Thats it, im done. KAPUT!

[leadbutt]

Well it started out a cool day today after 4 days of rain. What better time to bust out the ole propane burner and get to melting down some of my raw stash. I figured since I didn't want to spend ALL day on it I would just melt my tin/pewter stash. Then, almost as if I triggered it, as soon as I put the first mug in the pan/pot the clouds disappear like they were never there and the sun starts to beam right on me. So after about 4 hrs of sweat beading off my brow and my shirt getting soaked I was finally done. No more today. As im picking up everything I notice the hoard of 5 gal buckets staring at me. The same horde that's been in the yard for the last um.... 3 years? Wait a minute. Just doing the pewter sucked and its actually worth something. So I ponder. I buy full buckets of WWs for 20$ a pop and the shop I go to I norm get 75-80% of useable alloy. That was also 3 years ago but they do still sell their WWs. Then they need to be sorted,separated, melted, fluxed and poured. I really don't enjoy any of it except the part where I look at my stash and think to myself "NICE". Every time ive melted down my own lead ive always had a headache and backache. Im DONE!! Screw that anymore. Now don't get me wrong. When you guys started me in this hobby years ago all I had was a burner and access to free WWs. With that ive traded or sold the lead to get the things I needed to start out with. Actually you can do a lot and go far on very little money in this hobby as long as you have the right luck and hookups. With that being said..... im done with the dirty nasty lead melting. Im going to start buying lead off of forum members here. There are a few that have been selling here long before I ever got here and I haven't heard any complaints about their lead. One question I have is who is going to melt down the weights ive accumulated? If anyone is from around "or not to far from" the Baltimore area and wants to, id split my stash with them 50/50 to melt them down. Hell ill even give them my hookup.

L. Bottoms

[OS OK]

Gee...I wish that was near here...I'd be there in a flash. I just love smelting all that nasty stuff because at the end of the day...that stack-O-ingots sure looks good with a cold brewsky...if fact, you might even catch me grinning!

[B. Lumpkin]

Long ago I realized I'd rather buy ready to cast ingots for about $1.00 per pound shipped to my porch. This was after an afternoon of smelting 3 buckets of clip on wheel weights. I looked at all the work I had in them to get "Cheap" alloy.

Gas to search for and pick up the raw weights
Cost of raw weights
Propane
Fish fryer
Ingot molds
Time, time, time


At the end of the day, $1.00-ish a pound shipped to my door and ready to go in the pot was cheaper than the "Free" or "Cheap" raw weights, lol. If I need a specific alloy, then I'll buy it from Roto-Metals. It is certified so no guessing if my 20:1 is really 20:1 etc.

[crazyponie]

I wish I was near you as well. If only someone near Tucson had the same offer, I'd be there in a flash. I have a little hoard, compared to most of you, of pewter and range scrap/WW that I'm waiting on cooler weather to tackle. Yesterday however I did find someone that will let me pick through his barrels of WW for .60/lb. I did make a few new friends at local tire shops( not commercial big box type). One guy lets me have everything he gets and another lets me have all SOWW. Both will only cost me a $5 pizza every time I stop. Even though I haven't even done my first melt, I'm hooked.

[shoot-n-lead]

Long ago I realized I'd rather buy ready to cast ingots for about $1.00 per pound shipped to my porch. This was after an afternoon of smelting 3 buckets of clip on wheel weights. I looked at all the work I had in them to get "Cheap" alloy.

Gas to search for and pick up the raw weights
Cost of raw weights
Propane
Fish fryer
Ingot molds
Time, time, time


At the end of the day, $1.00-ish a pound shipped to my door and ready to go in the pot was cheaper than the "Free" or "Cheap" raw weights, lol. If I need a specific alloy, then I'll buy it from Roto-Metals. It is certified so no guessing if my 20:1 is really 20:1 etc.

Well, I can't say the same. My sources are close...within a couple of miles or when I am enroute to somewhere...I average paying $30 for a bucket that averages yielding 100lbs...costs me a couple of bucks in propane and my labor. I figure that my ww alloy...what I use, more than any other...costs me less than 40 cents per pound...worth the effort, for me.

