Where to Buy Lead/Tin Solder?

[Hanzy4200]

I am still very green to casting, and have not gotten into alloys very deeply. I've been basically guessing when it comes to hardness, as most of my lead is either range scrap or of unknown origin. Where do most of you guys get your solder? I think I may benefit from adding a bit to aid in mold fill out and a slight increase in hardness. I'm casting 9MM and .45 ACP. All of my .45's cast and shoot amazingly well with little to no adjustments. The 9MM has been a bit more troublesome. I have them shooting very accurately for the most part, but leading still occurs after 300 rounds or so.

[cali4088]

Try your local scrap yard. See if they'll let you fish out solder wire from their scrap lead bins and pay them the price for scrap lead. Look for letterpress numbers and letters as well You might just come up. Had a shipment of 2000 lbs of lead and it had some solder wire in it around 20 lbs.

[bangerjim]

Don't just limit yourself to solder! See if you can find pewter in junk stores and scrap yards. It is out there also. Linotiype and other types are nice fo find for their content.

Solder does show up. Last week I found a 25# new roll of 50/50 for $1/# in the "lead" bin.

Just keep looking in junk stores and scrap yards. You really do not want to pay the very high market prices for solder from Home Depot or Lowes!

banger

[merlin101]

Don't overlook the use of PEWTER, it can be found cheaply at 2nd had stores. Just make sure it say's 'pewter" on the bottom, some guys will only use English pewter, stay away from China/japan/india pewter! Hope this helps.

[Hanzy4200]

Good point. I've heard mention of pewter in the past but never really educated myself on it. I am a yard sale and auction junky so finding some of these items shouldn't be difficult if I keep an eye out. I also try to check my scrap yard regularly. Thanks.

[Beagle333]

There are a couple of fellas who regularly sell pewter in the S&S forum for about 8 bucks a pound. I find that it is cheaper than me spending gas to go from Thrift store to Thrift store picking up 8oz at a time when I can find it. 8-)

[DrBill33]

I purchase reclaimed (and fluxed) lead form a local recycler. Currently .70 per pound.

The BHN tests to 8.5, and when he uses his analyzer gun (wish that I ha\d the $26.000 to purchase one:Fire:) it shows 99.8% Pb and .2% Sn

[WILCO]

I've been basically guessing when it comes to hardness......

Without a lead hardness tester or using an alloy of known BHN, you're just wasting time and materials. Rotometals sells known alloys.

[Jailer]

Got a radiator shop in your town? If so stop in and see if they will part with some solder drippings. I scored 22lbs (after smelting) of 60/40 for $20.

[RogerDat]

I just paid 75 cents a pound for 31 lbs. of bar solder from a metal scrap yard. Some stamped 30% Sn, some 50/50, some 35% - 40%, and a few 63/37. One stupid piece stamped EN that I don't know percentage on. Does anyone have an idea? Bar solder used to be very common for body shops, phone lines and radiator shops so it does show up in scrap yards from time to time.

Using the Lead Calculator combine it all together and it works out to about 50/50 Sb/Sn.

[Defcon-One]

I have purchased solder and linotype on e-bay. I always buy only in raw forms. Linotype strips with the letters on them and solder bars. Sometimes you can get a good deal, sometimes a fair one. If it is not, then stop bidding.

As they say, pewter is another good option, but I'd rather find and melt my own so I know what I am getting.

Good hunting,

DC-1

[upnorthwis]

Here's how I got the discount price on 50/50 bar solder. Went to hardware store and they were out of stock. Ask what the price was per bar and salesman said $10.50 I told him no thanks. He said how about $6.50 I said I'll take 10 bars.