I actually turned down a bucket of wheel weights today

[scotner]

Over the last two weeks I have been to all my old haunts looking for wheel weights. Nothing doin'. One guy told me to check back this week. I called today and he said he did have a bucket so I drove out there. One of the guys in the shop poured weights from several buckets into one and heaped it up over the top. After they loaded it on the truck for me one of the other guys asked how much I was paying for them. I told him that the agreed price was $25. He then asked how many buckets I wanted. I asked how many they had. He seemed not to want to answer my question and instead asked how many I wanted. I finally said that I was looking for two but would take three. It didn't take him long to come up with three and said he had enough to fill a fourth one if I wanted it. I remembered how long it took to sort three buckets before and I had a pretty good stash from that run so I decided three was enough. I guess if the lead percentage in these three is good, that will be plenty for now. If it is mostly zinc and steel then another bucket of the same wouldn't be much help.

[Bookworm]

I'm not so full of lead that I turn down buckets of wheel weights yet. However, I do look somewhat sideways at them now.

The percentage of lead keeps dropping, in favor of steel.
Even the zinc, which may be useful for something, doesn't show up as much as it once did.

I've pretty much stopped actively looking for buckets of weights. Sometimes I still run across them, but I don't go looking.

[dg31872]

Scrap wheel weights are 13 cents a pound here in central Texas. I picked up 573 pounds with close to 70 per cent lead. And quite a few the big truck weights.

[TexasGrunt]

Scrap wheel weights are 13 cents a pound here in central Texas. I picked up 573 pounds with close to 70 per cent lead. And quite a few the big truck weights.

Buying or selling?

Where in Central Texas?

My local scrap yard quit buying them as they lead % was too low to make it worth handling them. He was paying $0.10 a lb. Selling for $0.20.

[Hardcast416taylor]

With my age and health issues I have stopped accepting weights from my friend that owns a car dealership. Besides the fact that the weights are becoming more zinc and other ferrous metals not lead and the fact I have 5 full to the top sorted lead weights unsmelted and another full unsorted pail of weights plus about 250 +/- ingoted weights I am set for my life. Then there are the +/- 500 lbs. of hospital shielding lead to be smelted.Robert

[lightman]

If I was in the market for weights, I would have taken that other bucket. My reasoning is that they are getting more and more scarce. Sorting is not that big of a deal, if you have the time or if you are not on a tight schedule. Its slow, dull, boring, dirty, ect;, all of the above. The smelting is the hard part for me. Where I used to fire up the pot and do it myself, I now wait on a buddy or two to help. It helps that I'm in no hurry.

[scotner]

If I was in the market for weights, I would have taken that other bucket. My reasoning is that they are getting more and more scarce. Sorting is not that big of a deal, if you have the time or if you are not on a tight schedule. Its slow, dull, boring, dirty, ect;, all of the above. The smelting is the hard part for me. Where I used to fire up the pot and do it myself, I now wait on a buddy or two to help. It helps that I'm in no hurry.I already had a fair amount here but I took note of how much I was using each time while molding 240 grain for the 300 BLK and 200 grain 45"s. I decided I would like to add a little "cushion" to my stash. On the other hand, I am going to be 67 this year and I have to consider what my wife would have to deal with in the event something should happen to me. I will get all of this stuff sorted out and cast into ingots. Then I will explain to her what clean lead is worth and instruct her on how to use Craigslist.

The other reason I did not take the fourth bucket is because I wanted to see what ratio it is running now. I have sorted a small portion of each bucket (enough to lighten them enough to move them off the truck) and found less zinc and fewer stick on weights than last time. There has been a considerable amount of steel in what I have sorted to this point. I guess I will finish that job and see what the result is.

[scotner]

I'm not so full of lead that I turn down buckets of wheel weights yet. However, I do look somewhat sideways at them now.

The percentage of lead keeps dropping, in favor of steel.
Even the zinc, which may be useful for something, doesn't show up as much as it once did.

I've pretty much stopped actively looking for buckets of weights. Sometimes I still run across them, but I don't go looking.

That is the result that I am looking at on this batch. I would not turn any down now if they were free but that is not the case. I just wanted to supplement what I had on hand. I will have to see what shows up in these buckets other than valve stems and chicken bones.

