How to "pre-clean" lead?

[CNJarvis]

I picked up a 34# chunk of pure lead flashing this afternoon :drinks: however it's somewhat encrusted with roofing tar and gravel. Simply burning it off won't work for me (the neighbors and fire department are sure to object) and I don't care to contaminate my smelting pot with that much debris. Chipping it off is feasable but labor intensive.

Any other ideas?

[4thebrdz]

I'd just out small quantieies in at a time. I have no big brother watching an o full oven @ 45-50 # works.

[mroliver77]

1.Send it to me and I will smelt it. 2.Move. 3. Chip it, scrape it etc.
Sorry to be a wisenheimer. Mebbe heat it with a torch and scrape off.
J

[Dross]

Scrub it off with a wire brush and petroleum based solvent?

[CNJarvis]

I tried chipping the roofing tar off (nearly futile) and smelting some down in a coffee can. (instead of my dutch oven) I'm going to have to wait until I can take it out to the farm where I can burn the whole thing. There's just way too much tar on it and it smokes like a booger.

Almost sorry I got it.

[OLPDon]

Smelt it outside if neighbors are not too close most will burn off and what doesn't will float just skim the crap off. Keep up wind from the smoke and make sure wife is out buying a new pocketbook.
Don

[Blackhawk Convertable]

I agree with OLPDon, just smelt it. The oil will work as a flux and the other stuff will float to be skimmed.

[KYCaster]

Freeze it(the colder the better), put it in a very strudy sack and whack the snot out of it with a heavy hammer. The tar should break right off. Works for me.

Jerry