tmc-okc
09-24-2014, 04:09 PM
I need some help. I am ready to smelt, render or melt -whatever the correct terminology is - my300 Lbs of clip on wheel weights ( COWW ) into ingots prior to casting boolits. I wantthe cleanest alloy possible and plan on fluxing several times using beeswax andsawdust. I am having a hard time determining what is zinc and what is lead.
I have removed all stick on wheel weights (SOWW) into a separatebucket which I will at a later time cast into ingots and label them as SOWW Pb. I have already removed everything thatI have identified as steel and a lot of stuff that is really hard to cut intothat I presume is zinc into another bucket. Using a pair of Klein 9 inch pliers with a side cutter I have identifieda lot of COWW's that are really soft that I am sure are lead but I also have alot of weights including some that are painted and or coated with what appearsto be an epoxy finish that are harder in composition than those I am sure arelead. Using my pliers I can cut into them but cannot cut them very deep withmoderate force. These are what I suspect is to be zinc ???
I have a good casting thermometer that registers up to 1 K° in10° increments. I have calibrated it in chlorinated tap water which boils atapprox. 210° F at 1300 Ft above sealevel ( my altitude ) and at 210° my water boils ! I can only assume that mythermometer will also be reasonably accurate at 650° F. I understand zinc melts at 787° F and lead at621° F. Will zinc wheel weights float inmy pot allowing me to scrape them off if I carefully regulate the temperatureof my pot and not allow it to get hotter than say 650°F ? Will having zinc wheel weights in my potcontaminate the lead or my pot even if I keep the temp. at or below 650° F..
I don't want to throw away anything that is actually leadbut I don't want any zinc and I don't want to contaminate my pot either.
I really respect the information and advice I have found onthis forum and will follow your advice.
Thanks
Ron
I have removed all stick on wheel weights (SOWW) into a separatebucket which I will at a later time cast into ingots and label them as SOWW Pb. I have already removed everything thatI have identified as steel and a lot of stuff that is really hard to cut intothat I presume is zinc into another bucket. Using a pair of Klein 9 inch pliers with a side cutter I have identifieda lot of COWW's that are really soft that I am sure are lead but I also have alot of weights including some that are painted and or coated with what appearsto be an epoxy finish that are harder in composition than those I am sure arelead. Using my pliers I can cut into them but cannot cut them very deep withmoderate force. These are what I suspect is to be zinc ???
I have a good casting thermometer that registers up to 1 K° in10° increments. I have calibrated it in chlorinated tap water which boils atapprox. 210° F at 1300 Ft above sealevel ( my altitude ) and at 210° my water boils ! I can only assume that mythermometer will also be reasonably accurate at 650° F. I understand zinc melts at 787° F and lead at621° F. Will zinc wheel weights float inmy pot allowing me to scrape them off if I carefully regulate the temperatureof my pot and not allow it to get hotter than say 650°F ? Will having zinc wheel weights in my potcontaminate the lead or my pot even if I keep the temp. at or below 650° F..
I don't want to throw away anything that is actually leadbut I don't want any zinc and I don't want to contaminate my pot either.
I really respect the information and advice I have found onthis forum and will follow your advice.
Thanks
Ron