where to get in AK ?

[paralaska]

Alaska casters . . . Is there anywhere local to get lead, tin, pewter? Or, am I stuck with having to order from someplace like Roto Metals? I'm in Anch . . . Thanks

[Buck Neck It]

In Anchorage, "you can sell anything in the spring, and buy anything in the fall", it is said.
Moving sales will always be productive for fishing weights, solder, ect. New people cycle through all the time, and dump their weight when they leave. No one seems to bring pewter when they come, however.

Alaskans are lead blasting fools, so berm mining can be very productive. Be the first one one there when the snow melts.

Rotometals super hard is actually economical for hardening up soft lead, if that is all you can find.

[RugerFan]

Keep an eye on Government Liquidations for scrap lead. Occasionally comes up on one of the military bases.

[fredj338]

I would be hitting up the local comm fishing outfits. Not all fishing/net wts are lead but if it dents, it's probably castable alloy.

[wlc]

I usually make my rounds of the tire shops during change-over seasons. I can usually come up with a bucket full for free or relatively cheap. Many of the chain stores won't even talk to you, but some of the mom and pop places will sell you a bucket full. Beware though, seems like everyone and their brother tries to get lead up here and some places really think a LOT of their scrap lead. I was actually quoted $100 for a five gallon bucket of wheel weights from one place. I imagine most of the desire up here is for fishing weights for salt water.

Honestly, buying from folks here on the forum is the best way to come up with already smelted lead and you usually can find everything from "pure" to clip on WW, to Linotype to isotope cores. You can order "sweetners" like super hard or Lyman #2 from Roto without having to go to the expense of getting all your lead from a place like Roto-Metals. Good thing about them is that if you order $100 worth you get free shipping. Even to Alaska. I actually emailed them once about it and got a positive response unlike most "free shipping" deals you see.

[John Boy]

http://alaskascrap.com/alaska-scrap-metal/
http://www.manta.com/c/mbn9ybw/pioneer-metal-recycling

[scottfire1957]

Do those 8 stripes in the Air Force chevron in your avatar mean anything?

[pjames32]

There are ads on E Bay from the "Great Alaskan Lead Company". Don't know anything about them.
PJ

[RogerDat]

Watch the swapping and selling forum - US Postal flat rate boxes provide low cost shipping, members with good access to WW's, other lead, and pewter sell already cast ingots at good prices. Generally WW's or range scrap are around $1 a lb. which when you consider the work and propane that goes into turning WW's or range scrap into ingots is a very good deal.

Have seen ~50 lbs. of COWW's for $60 - $65 in a USPS medium flat rate box. Pewter at around $10 per lb. Plain lead near the same price as COWW's or maybe a touch less.

You might want to find the people that advertise "light hauling" and "clean up" services, give them your phone number and let them know you will pay better than the scrap yard for any lead they come across. Also reach out to plumbers/remodelers/roofers that may come across lead building materials. Flashing or lead pipe being removed as part of remodeling or repairs. Especially hospital renovations - the x-ray rooms have lead lined walls and sometimes iso containers.

Dentist offices that still use x-ray machine the x-ray films have a thin lead peel off cover which is pretty decent bullet lead. So checking around with them might pay off, I see those at the scrap yard from time to time. Forget the exact alloy but as good as COWW's from the ones I had gunned.

[RogerDat]

Link to posting of small quantity commercial suppliers http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?264326-US-small-qty-lead-suppliers&p=3072523&viewfull=1#post3072523

[Harles Dawson]

Check out Jetsfan 24's ad. USPS will get it to your door, unless you live way out. Other ads on this board the same service. You may be amazed. Harles