I'm guessing this isn't a lead WW, with pics

[Russel Nash]

I took you all's advice from another thread I started.

I melted down some wheelweights the other night.

I took my side cutters (aka linesman pliers) to a buch of 'em to figure out what is and is NOT a lead wheelweight.

I got some of these in the bucket of WW's.

I could barely just score the surface of them with the linesman pliers.

I then tried to take a razor blade utitily knife to 'em.

It would just kinda scrape them with the razor.

Here's the front:

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q101/chills1994/NotAleadWW1.jpg

Here's the back (notice how the clip almost looks riveted onto the weight):

http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q101/chills1994/NotAleadWW2.jpg

I run my turkery fryer at full blast so I didn't want to risk getting some zinc in there by mistake.

I wondering if the "AL" stands for aluminum??

Thanks!

[Johnch]

I wondering if the "AL" stands for aluminum??

Thanks!

It means that WW is designed for a Aluminum rim

John

[Russel Nash]

Ahh... okay... thanks John.

I still couldn't cut the darn thing.

It was taking everything with both hands to even put a tiny score mark in the surface of it.

The lead stuff on the other, cut like butter.

Guys, Thanks for the tips in that other thread.

:drinks:

[billyb]

Its looks like one of the steel weights. Do you have bench grinder, touch it to the grinder, if it sparks its ferris. Bill

[yondering]

Zinc is pretty hard too, compared to lead, so that's a possibility. If it doesn't grind like steel, I'd guess zinc.

[DLCTEX]

Test it with a magnet on the weight part away from the clip. If it is magnetic, it's iron.

[largom]

Test it with a magnet. The ones I have found were Zinc. Most of import cars have zinc weights.
Larry

[cajun shooter]

I had about 6 of those in my last process. All could be picked up with a magnet as suggested by the above members

[clodhopper]

The riveted clip attachment tells me steel. Some steel WW I have found have FE on them meaning ferris to my clouded mind.

[montana_charlie]

It was taking everything with both hands to even put a tiny score mark in the surface of it.
You know...if you really horse on something that linesman pliers (or dykes) won't cut, all you do is ruin the cutting edge on the pliers.
CM

[Wandering Man]

I've come up with a bucket of wheel weights from various sources.

Last night I melted some, and found that I had a few weights that wouldn't melt readily.

I culled those off the top of the smelt.

Tell me if I'm wrong fellas:

I believe I did not contaminate my lead ingots with Zinc because I got them out of the smelt before they began to melt.

Today, the ingots still look bright and shiney.

Skimming the unmeltables wasn't that hard to do. And if I'm right, I won't fear accidently getting the wrong wheel weights into the pot anymore.

WM

[DLCTEX]

That's the way I do it, after a visual check. The zinc and steel float long after the lead has melted. DALE

[Jon K]

Wandering Man,

Yep, watch the floaters, and skim before the temp gets too high. If you're going to use a lot of heat, don't walk away from it...........

Jon