New guy needs a list of things to scrounge.

[fireguy715]

Ok, i cast my first boolits last week. I used soft lead pipe to make muzzle loader boolits. It was a blast. I had lot of fun creating things from scrap. I can tell I'm going to like this a lot and have plans to get moulds for more of my hand guns anf rifles. I have a 5 gallon bucket of WW's and I picked up 30 pounds of 63/37 bar slolder from a scrap yard today. besides lead, what should I be scrounging up? I've read about antimony and some other aloys but am not sore what they are or do, now much is needed and what form they come in. I'm having fun scrounging this stuff as well. thanks

[472x1B/A]

Greetings fireguy715, welcome. Others will add to this I'm sure, but my past experience has been, to scrounge as hard, as much, as often, and as money will permit for you will NEVER, NEVER have too much lead. While scrounging try to keep seperate the different types of unknown aloys untill you are able to determine what type it is, then do your mixing/aloying. Have fun and be safe.

[William Yanda]

"what should I be scrounging up?"
I check thrift stores for pewter items. Just today I found 3 glass bottomed pewter mugs and two other items-I estimate 4-5 lbs for under $5. Pewter is tin, will help lead fill molds better, will improve COWW by bringing the tin(SN) closer to the antimony (Sb) in percentage of alloy.

[fireguy715]

"what should I be scrounging up?"
I check thrift stores for pewter items. Just today I found 3 glass bottomed pewter mugs and two other items-I estimate 4-5 lbs for under $5. Pewter is tin, will help lead fill molds better, will improve COWW by bringing the tin(SN) closer to the antimony (Sb) in percentage of alloy.

How can I tell if something is pewter? What is COWW? THanks

[fireguy715]

Greetings fireguy715, welcome. Others will add to this I'm sure, but my past experience has been, to scrounge as hard, as much, as often, and as money will permit for you will NEVER, NEVER have too much lead. While scrounging try to keep seperate the different types of unknown aloys untill you are able to determine what type it is, then do your mixing/aloying. Have fun and be safe.

I've been on a mission for wheel wieghts over the past few weeks. It is difficult in this area. Most larger shops have a recycling contract ant their battery recyclers take all wheel weights. Most smaller shops have the weights spoken for by someone with a race car for frame weights. The scrap yard that sold me the 63/37 tin lead solder for $3 per pound had a bunch of lead water pipe but they wanted 1.50/lb. I thought that seemed high,(although it was nice stuff to work with).

[badgeredd]

I've been on a mission for wheel wieghts over the past few weeks. It is difficult in this area. Most larger shops have a recycling contract ant their battery recyclers take all wheel weights. Most smaller shops have the weights spoken for by someone with a race car for frame weights. The scrap yard that sold me the 63/37 tin lead solder for $3 per pound had a bunch of lead water pipe but they wanted 1.50/lb. I thought that seemed high,(although it was nice stuff to work with).

COWW=clip on wheel weights
Someone else will chime in on the pewter. I can't remeber what guys have mentioned to look for well enough to be sure I won't steer you in the wrong direction.
Check the price at the top of the page from kitco. I base my buy price on the price up there as well as what Rotometals is selling "new" alloy for. In my mind, I'd think that salvaged water pipe should be more like $0.75 a pound to the buyer like myself. I generally pay about 1/3 of the price at kitco because that is usually for truck load quantities...10,000 pounds or more. Scrap yards in my area are paying 20-25 cents a pound from guys like us and small tire dealers. If you double that, you are being fair to the tire dealer if he'll sell and fair to yourself. You're going to get about 20% scrap or maybe more in COWW salvage so keep that in mind too along with the cost of smelting them down into ingot lead. My opinions and they are worth what they sold for.

Edd

[_4_]

I too am new to the casting scene. An way you can tell if something is pewter?

[clodhopper]

Some pewter is stamped pewter, some is not, there are many items floating around out there closer to solder in composition than pewter. Lots of stuff in thrift stores that suggest they are pewter and are not.
The used pewter market is like a deep murky sea, with huge toothy predators swimming around.
I am but krill.
Only take a chance on unknown items if they are so cheap it won't hurt, like 50 cents.
Lots of information in old threads right here under lead and lead alloys.