[scotner]

If I was in the market for weights, I would have taken that other bucket. My reasoning is that they are getting more and more scarce. Sorting is not that big of a deal, if you have the time or if you are not on a tight schedule. Its slow, dull, boring, dirty, ect;, all of the above. The smelting is the hard part for me. Where I used to fire up the pot and do it myself, I now wait on a buddy or two to help. It helps that I'm in no hurry.

As soon as I get these sorted I will start smelting. I have to get some of this stuff up out of the floor in the middle of my shop. If there is enough lesd to justify the cost of the bucket I may go back and see what they have at that time.

[scotner]

Buying or selling?

Where in Central Texas?

My local scrap yard quit buying them as they lead % was too low to make it worth handling them. He was paying $0.10 a lb. Selling for $0.20.
Here they pay .20 for lead weights and sell for $.70

[scotner]

Scrap wheel weights are 13 cents a pound here in central Texas. I picked up 573 pounds with close to 70 per cent lead. And quite a few the big truck weights.

This had to be close to 450 pounds so that would be about 16 cents a pound. The question is how much of it is useful in my lot. I would be very happy if it comes out to 70%.

[rondog]

I'm such a packrat that I'd haul home all the weights/lead I could nab, and I have. But realistically, I don't shoot nearly that often, and I've already got more dang ingots stashed than I'll likely ever use. Same with brass. And loaded ammo. But I still want more. It's a sickness.....

[Skipper]

I actually turned down a bucket of wheel weights today



190828

[308Jeff]

I remembered how long it took to sort three buckets before and I had a pretty good stash from that run so I decided three was enough.

I hear ya. Those last 4 buckets I picked up took me 3 nights after work and a full weekend to get sorted. I still have 2 full sorted buckets to melt. That's why I didn't even try this week.


190828

Hahaha!

[mold maker]

rondog, you're not alone in this. The volume I cast and shoot compared to the amount I add to the collection is rapidly changing. With tonnage on hand and several more buckets ready to smelt, it's apparent I have enough. The lifelong habit of adding to the stash still is like a siren's song calling to me.
True the % is less and the work is more, but I can't stop.

[Possum Lickaa]

Just picked up 3 buckets unsorted for $15. Grab it while you can boys!

[Vinne]

WHAT A HAUL!! Make that down as your #1 place.

[lightman]

I already had a fair amount here but I took note of how much I was using each time while molding 240 grain for the 300 BLK and 200 grain 45"s. I decided I would like to add a little "cushion" to my stash. On the other hand, I am going to be 67 this year and I have to consider what my wife would have to deal with in the event something should happen to me. I will get all of this stuff sorted out and cast into ingots. Then I will explain to her what clean lead is worth and instruct her on how to use Craigslist.

The other reason I did not take the fourth bucket is because I wanted to see what ratio it is running now. I have sorted a small portion of each bucket (enough to lighten them enough to move them off the truck) and found less zinc and fewer stick on weights than last time. There has been a considerable amount of steel in what I have sorted to this point. I guess I will finish that job and see what the result is.

All good reasons and I apologize if I sounded judgmental. I'm kinda like these other guys and don't know when to call it quits. My Wife and/or kids are going to hate me after I'm gone! Unless one of them takes up casting! I hope you get a good yield from that haul. I'm sitting on a good batch of sorted weights right now and I'm hoping me and my Buds can get together and smelt one day next week. They sure take up less room as ingots than as weights in a bucket!

[badbob454]

smelting in the city isnt so good my neighbor didnt like the smell , now i figure i will need to go to the public range to smelt , away from the shooters , around here not much lead left at the tire shops @ 10% is lead of some kind, the rest is garbage ...

[quail4jake]

Lead is the staff of life! Right along with arsenic and mercury, I'll take that 4th bucket and sort it until my hands bleed...I really like sorting range scrap and wheelweights but I can understand the fatigue you must feel. Isn't it like having three beautiful lassies courting your favor but that fourth maiden, well, it's just one over the top. Yeah that's what casting boolits is like, like too many young lassies...OK, I'll shut the hell up at your request but best wishes on your alloy find!

