Wheel weight yield

[TonyR]

Scored a free 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights. Sorted it and got about 110 lbs lead wheel weights and 20 lbs of zinc/steel/weird plastic weights.

What’s a good approximation of lead ingot weight I can expect from the 110 lbs? I also separated the soft stick on weights, do you guys just add those in with the clip ons?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Czech_too]

I would expect to lose roughly 10% on the clips. A lot depends on the size of the weights. Are they truck size, large, or smaller. Larger weights equate to fewer clips.
I would also keep the stick on weights separate. They are usually softer lead vs. the clip on and are good for black powder users.

[CastingFool]

When I sort wheel weights, the stick on go in one pile, as they are very soft lead, good for ML's. The Clamp on wheel weight go into a separate pile. Generally, they are good as is, for pistol boolits. Keep the piles separate, and make sure you mark the ingots.

[TrxR]

How pure of lead are wheel weights ?

[Targa]

Your not kidding that you scored. A five gallon bucket of wheel weights where I am at returns the opposite, 100 lbs of junk and 20 lbs of useable lead.

[TonyR]

How pure of lead are wheel weights ?

No idea


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TonyR]

Your not kidding that you scored. A five gallon bucket of wheel weights where I am at returns the opposite, 100 lbs of junk and 20 lbs of useable lead.

The tow service in my area pulls them off when they are selling old tires or rims. He told me he will set them aside from me from now on. Said the guy that used to take them passed away a few years ago and it’s not worth it for him to sort it all and scrap it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[megasupermagnum]

Keep the stick on's separate. They are near pure lead, ideal for anything blackpowder.

[dimaprok]

Your not kidding that you scored. A five gallon bucket of wheel weights where I am at returns the opposite, 100 lbs of junk and 20 lbs of useable lead.That's about what I get! Maybe not total junk as I keep Zinc too for the future.

Sent from my SM-G950U1 using Tapatalk

[GasGuzzler]

I usually get 1/3 yield from unsorted wheel weights.

[Gewehr-Guy]

The wheel weights in my area run about 60% lead and 40% junk. Actually I'm finding fewer zinc, and much more iron stick on, and some kind of plastic? mystery weight tape. Still get about 2 buckets a year from my local station, for free.

[bangerjim]

I quit using COWW's when the ratios got over 65% Zn/Fe. Not worth the time and mess. Even when free. Back in the good old days, the ratio was 98% Pb and the rest was garbage and clips! Now if I ever need COWW's I will buy them from people on here already cleaned and in ingots. But I doubt I will ever need that anymore, as my "collection" has over 1,300# of COWW alloy nicely stored away! But my favorite 300gn 45LC slugs do use a bit-o-lead when casting!

[lightman]

Scored a free 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights. Sorted it and got about 110 lbs lead wheel weights and 20 lbs of zinc/steel/weird plastic weights.

What’s a good approximation of lead ingot weight I can expect from the 110 lbs? I also separated the soft stick on weights, do you guys just add those in with the clip ons?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I estimate between 10 and 15% for the clips. Nice Score!

[lightman]

How pure of lead are wheel weights ?

Stick-on weights usually run 99% or more lead. Consider it to be soft. Clip-on weights usually run 95-96% PB, less than 1% SN, 2-3% SB with a trace of Arsenic. They seem to be amazingly consistent.