[OS OK]

Well, I suppose that if you measure everything in $ & efforts, you could build a pretty good case for 'store-bought' everything. Some of us old hard headed self reliant been there done thats just relish the idea of doing things ourselves...guess that we are just living a little further in the past than others?

[B. Lumpkin]

Well, I can't say the same. My sources are close...within a couple of miles or when I am enroute to somewhere...I average paying $30 for a bucket that averages yielding 100lbs...costs me a couple of bucks in propane and my labor. I figure that my ww alloy...what I use, more than any other...costs me less than 40 cents per pound...worth the effort, for me.

That time I save not looking, picking up, sorting, smelting, and stacking is put to better use. I have more money than time, lol.

[B. Lumpkin]

Well, I suppose that if you measure everything in $ & efforts, you could build a pretty good case for 'store-bought' everything. Some of us old hard headed self reliant been there done thats just relish the idea of doing things ourselves...guess that we are just living a little further in the past than others?

Just because I don't, doesn't mean that I can't, because I have in the past. It just means that I don't because I don't want/have to.

[OS OK]

Hey that's fine there Lump...it's just that I have an abundance of 'good looks' rather than 'money'...we all have to deal with the hands we were dealt!

[B. Lumpkin]

Hey that's fine there Lump...it's just that I have an abundance of 'good looks' rather than 'money'...we all have to deal with the hands we were dealt!

My full handle is B. Lumpkin. Lumpkin being my last name. I respectfully ask that you use the full name Lumpkin, and not "Lump".

Thank you,
B. Lumpkin

[OS OK]

Oooh, I apologize for that. I wasn't trying to get your goat or insult, just casual and an old habit of seeing 'nicknames' in a long handle.

A question though...where are you from?

[shoot-n-lead]

That time I save not looking, picking up, sorting, smelting, and stacking is put to better use. I have more money than time, lol.

Yeah...I know, I just don't care much for watching TV.

[B. Lumpkin]

I do enjoy the tube, but more than likely you will find me in the wood shop. I was out there today finishing the ivory inlays for a jewelry box and then played soccer with my daughter for awhile afterwards.

[B. Lumpkin]

Oooh, I apologize for that. I wasn't trying to get your goat or insult, just casual and an old habit of seeing 'nicknames' in a long handle.

A question though...where are you from?

Thank you.

[Budzilla 19]

Just put 108 lbs of coww ingots in my stash, along with 22 lbs of soww ingots also, all for $30! The clips and the zinc I'll sell back to the scrap yard, I'm going by there anyway. The propane, time to do the work is neglible, I'm not working right now so I guess it's all just what you want to do. I certainly won't hammer someone who doesn't want to sort and re-melt! Till I get back to work this is what I have to do. Just my .02 cents.

[Beagle333]

I ain't sayin I'm never gonna smelt again, but I really do like buying ingots that are ready to go. And I don't miss the dirty part.

[Bzcraig]

I'm one of the sick ones who enjoys the smelting process. For me it's like the smell of Hoppes #9 or LLA you either enjoy it or not. I just wish I could come across the "hook up" for lead! If I were close by we would definetly become friends.

[runfiverun]

I don't mind the smelting so much but I like it less and less as time goes by.
the headache and getting all dehydrated wears me out anymore.
I think my next one is gonna my last one.
and that won't be until next year, we already got snow once this year and a winter weather advisory is issued for the next few day's.

[rintinglen]

I don't mind smelting, but where I live now, it just won't work. My neighbors are too close.

[toallmy]

The trick for me is to only do it when I feel like doing it , than cooking down the scrap is not work it is just a good way to spend the weakened . I treat casting the same it's for fun ,

[TenTea]

I did a small *clean up smelt* this last weekend for misc. pewter, solder, tin, babbit, range lead, COWW and SOWW.
Apparently, they are making SOWW out of iron now, so sorting is even more tedious, although a magnet helps.
One bucket of COWW contained more iron and zinc than ever before so good thing it was cheap!
Ended up with ~20lbs Tin and ~40lbs WW - one of my smallest smelts ever, but happy to have the Tin for future rifle bullet alloy sweetening.
I mentioned to wifey that one of these days, I'll give up smelting and buy ingots from youse guys, if possible.

