Linotype score

[Soundguy]

Just found out the local scrap steel place the next city up has a bin about 3' x 3' 1' deep with linotype pieces.

I bought a large #10 coffee can full that weighed 18#. He charged me for 17. 1.50 a pound. I was quite happen at 1.50 a pound. Im going back for more

[JimB..]

Just found out the local scrap steel place the next city up has a bin about 3' x 3' 1' deep with linotype pieces.

I bought a large #10 coffee can full that weighed 18#. He charged me for 17. 1.50 a pound. I was quite happen at 1.50 a pound. Im going back for more

Buckets!

[imashooter2]

You mistyped “all.” :drinks:

[lightman]

Nice find! Get all you can, its getting harder to fine.

[Soundguy]

I'm going back tomorrow at lunch. I'm going to smelt out the first 18#i got .. and make sure it isn't too oxidized or junk.. but it is for sure all lettertype.. and looks like other lino I have used. I do realize that there are differences in letterpress type and setup.. different alloys.. and remelts.. etc.. If it smelts out good tonight.. I may go back with a few 5g buckets.

A #10 ( large size ) coffee can help 18# I can probably safely put 100# in a 5g pail.

I mentioned my find to the wife.. and she said.. " Don't you already have a lifetime supply of lead? " I then said that unless she was 'planning on something' i did not have a guaranteed lifetime supply. After hearing the price.. she asked how much they had. I estimated about 500#.. she then said.. well heck.. just buy all of it. I'm not sure if she was joking or not... but I'm taking a bunch of buckets with me..and some gloves to hold my credit card for when it heats up.....

[kevin c]

Don't let ANYTHING in that bin go to waste. Even if you don't use it all yourself, you should be able to sell it on the S&S for more than your cost. Sell enough, what's left over might even become free to you.

If you do sell it, you might want to keep it in its original form so the buyers are assured of what they're getting.

[Soundguy]

I may not lowes this afternoon and get a bunch of 2$ buckets.

[Soundguy]

Just smelted that can full I got. Made 16# 15oz of clean lino after fluxing and removing dross. The yards scale said 18# and they charged me for 17.. So I feel great about that.
Poured good into ingots.. Scratch tests just like the rest of my lino.

[Mike_S]

Years ago - 20? - I found a stout wooden box full of linotype, I have been hauling it around through about four house moves and a storage facility. the box is probably 20"x20"x12" and weighs more than I want to pick up. It has always been my intention to use for casting if I were to ever get into it. Looks like that time may come sooner rather than later...

[farmbif]

a find like that you just might want to buy it all. it won't lose value, there are plenty here that would probably be happy to get a box full for $2/lb plus postage just like it is.
I worked at a very large scrap yard in Florida for 5 years and bought stuff from them for years before and only once saw 1- 5 gallon bucket full of Lino.

[fredj338]

Yeah I would buy it all at that price.

[Soundguy]

I'm going back tomorrow morning or Friday morning with more buckets... Just got clearance from the marriage financial officer..

[lightman]

I'm going back tomorrow at lunch. I'm going to smelt out the first 18#i got .. and make sure it isn't too oxidized or junk.. but it is for sure all lettertype.. and looks like other lino I have used. I do realize that there are differences in letterpress type and setup.. different alloys.. and remelts.. etc.. If it smelts out good tonight.. I may go back with a few 5g buckets.

A #10 ( large size ) coffee can help 18# I can probably safely put 100# in a 5g pail.

I mentioned my find to the wife.. and she said.. " Don't you already have a lifetime supply of lead? " I then said that unless she was 'planning on something' i did not have a guaranteed lifetime supply. After hearing the price.. she asked how much they had. I estimated about 500#.. she then said.. well heck.. just buy all of it. I'm not sure if she was joking or not... but I'm taking a bunch of buckets with me..and some gloves to hold my credit card for when it heats up.....

Thats all of the incentive that I would need! Go for it! Likes been said, its getting harder to find.

[Soundguy]

I got 3 more 5g buckets this morning...

[RogerDat]

Three buckets is a good start. Lino or single letter form? I wouldn't melt it beyond having some on hand for mixing. Like a gold coin the form proves what the alloy is. Your ingot can be anything to a buyer. Form proves value.

I bought a 35 gallon barrel full once, put down cardboard and some scrap wood in back seat and had them slide it off the forks into my back seat. No regrets. If I don't use it fellow casters will and it ain't getting easier to find or cheaper. Buying it all then springing for a pizza or donuts for the guys in the yard so they will think of you when any more comes in wouldn't hurt. Dropping $10 on pizza so your are the guy who appreciates them looking out for you is good networking.

I don't buy lead that often any more, supply on hand makes further purchases a less desirable use of funds. That said I still take a couple of Wendy frosty or a pizza in when I go to the yard. Those guys made getting help to load or having goodies set aside and waiting when they came in happen for me, I can do like my momma taught me and say thank you.

[Soundguy]

Some lino..some mono. Have about 422# now. Melted down about 65# today.

[pworley1]

Nice find.

[Soundguy]

I only had 3 small ingot molds and I'm smelting faster than they can set. I just hit the flea market this am, 19$ got me a cast iron and a cast aluminum corn pone mold, both 7 cavities, as well as a 12 mini muffin aluminum pan.

I'm set for ingot mold cooling now.

[kbstenberg]

Just my 2 cents. It was suggested earlier. Pour alot of ingots in small coin size. They are good for sweetening an alloy.

[Soundguy]

That's what I'm going to use the mini muffin pan for that way I can pour like quarter inch thick coins in it

[kevin c]

For the coins I vary the thickness to get a variety of weights. When I want to add a precise amount to the pot, I can just pile the them on a scale and add or subtract a few until I hit the target weight. I used to pre weigh and mark the individual coins but find it easier to just grab a random handful and eyeball adding or removing thick or thin.

That floats my boat, but I'm not saying it's wrong to toss a coin or two into the pot until it casts right and call it good.

[Sig]

For the coins I vary the thickness to get a variety of weights. When I want to add a precise amount to the pot, I can just pile the them on a scale and add or subtract a few until I hit the target weight. I used to pre weigh and mark the individual coins but find it easier to just grab a random handful and eyeball adding or removing thick or thin.

That floats my boat, but I'm not saying it's wrong to toss a coin or two into the pot until it casts right and call it good.

I use my cannonball sinker mold. Can do 1/2-5oz. Makes it easy when I alloying my lead.

[kevin c]

A range of weights all castable from the same mold? Great idea! How much does a sinker cast from your alloy vary from the nominal weight?

[sw282]

With the high price of gas/electricity l have very seldom poured ingots. After careful sorting l simply add to my pot as needed while casting. Until the surge in metal prices l have never thought about selling either. l'm glad l have kept my stash in its original form. My only regret is not saving the Zn weights l sorted out. Just read Zn was over $4k/Ton on the London Metal Exchange. That's over $2.00 a POUND:shock:

[Rickf1985]

Zinc as of today is .15/lb. on iScrap. Pewter is $1.39 and lead shot is $0.39 and wheel weights are $0.26. Lead is up at $0.54.

[kevin c]

Is that price the offer to buy or sell?