[scotner]

< around here not much lead left at the tire shops @ 10% is lead of some kind, the rest is garbage ...>

That sounds all too familiar. This lot is looking much different than what I got from the same place a couple of months ago. So far there is just enough lead in it to cause me to question my first impression that I was not the first scrounger to go through those buckets.

[MaryB]

I sort by dumping the bucket on the floor, then I go over it with a powerful magnet on a stick and pick out all the steel. Then I shovel them into a pile and start hand sorting to get the zinc out. The magnet occasionally grabs a clip on a lead weight but they are easy to see when sort because I test the end of the weight against the magnet as I pull them off.

[scotner]

I sort by dumping the bucket on the floor, then I go over it with a powerful magnet on a stick and pick out all the steel. Then I shovel them into a pile and start hand sorting to get the zinc out. The magnet occasionally grabs a clip on a lead weight but they are easy to see when sort because I test the end of the weight against the magnet as I pull them off.

The magnet that I use picks up everything including any clip on weights that it gets near. I do use it like you said touching the end of a weight to the magnet. I don't have too much trouble sorting out the steel. There is just so dang much of it this time. I poured one bucket at a time into my wheelbarrow to spread them out. Then I can sit on a 5 gallon bucket with several more buckets around me and deal them out like 5 card stud.

Reminds me of a time before I retired. I was in maintenance and between calls supervision was happy to have us in the work area and allowed us to pull up a 5 gallon bucket and sit down. They were metal buckets and had "5 U.S. Gallons" stamped on the bottom. We had a really slow day and one of my buddies said when he got home and undressed to shower his wife wanted to know why he had "Us Gals" stamped on his backside.

[TexasGrunt]

My "sorting" table is the same size as those oil drip pans at Walmart. It's tall enough I can get my legs under it and sit in my nice comfortable chair and sort weights.

I cover the oil drip pan in newspaper, dump the weights and start sorting. The newspaper makes cleanup easy as I just roll it up and throw it away.

It took me less than an hour to build the table.

Work smarter, not harder.

[RP]

Guys I think if your going to get any lead you better get it now before all the lead WWs are gone. Whats going to be left to get ? Range lead medical lead roofing and plumping lead and foundry lead. That is the sources I can think of off the top of my head well the scrape yard but buying it before it gets there should be cheaper.
One of my local scrape yards would sell to me from time to time but I was told some guy made a deal with the owner to buy all his pure lead at a set price and I know he owns two yards both are fairly large yards. So I wonder what this guy is doing with the lead, When I asked the guy I was looking at a easy 10 plus tons sitting to the side.

[dbosman]

Render your weights on the hottest days when the neighbors are all inside with their AC blasting. They shouldn't smell a thing. In Michigan, we can, but I don't, render on the cold days when people are snuggled up inside.



smelting in the city isnt so good my neighbor didnt like the smell , now i figure i will need to go to the public range to smelt , away from the shooters , around here not much lead left at the tire shops @ 10% is lead of some kind, the rest is garbage ...

[scotner]

Guys I think if your going to get any lead you better get it now before all the lead WWs are gone.

Judging from this lot I may be too late.

[308Jeff]

Judging from this lot I may be too late.

I stumbled into a fellow caster's "turf?" the other day. Hit a couple of tire stores next to each other in Scottsdale and both of them told me someone had just picked them up the day before.

[Plate plinker]

Get yourself a PID controlled smelter and sorting gets easy.:wink:

[scotner]

Get yourself a PID controlled smelter and sorting gets easy.:wink:

I have a PID for casting but I smelt with a turkey fryer. I don't think there is a practical (cheap) way to do that. Besides, this will probably be the last time I mess with this. Not enough lead to justify the effort.

[scotner]

In the end it looks like about 40% to no more than 50% lead in this lot. A little disappointing and not a very good return on the money. Today I took the scrap to the scrap yard. Two buckets at least 3/4 full. Weighed in at 176# and brought $22. HOWEVER, as I was leaving I spotted a couple of people pulling what appeared to be lead pipe from the back of their truck. I went over to see whether it was pipe or telephone cable. It was lead pipe, and not too nasty. After mentioning that I would offer a better price than the scrap dealer I followed them inside. It weighed 135# and the dealer offered $27. I offered $30 and took it home. I spent the rest of the afternoon smelting the pipe into 3# ingots. It made me feel a little better after the wheel weight let down.191450191451