[GhostHawk]

I've done it both ways. Back when people wanted to give away WW I took my share, made front stuffer balls, then sinkers, lots of fishing sinkers, then got here and my little hobby turned into an obsession of sorts.

Nowdays it is so much easier to pay 70$ for 65lbs of range scrap smelted, fluxed, poured into ingots and shipped to an end. Find some younger buck in his 30's and work out a deal with him. He does the work, you sit in the shade and show him how. You split your stash so you don't need lead for a few years and he has enough for a start.

[6mm win lee]

Well it started out a cool day today after 4 days of rain. What better time to bust out the ole propane burner and get to melting down some of my raw stash. I figured since I didn't want to spend ALL day on it I would just melt my tin/pewter stash. Then, almost as if I triggered it, as soon as I put the first mug in the pan/pot the clouds disappear like they were never there and the sun starts to beam right on me. So after about 4 hrs of sweat beading off my brow and my shirt getting soaked I was finally done. No more today. As im picking up everything I notice the hoard of 5 gal buckets staring at me. The same horde that's been in the yard for the last um.... 3 years? Wait a minute. Just doing the pewter sucked and its actually worth something. So I ponder. I buy full buckets of WWs for 20$ a pop and the shop I go to I norm get 75-80% of useable alloy. That was also 3 years ago but they do still sell their WWs. Then they need to be sorted,separated, melted, fluxed and poured. I really don't enjoy any of it except the part where I look at my stash and think to myself "NICE". Every time ive melted down my own lead ive always had a headache and backache. Im DONE!! Screw that anymore. Now don't get me wrong. When you guys started me in this hobby years ago all I had was a burner and access to free WWs. With that ive traded or sold the lead to get the things I needed to start out with. Actually you can do a lot and go far on very little money in this hobby as long as you have the right luck and hookups. With that being said..... im done with the dirty nasty lead melting. Im going to start buying lead off of forum members here. There are a few that have been selling here long before I ever got here and I haven't heard any complaints about their lead. One question I have is who is going to melt down the weights ive accumulated? If anyone is from around "or not to far from" the Baltimore area and wants to, id split my stash with them 50/50 to melt them down. Hell ill even give them my hookup.

L. Bottoms

I am a newbie to melting lead but I can give you a hand if you like. I would be coming over from the Frederick area. I have been in fits of disgust in other things so I feel your pain. Shoot me a PM.

Best regards

[Triggerfinger]

Hey I'm in Aberdeen, Md if the offer still stands. Can drive to you anytime.

[MaryB]

I keep on top of the smelting. When I have 100 pounds of WW or type lead to process I do it so it isn't such a big job. Never got a heasache fro it either but I stay well upwind of the pot when they are first melting down. I hand sort every WW so I know there is zero zinc in the pot.

[lightman]

I'm probably at or past that "lifetime supply status" but I still grab free or cheap lead. I also still do the smelting myself, even though it is getting physically harder. I use a pot that holds around 400# and it takes about 2 hours to set the pot up, load it, melt and flux it and then empty it. Once set up, its about 1-1/2 hours from loaded to empty. A pretty good workout for the ole back! I get a buddy or two to help when I can and we do their lead too. Hopefully I will be posting pictures of my next smelt sometime later this year after hunting season ends.

[mold maker]

I already have my lifetime supply, but smelting grungy scrap into useful alloy is both a pleasure and a hobby in itself.
I have 31 #s of dentist Xray foils, 80 #s of SO WWs, over 160#s of CO WWs ready to melt. I'm on my way to pick up another bucket of unsorted WWs as soon as I eat lunch.
My 53 Year habits are hard to ignore. As my life get shorter I shoot less but enjoy it more. The collecting of free lead has enabled me to buy guns that I could never afford otherwise.
I have a shooting buddy that has the combination to my safe and knows where all my stashes are. He has agreed to buy or sell all my shooting stuff when the time comes. That's going to include well over 7 tons of lead.
Looking back, it was less work in the past, but if health stays good I'll be doing it for a while longer.

