X-ray wall lead

[Leon B]

Many years ago I found a Craigslist ad for lead blocks that came from a medical building that was being destroyed or renovated. So I bought 100 or 200 pounds. I’ve only used it for making surf fishing spider weights. Anyone have a rough idea or experience on the metal composition and hardness for X-ray wall blocks?

Interested in casting boolits for all my calibers. This place is a wealth of knowledge that I’ve read off and on over time.

[kevin c]

These are blocks, not lead sheet?

The ones I've gotten from two or three different sources were all for radioisotope diagnostics or cancer therapy, and analyzed out as pure. The sheet from the same sources (radiopharmacies) was also pure.

I've read here that the lead sheet used in XRay rooms often has a bit of antimony in it.

Th blocks I got were regular brick sized, made a thud on being dropped on concrete, and were soft enough to to mark with a thumbnail.

[Leon B]

These are blocks, but not a traditional brick style. They have edges/sides like this v ^, they interlock concave and convex. It’s been awhile since I’ve had to make fishing weights, I remember them being pretty soft. I have not weighed one but I would guess they are over 10#.

These could have came from radioisotope diagnostics rooms or X-ray. The contractor doing the work said X-ray but we didn’t discuss much. He had lead and I needed it.

[lightman]

They are probably close to pure lead. Nice Score!

[woodpile]

I have about a thousand pounds of that so far. I use it as almost pure lead and add it to lino type before casting

[bangerjim]

I have used many hundreds of pounds of X-ray room lead lining and it is all as close to pure as you can get. Treat is as such and use the free alloy calculator found on this forum to figure out your mix.

Where ya' been all the years since joining in 2016? This is only your 2nd post. Lots happening on here, join in the conversations!!!!!


banger

[gwpercle]

For medical use , X-Ray shielding etc , the lead will be , for all practical purposes , nearly pure lead . Give it the thumbnail test ... it should mark easily .
Old shower pans and roof flashing and plumbing jacks were also good sources for lead .
If you know anyone in the building and remodeling business tell them to keep an eye out for you .
In medical / dental new construction they have a lot of sheet lead trimming scrap that ends up in the dumpsters and gets taken to the landfill ... get to it first and put it to good use .
Gary

[rancher1913]

they are actually not soft lead, they are for the most part equal to ww's. they are made harder because they stack like bricks to make a wall, I got a bunch from a demo friend and they make fine boolits as is. the door from the project is in my pile to rework because its stainless steel casing with the interior full of lead and I am hoping its the same make up but I think its probably a softer variety as it did not need to stack.

[Leon B]

I’ve been staying busy with various projects, travel, and fishing. But now it’s time to start putting my reloading equipment to use. I bought a fair amount of primers, projectiles, and powder several years ago. As well as a mold for my 9mm. Going to buy some chamber casting soft melt to determine what size boolits I should shoot for.

[Leon B]

Thanks for the replies. I’ll look up the casting calculator and get to casting some ingots.

[rancher1913]

use it as is and pc or hitek.

[usedtobeyoung]

I lucked into some crucibles used to transport x-ray machine dental supplies, and shielding used in a dentist's office that had severe weather damage from a tornado. By the time I had my truck loaded down with it all,it was sagging something fierce. I still am using that lead, anytime I need soft lead it's great to have.