sorting wheel weights

[newfie bullet]

I got a bucket of coww's I was going to melt down in ingots , but I decided to sort them first . there were all kinds in the bucket so I really didn't know if any contained zinc? most of them looked like the regular weights of old with the oz. weight on left side and grams on the right with a P in the center , those I figured was the good coww's. some others were similar but had squarer ends on them and in center was letters like , MC and AW. and they were painted. would the ones with mc or aw on them be the same as ones with the p on them? both seems to be the same hardness as far as cutting into them with a knife. I wouldn't want to contaminate my ingot alloy. how can you tell if the coww's has any zinc in them?
regards
newfie bullet

[Retumbo]

Search the stickies, there are pictoral guides

[Yodogsandman]

Use some side cutter pliers and try to snip them. If they dent, they're lead. Zinc (Zn) or steel (FE) wheel weights will cause the cutters to just slide off. Separate your clip on wheel weights (COWW's) from the stick on wheel weights (SOWW's) and check them all. By the time you're done with that 5 gallon bucket you'll have a real good idea what is and isn't good. You can cheat some after that first bucket full and will recognize the ones to cull.

Zinc melts at about 780*F and lead at about 650-700*F. Keep your melting pot well under 780*F and the zinc won't melt and contaminate your pot. The zinc and steel will float on the top with the clips. Flux with sawdust until it's clean (3-4 times) and reduce the tin back in with a wax like paraffin or beeswax (once) before making your ingots.

Most of those markings on the wheel weights just tell the tire installer which rims they fit.

[scottfire1957]

Search the stickies, there are pictoral guides


Ain't nobody got time fo dat.

[62chevy]

Search the stickies, there are pictoral guides


Ain't nobody got time fo dat.

A lot of people read the stickies. The ones that don't ask question so this is how you head them in the right direction.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?139839-Guide-to-Hand-Sorting-Wheel-Weights

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?62957-A-possible-way-to-remove-zinc-from-molten-lead

But Yodogsandman has the best answer.

[khmer6]

Yes! the markings are for the different style of wheels and lips. I have found almost IDENTICAL weights that were Zinc and the other lead. Side cutters and seperate the painted ones so you can test them further, some of them are pretty thick

[lightman]

There is a really good sticky on sorting wheel weight that covers most everything you need to know. Yodosandman pretty well covered it. Most but not all zinc weights will have the letters Z or Zn on them. Iron will have Fe on them and have a distinctive shape. Both Zinc and Iron will be very hard to cut with a good set of pliers. I agree to separate the clip on from the stick on weights. There is even a sticky about the alloys in stick on weights. Good Luck!

[Garyshome]

Use some side cutter pliers
+1

[scottfire1957]

A lot of people read the stickies. The ones that don't ask question so this is how you head them in the right direction.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?139839-Guide-to-Hand-Sorting-Wheel-Weights

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?62957-A-possible-way-to-remove-zinc-from-molten-lead

But Yodogsandman has the best answer.

Evidently he didn't, and was directed to look for it. It's a sticky. Not difficult to find at all. Easy, actually.

[newfie bullet]

thanks guys I found the sticky on wheel weights , have had my computer in the shop and was using my cell as a computer with my old eyes got a job to see everything , missed that sticky . got my computer back last evening so all is well know,
thanks again
newfie