[Vulcan Bob]

I don't mind smelting, but where I live now, it just won't work. My neighbors are too close.

I'm lucky, I don't like my neighbors.

[RogerDat]

For the members that say they are interested. Click on the name of the original poster located in the box on the left end of the post (see where mine says RogerDat?) that name is a link, click it and you should get a drop down list, select "Private Message". Private Message allows you to post a message just to that member. You can exchange emails of phone numbers or work out details in private without having to post that stuff in public on the forum.

I don't need the WW's and mostly just keep my eye out for good deals on "special" alloys. But I enjoy smelting and making ingots from trash. I like watching the stash grow through my efforts. That said the back is less thrilled so these days I mostly just mix what I have into alloys. With the occasional batch of pewter I have scrounged getting processed.

BUT have been thinking about seeing if one of my sources has a couple-o-buckets because that would bump me over 1000 lbs. of COWW's and it has been a good price per pound. About half of what I pay for it at a scrap yard and as we all know you can't cast and shoot what you don't have.

[OS OK]

I keep on top of the smelting. When I have 100 pounds of WW or type lead to process I do it so it isn't such a big job. Never got a heasache fro it either but I stay well upwind of the pot when they are first melting down. I hand sort every WW so I know there is zero zinc in the pot.

Doesn't it always take a good woman in the kitchen to show all us 'dumbutts' how to operate?

[alamogunr]

I thought I was thru cleaning up WW but I was cleaning up around the shop and found 3 buckets in back where I seldom go. One of the buckets was completely full of SOWW. I guess I've got one more session before I hang up the big melting tools. With over 2 tons of WW ingots the sons will either have to take up casting or tell me before it is too late that they don't want to be stuck with it.

[RogerDat]

I thought I was thru cleaning up WW but I was cleaning up around the shop and found 3 buckets in back.... With over 2 tons of WW ingots the sons will either have to take up casting or tell me before it is too late that they don't want to be stuck with it.

Oh heck letting our kids deal with our lead after were gone is how we let them earn that inheritance. Been thinking I might start moving it down to the basement a little at a time :-) No actually I told them to contact the moderators and arrange to post it for sale here if none of the kids or grandkids want it. Sort of figure the already cast stuff would keep them reloading for a good bit.

[buckshotshoey]

Long ago I realized I'd rather buy ready to cast ingots for about $1.00 per pound shipped to my porch. This was after an afternoon of smelting 3 buckets of clip on wheel weights. I looked at all the work I had in them to get "Cheap" alloy.

Gas to search for and pick up the raw weights
Cost of raw weights
Propane
Fish fryer
Ingot molds
Time, time, time


At the end of the day, $1.00-ish a pound shipped to my door and ready to go in the pot was cheaper than the "Free" or "Cheap" raw weights, lol. If I need a specific alloy, then I'll buy it from Roto-Metals. It is certified so no guessing if my 20:1 is really 20:1 etc.

May I ask where are you getting lead at 1 dollar a pound shipped? I looked at Rotometals and it was around 3 dollars a pound.

[alamogunr]

Long ago I realized I'd rather buy ready to cast ingots for about $1.00 per pound shipped to my porch.




May I ask where are you getting lead at 1 dollar a pound shipped? I looked at Rotometals and it was around 3 dollars a pound.

He said "long ago". Depending on an individual's situation, it could still be a bargain.

While I was accumulating WW metal I also accumulated a lot of "enrichment" metal, tin/lead solder and pulverized antimony. I find, after gaining some experience, that I seldom need anything more than WW + tin(solder). Again, that is my individual situation based on my shooting.

[RogerDat]

May I ask where are you getting lead at 1 dollar a pound shipped? I looked at Rotometals and it was around 3 dollars a pound.

