Sniffing out sources of lead...

[ghh3rd]

Since lead is a valuable commodity to those in the Cast Boolits forum, I would think that some members have been able to cleverly discover it in places that most people wouldn't even think of. Everyone knows about wheel weights, but where else have you been able to sniff out lead?

For that matter, many of us are probably overlooking obvious sources.

Of course I'm asking this in hopes of me finding new sources, but hope that any shared information will help others as well.

Thanks,

Randy

[jdgabbard]

I have found telling everyone you know that you need lead, sometimes explaining what for, can't hurt. 10 minutes ago I had a buddy of mine on lunch break drop off a 10 pound bar of 99% pure lead he found in his dad's shop. Not much, and will probably only last about 3 casting sessions once I alloy it. But none the less I have ten pounds more then I had before.

[MT Gianni]

Roofers, Junk yards, Craigs list wanted.

[shooterg]

I let anybody I know (that doesn't cast!) that I'm looking. Got almost 50 lbs. of lead sheeting from a guy's neighbor that was using it for weights on a garden tool. My wife knows a maintenance guy at local hospital, trying to see if they dispose of any xray sheathing stuff.
This month a guy gave me a pile of lead pipe sheathing he'd had for years, ever since they put fiberoptic in near him. He thought he'd make fishing weights "someday" but someday never came and his wife wanted the garage cleaned out ! Haven't asked my new dentist about his expended x ray stuff yet, but I will. Occasionally hit local car graveyard and pull a few wheelweights. Got more time since retirement to find and hoard !

[Lloyd Smale]

ask your local plumber and if you have commercial fishermen in the area they usually know sources. Best bet is the local salvage yard. I leave cards on the walls at them and they call me when they get something specail like linotype in and they usually allways have wws for sale. Beleive it or not ive also scored from asking stock car racers. They usually have a minimum weight they have to meet and use lead to add weight and a few of them had more then they would ever need and gave it to me. Any place that sells or salvages boats can be good leads. Sailboats sometime use it for balast.

[beagle]

I'll second the plumber and especially commercial plumbers. Their hospital rennovations are particullarily good sources as they're always removing lead drain pans and redoing X-ray rooms. All good sources of lead. Any old building will have lead wiped joints in it and sometimes even lead piping. Besides, they're usually provided with so much solder per job and always have spools of it laying around which is usually very tin rich./beagle

[jdgabbard]

Thanks for the business card idea, Lloyd! Gonna start using that one. Hopefully it will let me score some free lead! Its a sad time around my pot lately, due to the lack of lead. Hopefully this just might be the ticket to getting it rolling back in.

[lewellan2]

there is a guy on Specialty Pistols with a few hundred pounds of bullet casting lead alloy in Texas. I just ordered 110# for $1 a lb. shipped. not real cheap but I can cast 145 gr. 7mm bullets for 2.3 cents a piece. I have a friend who picks up bullets at the range. the black powder rifle shooters shoot 400-500 gr. pure lead bullets, and it doesn't take long to pick up 50 lbs. I am going to start doing that when things warm up and the ground thaws. even if you add 2% tin at $4 per 10 lbs lead it's pretty cheap casting material.
Dano

[bbs70]

Roofers, Junk yards, Craigs list wanted.

This is how I get my lead, just got 100+ pounds yeaterday because of Craigs list wanted section.

I also found out that some stock car drivers use lead as weights in their cars.

I have also seen some OLD window weights made of lead.

[2TN Mules]

Nuclear Medicine Pharmacies often have lots of scrap lead. It is used as shielding when shipping the radioactive pharmaceuticals from the mfg to the pharmacy. I get all mine free from my local radiopharmacy since I buy drugs from them. Some is painted some is not. Some is really soft (pure) and dull. Some has a shine (alloy with something). It is clean, other than that some is painted. Mine tests out at 13-15 BHN

Most larger cities have one or more of these pharmacies and they might be willing to give or sell their lead to you. Market price here right now is $0.10 lb

Look up www.cardinalhealth.com for a list of radiopharmacies in your area and give them a call. Can't hurt to try.

If anyone has any luck please let me know.