lead wire

[luober]

Does anyone know a good source for lead wire? I know that Corbin has some but it is $3.00 per pound before shipping. I tried CH tool and die and they are out of all sizes of wire and the owner says that unless there is a real calling for it he isn't going to stock wire any more. Has anyone tried a group buy ( if thats possible) on lead wire? I'm looking for some 3/8" wire - if anyone has some for sale e-mail me. thanks

[georgeld]

I'm not set up yet and buried under more important things.
But, am building a wire swaging press. to make my own.
I'll make up a bunch of die size's. Haven't gotten any suggestions on size's though.

I want wire to make: .17, 224, 308, 45 and for r/b's: .455". but, that can be made from 45 size.

All these dies are just started, haven't bored any to size yet and haven't finished the press either. Shouldn't be over two hours once I get back to it.

I've got some soft lead on hand, but, not near enough to produce much wire. may when the time comes make an offer of; custom making your lead into wire the size you want, or close to the die I'll have.

Think that would work? Say: halfers and you stand the postage both ways and you supply the lead.

Right now it's just something that popped into my head.

[luober]

1) what type of press is it that you are working on? Is it mechanical or hydraulic? 2)How much wire will the press make at one time? 3) Would I need to make billets to put in the press? 4) Would I need any type of heat source to get proper production? thanks,

luober

[Ken]

I have some, PM sent

[georgeld]

Press I'm making is my own idea. Nothing like any of the others except the general idea.
Go ahead and get some from Ken. I might be awhile yet. Too many projects in the fire, several are more important. What I said was just a notion that hit me at the time.

Expect the wire I make will be in sticks instead of a rolls as I don't have that much lead.
It's operated by hand with a hydraulic jack.

IF I still had a camera I'd take pictures of it. but brought a 'date' home one night in Dec and she stole the camera. I've described how it's being made elsewhere here, check my postings of the last month and it should be there.

Thank you,

[jcunclejoe]

georgeld,
Instead of going with a hand hydraulic set-up, you might consider goiong with one of the Harbor Freight Air over Hydraulic jacks. It would be much less effort and most likely provide a more constant pressure curve which will result in more consistent wire. They occasionally have a 20 ton one on sale for about $65.
Did I mention it would be much less effort?
I believe in energy conservation, "MINE".
Good luck and have fun.
Joe

[georgeld]

Gotta see if this operation will work as it is first.
IF I get into mass production I'll keep that in mind. Have looked it over a few times for other
use's and passed on it due to lack of funding.

I've already bought a new 20ton long shaft. It can be used for other things if n when.
Gotta proof the system first. Already have over $100 in it and it's not assembled yet.

Expect I'll do it tomorrow while I'm welding a carriage to roll that lathe into the shop on.

Thanks for the suggestion though, do appreciate it. Theres a HF store halfmile from my house. Too bad they sell chinamens junk sh-t though.

[jlchucker]

Georgeld, years ago my first civilian job after the army included a stint as a foreman assigned to the lead shop at Winchester's ammo plant in New Haven. They had a machine into which a lead ingot a bit larger than a #10 tin can was placed. This machine was little more than an automated hydraulic press which squeezed that big lead ingot through a die, which was nothing more than a properly sized nozzle located behind a serrated wheel. In operation, the lead wire extruded thru the die was immediately cut into little lead slugs by that wheel and then dropped into a container. The slugs were later swaged into proper shape by other machinery, to later be assembled with bullet jackets by yet another machine in another department. Everything after the swaging part would get to be hugely expensive-especially for more than one caliber! It sounds like you are headed down the path of creating your own bullet extruder, and except for the cutoff wheel you're pretty close to being there. You may want to rig up a hydraulic pump to move your hand operation. Feeding the lead thru a cutoff wheel of some sort as it comes out may be something you'd want to consider. Good luck. You are well on your way to producing thousands upon thousands of swaged lead boolets.

[georgeld]

Sounds like a much bigger operation than I'll ever get into.
Just too many things more important to do around here than this one.
Been laid low over three yrs and this is the first I've been able to do anything. So the catch up
on projects is gonna take a long time as I'm the sole crew member.

Woke up thinking/dreaming maybe with the thoughts IF I can squeeze enough out ofthe roofing/gutters check maybe I can pour the floor in the shop this summer too. Then I could work out there in the winter andget something done for once. Sure gets cold out there at times. More than enough to encourage me to stay in the house when I'd like to be in the shop.

Anyone have personal experience with heated concrete floors?? Thats the plans. Have a nearly new boiler, and 1000' of 3/4' under floor pvc 100yr quality they claimed. Sure gonna be a project from hell to get the stock piles out of the shop in order to do it though. One time I wish I wasn't such a packrat.

Cutter wheel?? Hmmmmmmmm__________________!!