Swapping and Selling forum of this board. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?18-Swappin-amp-Sellin go through the pages there are several folks selling re-claimed berm lead, WW's both clip on and soft stick on, tin/pewter, Linotype and other printers lead. Prices tend to be around 1/2 of Rotometals or less. Typical price for WW or berm lead is $63 - $65 for 50# which is $1 per pound plus $13 for shipping in MFRB (medium flat rate box), the post office if it fits it ships is a lead seller/buyers best friend. Tin alloys or harder lead alloys vary but always much less than Rotometals.

What you get from Rotometals is foundry pure lead or alloys, typically very consistent. My scrap pewter batches can go anywhere from 88% tin to 93% tin. And COWW (clip on wheel weights) vary in hardness batch to batch because it is scrap and what is in the bucket is not consistent. Not that it seems to make much difference as far as I can tell, but some people may prefer the precision of the foundry alloy and the convenience of ordering in bulk so they don't mind the higher Rotometals price.

[6mm win lee]

I used to purchase Rotometals linotype because I was in Afghanistan and could not join in the hunt for free range pewter items. Built up a stash of eighty-five pounds of lino I did. I read where lino made the best target bullets. I think it was from Frixell. My goal (read: insanity) was to have a ton of linotype. ...But I'm feeling much better now.

But in the last couple of months I found around twenty-five pounds of pewter stuff with an average of six dollars a pound. When will I feel better after this insanity wears off?

[buckshotshoey]

He said "long ago". Depending on an individual's situation, it could still be a bargain.

While I was accumulating WW metal I also accumulated a lot of "enrichment" metal, tin/lead solder and pulverized antimony. I find, after gaining some experience, that I seldom need anything more than WW + tin(solder). Again, that is my individual situation based on my shooting.


Swapping and Selling forum of this board. http://castboolits.gunloads.com/forumdisplay.php?18-Swappin-amp-Sellin go through the pages there are several folks selling re-claimed berm lead, WW's both clip on and soft stick on, tin/pewter, Linotype and other printers lead. Prices tend to be around 1/2 of Rotometals or less. Typical price for WW or berm lead is $63 - $65 for 50# which is $1 per pound plus $13 for shipping in MFRB (medium flat rate box), the post office if it fits it ships is a lead seller/buyers best friend. Tin alloys or harder lead alloys vary but always much less than Rotometals.

What you get from Rotometals is foundry pure lead or alloys, typically very consistent. My scrap pewter batches can go anywhere from 88% tin to 93% tin. And COWW (clip on wheel weights) vary in hardness batch to batch because it is scrap and what is in the bucket is not consistent. Not that it seems to make much difference as far as I can tell, but some people may prefer the precision of the foundry alloy and the convenience of ordering in bulk so they don't mind the higher Rotometals price.

Sorry. My bad. I should have read closer. Here i was ready to have an orgasm over cheap lead and you all ruined it! THANKS ALOT!

Ill look into the sale/swap area. Havent really searched that section much.

[RogerDat]

I used to purchase Rotometals linotype because I was in Afghanistan and could not join in the hunt for free range pewter items. Built up a stash of eighty-five pounds of lino I did. I read where lino made the best target bullets. I think it was from Frixell. My goal (read: insanity) was to have a ton of linotype. ...But I'm feeling much better now.

But in the last couple of months I found around twenty-five pounds of pewter stuff with an average of six dollars a pound. When will I feel better after this insanity wears off?

In revolver I get better results from 50/50 COWW/Plain + 1.4% tin I think the bullets obturation is better from the softer lead. You can get to the same place using your linotype in small quantities to improve plain lead. And that pewter gives you the tin to mix up some Lino/Plain/Tin and get Lyman #2 which is a also a good alloy. Actually my favorite for rifle or magnums and #2 cuts well down to 1.5/1.5 which is great casting pistol ammo.

I think I recall when you were talking about starting an accumulation by having regular purchases shipped to you home here in the states from Rotometals, glad to hear your saving program worked out.

[imashooter2]

I always did that chore in the early spring, late fall. 45 - 50 degrees is the right temperature for me to be standing over a couple hundred pounds of molten metal.

