85 lb lead ingot

[qwiksting]

Hello to all, i have come into a 85 lb lead ingot. I was told it may have come from a foundry. I did a search on recycled lead and came across this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJj5iIwF8p4 At 1:50 sec mark I seen the ingots that looks very similar. This ingot is at least 15 years old. If in fact this was recycled from Batteries, will it be safe to cast/break down??? I have no hardness tester except for a #2 pencil which looks to lightly scratch it.

[Gtek]

There is a sticky down in the Lead and Lead Alloy section. I am no scientist, but the read and arguments would make me take to scrap and swap out if you could. Life is to short for 85 lb. block. Gtek

[Mal Paso]

Doesn't matter if it Came from batteries, It's Refined Lead Now. It's probably pure though as battery lead has about 1-2% antimony. If you're worried I'll shoot a few pounds for you, no charge, just send me a sample.

The warning is about melting down Your Own batteries.

Ingots like the video usually have lifting tabs on each end and are called Pigs the 2,000 pounders are called Sows.
.

[qwiksting]

No, not too worried. i cut a piece off, took the butane torch, small ladle and cast a double 150 gr .38. It is very shiny, and soft. i need to figure out the how, and where do I find part of the forum to harden this lead. It is "pure Lead". Any answers tot this would be greatly appreciated. i read somewhere about 90% lead 5% tin and 5% antimony. So where can I find the rest of the recipe? or if this is not it, what would be a good recipe for .38/.357 and .45 acp???

[Cherokee]

I use a 1.5-2% tin, 3% antimony alloy for most of my CB's. To get metals to harden your find, try Rotometals link at the top of this page for foundry stuff, or our own classified section.

[qwiksting]

Thanks... I just acquired the other 5 ingots...total weight is like around 510 lbs. Although I probably will never be able to use this much...who knows. We'll see

[44man]

I drilled a hole in one of the handles and hung it at the front of the barn with my deer hoist so I could lower it slowly into my smelting pot to cast 1# ingots. It was far easier then trying to cut it up.
As the pot filled I just lifted it out of the way.

[Jack Stanley]

Now that's thinking 44man . I ran into an ingot years ago someone had made by filling a steel five gallon bucket . Now that one was fun making a pot large enough to hold it but the pot came in handy later on for other lead chores .

Jack

[44man]

Now that's thinking 44man . I ran into an ingot years ago someone had made by filling a steel five gallon bucket . Now that one was fun making a pot large enough to hold it but the pot came in handy later on for other lead chores .

Jack
OH MY, that is crazy. You need an elephant to even lift that bucket!

[Willbird]

They can easily be cut up with a hatchet and a short handled sledge.

[Mal Paso]

I use a 1.5-2% tin, 3% antimony alloy for most of my CB's. To get metals to harden your find, try Rotometals link at the top of this page for foundry stuff, or our own classified section.

Perfect! Lot of good info here!

Rotometals has Super Hard Alloy for adding Antimony. They also have Tin but sometimes they will offer Babbit (tin/lead alloy) at a better price.