Zinc wheel weights

[abunaitoo]

What to do with zinc wheel weights?????
I don't know if this will work or not, but someday I going to try.
I try to keep the zinc.
Planing to melt them down into a bar or flat stock.
Zinc is used to electro plate metal for rust resistance.
Might work.

[rancher1913]

when Hawaii bans lead you will have something to cast roundballs with.

[RED BEAR]

I cast for my shotgun with zinc waste not want not. I only shoot them for fun so as long as it goes bang and tears up the target i am fine.

[lightman]

I am saving enough to make a Kayak anchor, about the size of a 16 to a 22oz can. Other than that I sell them to the scrap yard. Some cast cannon balls and sinkers from them.

[Geezer in NH]

What to do with zinc wheel weights?????
I don't know if this will work or not, but someday I going to try.
I try to keep the zinc.
Planing to melt them down into a bar or flat stock.
Zinc is used to electro plate metal for rust resistance.
Might work.
Put fishing line thru the clip holes and use as sinkers to fish with. Use a smaller # test on a drop to hold them and when they get snagged who cares when they break off and get lost.

[jdfoxinc]

I cast cannon balls.

[glicerin]

I've heard that slag losses are large, some say flux with Na, Ca, and K Cl or borax; I'll try the last for 50 lb of sorted zinc WW(for pyramid shaped boat anchors.)

[Ozark mike]

I keep zinc and lead mixed only throw out stuff that doesn't melt like steel. it cast just fine for me helps my lead supply go further too

[LAGS]

I make Drilling Jigs out of the Zinc, and soft Jaws for my Vise.
Tons of uses, and is better than wasting Good lead or tying it up for any period of time.

[Stephen Cohen]

Cast a large pan sized block of Zinc. For those times you need something harder than wood bench but softer than steel bench to beat on. Regards Stephen

[LAGS]

I will have to try casting some Barrel "Plugs " for Lapping Barrels.
It is harder than the lead Plugs, but soft enough to be able to be coated with the abrasive polishing compound and not leave a lead residue behind, or wear as fast as lead plugs do.
I have made assembly blocks from the Zinc before and they work well for something Semi Non Marring when pounding in pins and such.

[richhodg66]

I have a couple of sinker molds, one casts egg sinkers for use with plastic worms and the other several different weights of bank sinkers. Always wondered if the zinc ones could cast good sinkers since I see lead fishing tackle being banned soon.

[LAGS]

Zinc will cast good, " IF" you get the Zinc at the right temperature, and your mold is at the right temperature.
Both are much Hotter than if you were using Lead.
I mean a LOT Hotter, especially the molten Zinc.
The castings take a Lot Longer to Cool and solidify.
I Have cast slugs in Boolit molds for use in Lapping the mold to a larger diameter.
But the sprue is so hard, if you try to cast useable boolits that the sprue cutter will not cut it off.
But when making the lapping slugs, I make a plate that bolts to the top of the mold in place of the Sprue Cutter that acts as a holder and guide for a piece of 1/2" aluminum tubing, that acts as the mold for the Stem to hold the lapping slug.
The mold is then lapped by hand turning the zinc slug in the stem by hand with Polishing compound or Chrome Polish on the lapping slug.
After you lap the mold where the lapping tool spins really easily, but you need to lap the mold to a larger diameter, then you just cast another Larger diameter, in the mold you just Lapped, then lap the mold some more.
I have taken a Lee .312 mold all the way out to .317 and the boolits cast with it , sized to .316 shot excellent.

[Ozark mike]

Zinc will cast good, " IF" you get the Zinc at the right temperature, and your mold is at the right temperature.
Both are much Hotter than if you were using Lead.
I mean a LOT Hotter, especially the molten Zinc.
The castings take a Lot Longer to Cool and solidify.
I Have cast slugs in Boolit molds for use in Lapping the mold to a larger diameter.
But the sprue is so hard, if you try to cast useable boolits that the sprue cutter will not cut it off.
But when making the lapping slugs, I make a plate that bolts to the top of the mold in place of the Sprue Cutter that acts as a holder and guide for a piece of 1/2" aluminum tubing, that acts as the mold for the Stem to hold the lapping slug.
The mold is then lapped by hand turning the zinc slug in the stem by hand with Polishing compound or Chrome Polish on the lapping slug.
After you lap the mold where the lapping tool spins really easily, but you need to lap the mold to a larger diameter, then you just cast another Larger diameter, in the mold you just Lapped, then lap the mold some more.
I have taken a Lee .312 mold all the way out to .317 and the boolits cast with it , sized to .316 shot excellent.

I 2nd what he says but when lapping molds I center drill the boolit partway then I thread a long wood screw in and turn it clockwise. And I find the sprue cuts easier if the boolit is still pretty warm not hot enough to smear or tear