[6mm win lee]

In revolver I get better results from 50/50 COWW/Plain + 1.4% tin I think the bullets obturation is better from the softer lead. You can get to the same place using your linotype in small quantities to improve plain lead. And that pewter gives you the tin to mix up some Lino/Plain/Tin and get Lyman #2 which is a also a good alloy. Actually my favorite for rifle or magnums and #2 cuts well down to 1.5/1.5 which is great casting pistol ammo.

I think I recall when you were talking about starting an accumulation by having regular purchases shipped to you home here in the states from Rotometals, glad to hear your saving program worked out.

Your recall is spot on! The great thing is I am trying to get back over to pay for more lino.

I have since learned it is best to mix the lino with lead to make bullet/barrel friendly alloy.

[Mauser48]

When I start casting here soon I will be buying lead from forum members also. Hard to find COWW in california, doubt it will be cheap either. A $1 a pound shipped and I dont have to mess with a giant pot of lead. Still saving a ton of money too.

[fatelk]

The point where it's no longer worth it is different for everyone. I'm getting to the point where I'm wondering whether it's worth my time as well. I have maybe a quarter ton of scrap that I need to process but I think that may be it for me also. Honestly that with about that much in ingots already will last me decades with as much as I shoot.

I passed up a bunch of free brass today too. I had the range to myself due to the weather, and the gravel was covered with 9mm, literally thousands. I started to pick it up as I have in the past, but then stopped. As much as I have already and as cheap as 9mm brass is, it just isn't worth my time to kneel in the gravel for an hour picking it up. Someone else can have it.

[leadbutt]

Doesn't it always take a good woman in the kitchen to show all us 'dumbutts' how to operate?

More times than not.

[Mitch]

I am nlike some here near a life supplie.I still look for lead a take free ww.but I don't get excited if I do not find anything on a trip.No big del either way anymore

[dtknowles]

The point where it's no longer worth it is different for everyone. I'm getting to the point where I'm wondering whether it's worth my time as well. I have maybe a quarter ton of scrap that I need to process but I think that may be it for me also. Honestly that with about that much in ingots already will last me decades with as much as I shoot.

I passed up a bunch of free brass today too. I had the range to myself due to the weather, and the gravel was covered with 9mm, literally thousands. I started to pick it up as I have in the past, but then stopped. As much as I have already and as cheap as 9mm brass is, it just isn't worth my time to kneel in the gravel for an hour picking it up. Someone else can have it.

I am not sure I would take it even if someone put it in a bucket for me. Then I would probably just take it to the scrap yard.

Tim

[BigEyeBob]

we have a recycling center here ,aluminium soft drinks cans and pet bottles are worth 10cents each ( you pay extra for the soft drinks, but we dont have tons of cans and bottles on the road sides) . I keep my cans and bottles in wool bales and when full I take them to the recycler , they count them and I get a hand full of cash . I use that cash to buy wheel weights which are sold to the recycler by the tyre shops . I pay 21cent per kilo (2.2 lbs per kilo )for wheel weights and I sort them on site so I don't get steel or zinc stuff I don't want.Last time I got a heap of ingots that some one had cast and decided to throw into the wheel weight container .
There are people here that make a living scrounging cans and bottles and selling them to the recycle center. The local Scouts and other organizations also collect them and get some funding from that as well . All in all its a good system that works for me , keeps the highways clean and keeps the junk out of land fill.

[Vinne]

If I ever get to the point that I have no more room for my stash I will have to just build a bigger place!!:bigsmyl2:

[RogerDat]

If you add more than you use at a steady rate eventually you have a nice stash. Buying some on the forum every month or two, hitting tire stores, scrap yards, or auctions/estate sales. Whatever as long as you add more than you use, and add on a regular basis you will eventually hit the point where adding more is entirely optional. Great price or especially good alloy? Well then I buy it. Otherwise I can just pass, or leave it for someone else. Or check around and see if someone else can use it.

If not for the thrill of the treasure hunt I would buy here on the forum, instead I use selling here as an excuse to buy good stuff when I find it. Shhhh don't tell wife.