Mystery Metal

[johnh9411]

I have come across some old power line anchors the are flat oval shaped about fifty lbs each they seem to be pure lead has anyone ever used these for casting boolets or know if they are pure lead.

[merlin101]

Never heard of them, but that means nothing. I would keep the seperate while melting just in case it's got zinc in it.

[Bzcraig]

First test is the fingernail test.........if you can scratch with your fingernail it is lead and zinc is not a concern. Determining the alloy is another issue altogether, have to find someone who has one of those fancy hi tech testers.

[lightman]

Try a magnet on them. The ones that we use are galvanized steel. Lead would not be strong enough to hold what they have to hold, or to even survive the installation process. The galvanized coating gives them a lead looking finish. Lightman

[bangerjim]

I bet they are heavily plated steel! Test them as lightman says. I have NEVER seen anything like that made from lead! MUCH too soft. Even hard lead!


bangerjim

[johnh9411]

Ok I can scratch it with finger nail and magnet dose not stick it is very soft, I melted down some ww this weekend and i left about 1.5 lbs melted in the pot and added some of this material to it it melted sank to the bottom of my pot and re hardened. I poured the led off the top and knocked the solid mystery metal out of my pot. When it is thinner it makes a ring when you tap it with something hard. Is it solid tin? I melted some puter and it worked fine so im leaning away form tin. Only thing I know is that it is not lead.

[BK7saum]

It's not going to be tin. Tin will alloy with your lead and melts at a lower temperature than the lead.

[johnh9411]

I just cant figure out why it melted to the bottom then re hardened while the lead stayed liquid. I didnt lose heat

[tengaugetx]

Did you use a thermometer?
My bet is it is pure and the temp of your COWW alloy wasn't quite hot enough to melt the pure and it never did actually melt in your mix as it appeared.
I have to open the valve noticably more on the fish cooker I use when smelting pure.

[johnh9411]

I could try smelting it hotter just to see what happens nothing lost but some gas but I am a beginner and am using a small coleman setup so keeping the temp us it difficult. And I dont have a thermometer.

[RogerDat]

This thermometer is inexpensive and having one will really help you cast. http://www.teltru.com/p-272-big-green-egg-primo-grill-dome-kamado-replacement-thermometer-lt225r-5-inch-stem-2001000-degrees-f.aspx

Knowing the melting point helps identify scrap, casting with melt at correct temp gives better results, keeping temp low enough to not melt zinc when melting clip on wheel weights allows you to scoop out the un-melted zinc weights without getting zinc contamination , too much heat cooks the "good" alloys such as tin out of the melt.

$21 is pretty cheap for how much thermometer can help. If it just helps you not cook off the expensive alloys in scrap it pays for itself.

Don't know weather where you are but blocking the wind can really help keep the temp up if the wind is blowing.

[RogerDat]

"Wheel weight alloy melting point is under 600 F" Pure lead melts at 621 F http://www.lasc.us/castbulletalloy.htm

Also good information at http://www.theantimonyman.com/thermometry.htm also see Testing Metal link at this same site.

[johnh9411]

Thanks for the help guys I will be getting a thermometer for the next time as for the melting point of pure lead being 21 degrees higher than WW, I am pretty sure that i reached that temp ill have to post a pic of this stuff.