WW Identification

[longusmc]

72790

I am fairly certain that the one on the left is lead. The other two I'm not sure about, I scratched them, they are not painted and they cut similar to lead with cutters. However the T is throwing me as I have not seen it and cannot find anything about it. The fresh cut doesn't have a shine to it like the lead weights, I'm thinking they could be tin.

[220swiftfn]

Well, if you could cut them easily with side cutters, they're lead..... I highly doubt that they're tin wheelweights, unless they came off of a Bentley or some such.....(IOW, tin weights would be mucho pricey, company would just use Zinc or steel instead....)


Dan

[Y-T71]

Woo hoo! I get to be the guy to let you know to squirt a little "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner on your suspected zinc.

The acid in the liquid will foam on zinc but not on lead (although it will also foam on the steel clip so be careful where you put it.

[mold maker]

Another hint to their content is if the clip is riveted, or cast in. Riveted = Fe (iron)
Cast in = zinc or lead
There is simply no easier way to determine the content than a pair of pliers. If you mark it, its lead. If not it's no good for boolit casting.

[shadygrady]

well if you got zinc send it to me for lead

[Teddy (punchie)]

I sound them on metal, tap them lead or soft sound like a thug , harder sounds with a ring the harder the more ring. Them I cut some to look for soft, and color. There is a difference in sound of pure lead, range lead and straight wheel weights.

[jsizemore]

They all appear to be lead. The 'T' is usually the manufacturer's code for the wheel it fits.

[longusmc]

I'm calling them lead! I don't have any of "The Works" brand toilet bowl cleaner, may be time to switch brands.

I took my three burner cigar lighter to a known lead weight and watched how it melted compared to how this unknown weight melted, the characteristics were similar.

These were from a handful I collected at the junkyard while looking for parts for my CRX. WW were just a bonus!

shadygrady - I only collected one zinc weight on this outing, once I have a S/MFRB I'll get in contact with you for a trade.

What uses have you all found for your steel weights?

[bangerjim]

The above methods work. I use them all:

1. "bell ringer" - listen to the sound when striking the weight on a 1" steel rod
2. acid - foams up with zinc
3. read the label on the ww
4. pliers/side cutters - lead cuts/zinc does not (easily)
5. melt temp higher than lead. Zinc and the steel clips float on the top!
6. Brinell test - zinc is ~45 - lead is ~5 - COWW runs 11 to 12

Another one is the pencil lead test. Cut (or grind off with zinc) the end to get clean metal and try to make a mark on a piece of white paper on a solid surface. Zinc will not normally mark but will tear the paper beause you have to press sooooooo hard.

You have to work PERRRRRTTY hard to get zinc in your melt by accident!

bangerjim8-)