Percentage of lead versus other in a bucket of COWW's

[dearslayer]

So in the last two weeks I manage to score two 5 gallon buckets of WW's from two different small automotive shops within a couple miles of each other. One bucket had only about 15% lead and 75% SO steel and about 10% Zinc. The other bucket had about 80% lead ,15% SO steel and 5% zinc. I thought it weird that two shops so close together had such differences in combinatio. Could it be the brands of cars that frequent each shop? These places were not dealers but small shops but one was bigger and busier. More just a curiosity than anything else. Either way I have 130lbs of lead including the clips before melting. I consider that a good score considering almost every shop I stopped at over the last week wouldn't part with them or scrap guy had already been in to take them , or they keep them for themselves.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Maybe someone already picked the one bucket. What state?

[dearslayer]

Maybe someone already picked the one bucket. What state?

I'm in Ontario Canada. Both shop owners said the buckets were collecting for about a year when I asked how long it took to fill them.

[lightman]

I'm still seeing about 60-65% from the buckets that I get from our small local shop. The percentage of lead is slowly but steadily going down. But I am seeing fewer Zinc weights and more steel. I'm also seeing more stick-on weights.

[dearslayer]

I'm sure this subject has been touched on but I'm seeing quite a few wheel weights with the letters MC stamped on it. These seem to be harder than the obvious lead weights. These also seem to be a little bit harder to put a cut mark in with my snips. Doable but still I have to wonder might there be zinc in these weights?292485292486292487

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[CastingFool]

I recently picked up about half a 5 gal. Bucket of wheel weights. Can't remember the overall weight. Seems like the zinc and steel weighed almost as much as the lead. Oh, well, they were free.

[dearslayer]

I feel the same "FREE"! So I ended up with 130lbs of lead and I took the remaining mix to the scrap yard today on my way to deer hunt ...183lbs and got $27.60 for it. Win win.

[lightman]

I'm sure this subject has been touched on but I'm seeing quite a few wheel weights with the letters MC stamped on it. These seem to be harder than the obvious lead weights. These also seem to be a little bit harder to put a cut mark in with my snips. Doable but still I have to wonder might there be zinc in these weights?292485292486292487

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I've noticed that some weights feel harder than others but I don't know why. It may be the different shape or maybe the way they are manufactured?

A member here, BNE, has a couple of stickies with the results of his XrF test and no Zinc has shown up. I also get him to test every batch of wheelweights that I do and the data is consistent.

[lightman]

I feel the same "FREE"! So I ended up with 130lbs of lead and I took the remaining mix to the scrap yard today on my way to deer hunt ...183lbs and got $27.60 for it. Win win.


You did good!

[Rickf1985]

The last load I got was 250 lbs total and I ended up with 48lbs of lead weights, 48lbs. of zinc weights and the rest was steel weights valve stems and trash.
So basically a 20% haul. Not very good but it was free. My biggest problem was getting rid of the trash like the plastic weights and stuff. If the trashman see it in the can they will not take it. It is "Commercial waste"! You just have to love the times we live in when the trash men decide what is what in your trash.