraid that in the event there was contamination I'd lose alot of lead. When you're done smelting, how about the clean up process? As far as cleaning the last inch or so of lead out of the bottom of the pot? I wouldn't think you should tip the pot or anything. Do I just leave that in there for next time?

[leftiye]

I tip the pot. There's a tab on the back of my pot (dutch oven) and I clamp a pair of vise grips onto it for a handle. You only need to be sure of your surface so the pot doesn't fall off or tip when you don't want it to (if you just tip it up with the wrench). If you feel secure in controlling the pot, you could pour directly from it (while holding the bail in the other hand). Otherwise a 2 lb. ladle is the way to go towards the end of the potfull.

[randyrat]

Follow "pumpguys" directions and you won't need a thermometer. The smelt never gets too hot as to melt zink. You'll get the feel of it in no time. I throw a little saw dust in there but stirring with a stick is a good idea. Keep your molds to a size that you can use in your final melting pot for casting.