Zinc wheel weights.

[Sam Sackett]

I have just made another round of the local tire shops. I'm finding less lead wheel weights every time I go out. This is probably not news to most, but to me it's pretty sad. One of the reasons I cast is because I can get low cost lead and WW to cast with. If I have to buy lead alloy and pay shipping, the cost goes way up. Much as I enjoy casting, I will probably start buying bullets.

But, what are the possibilities with zinc? I am finding a goodly amount of "Zn" marked wheelweights. I have read a few places that some are casting bullets with them. I know that it would require another casting setup so the lead casting pots wouldn't get contaminated. What else would it take? Is it feasible? Are the Zn bullets too hard? Do they cast well?.

Let's hear from the gurus out there about experiences in zinc casting!

Thanks.

[GregLaROCHE]

Elvis Ammo on YouTube was experimenting with zinc boolits. You might want to checkout some of his videos on the subject.
There’s always the possibility of recycling lead from shooting ranges, if there are some around you that allow it.

[6mm win lee]

Now is the time to buy a thousand pounds of lead if you can swing it. Price ain't going to go down as long as the Fedral Reserve keeps inflating the money supply. Don't think back ten years from now and say I wish I would have bought a ton of lead at $1.80 when I had the chance.

I've been saving my zinc weights because they will be valuable just for being the last of the cheap non-ferrus base metals.

[ioon44]

I always save my zinc ww and have been able to sell them but might need to learn to cast with them some day.

[downzero]

I'm more curious what they're worth, as I have a few hundred pounds of zinc weights that I'd like to convert into cash.

[GregLaROCHE]

Zinc is valuable for making self sacrificing anodes. If you have a lot, a scrap dealer may buy it, or trade pure lead for it.

[bangerjim]

Recyclers DO have a market for pure Zn scrap. Check locally and see what you can get. Zn is a very popular primary metal in industry.

Google the current market price for Zn and you will see the current $$ on the LME (London Metals Exchange priced per metric ton). Your local price will vary!!!!!!!

The net is your close handy friend for EACH & EVERY question you could possible ever ask!

[Slugster]

I scored several hundred pounds of pure lead "roof jacks, lead sheet, lead pipes) in the last few months from my local scrapyard. It only cost me .65 a pound. Some scrapyards will sell to individuals, some won't. You won't know until you ask.

[Sam Sackett]

Thanks for the good replies. I have been keeping all of the lead WW and taking the rest to the scrappie. Not getting much for it, but at least it gets recycled. If I had storage room I'd consider hanging on to the zinc ones.

If a guy wanted to try to cast some zinc bullets, would he gave to use separate equipment so as not to contaminate the normal lead pot and stuff?

[Winger Ed.]

Check out the videos on youtube from guys that have already made the switch to Zinc.

Also, do a web search for 'Zinc Boolits' and 'Cast Zinc bullets'.
It'll take you to several old threads on different forums about it.

[Krag1902]

Last week I sold an ingot I made from zinc ww, since i had the fire going. It weighed about ten pounds, and I got .38$ per lb. for it. I won't waste my time again and hard as it is to get that stuff to melt.

[Rizzo]

I have just made another round of the local tire shops. I'm finding less lead wheel weights every time I go out. This is probably not news to most, but to me it's pretty sad. One of the reasons I cast is because I can get low cost lead and WW to cast with. If I have to buy lead alloy and pay shipping, the cost goes way up. Much as I enjoy casting, I will probably start buying bullets.


If you have a friend who is a roofer, ask him for the lead that he removes from the jobs he does.
Or, perhaps go to a roofer's business and ask there.
It's a good source for pure lead.

Regarding casting with Zinc,....ughh-hh, ...the lead miners at the shooting range aren't going to like that stuff mixed in when they smelt that lead.:x

[Winger Ed.]

...ughh-hh, ...the lead miners at the shooting range aren't going to like that stuff mixed in when they smelt that lead.:x

I've already run across a couple.
I don't melt the range stuff any hotter than I need to in my old Pro-Melt, and they float right up.
It might not even get hot enough to melt them.

[Sam Sackett]

Good point. I hadn't thought about polluting the range. I think I'll keep giving them to the scrappie.

[Bookworm]

Keep in mind, Zinc wheel weights are not pure Zn. They are an alloy called "Zamac".

It's Zinc aluminum mixture.

[fredj338]

Agree, if paying more than $1/# for alloy, I am not likely casting my bulk bullets. Berm mining is pretty much what I have gone to for alloy. WW are just way to much hit or miss in states that banned lead. Its a lot of work for little gain vs berm mining.

[Dukeconnor]

Could we melt them down and make High Point pistols ?