Any way of tellin [Archive]

pearson1662

04-05-2009, 07:02 PM

Is there any easy way to tell if my alloy is defiled with zinc? My first attempt at melting wheelweights may have inavertently included zinc but I don't know for sure. Got about 25 pounds that I don't know what to do with.

Thanks,

Jay

oneokie

04-05-2009, 07:13 PM

Use muratic acid to test for zinc. Place a drop on the ingot and look for bubbling or frothing.
Do not breathe the fumes.

Kskybroom

04-05-2009, 07:40 PM

When melting WW Try to ceep Tem under 680. I start with 2 in" get tem set Melt away. The Zink will float. Then skim of with clips. That I know once mix no way of seperating, But I could be wrong.

waco

04-05-2009, 07:51 PM

if you get too hot and get the "purple haze".....you

got zinc....through that batch out!

waco

Down South

04-05-2009, 07:58 PM

d_striker

04-05-2009, 08:08 PM

Use muratic acid to test for zinc. Place a drop on the ingot and look for bubbling or frothing.
Do not breathe the fumes.

Muriatic acid=hydrochloric acid?

d_striker

04-05-2009, 08:10 PM

I’m not sure if you meant that you have already cleaned the WW but if if you have and it looks like oatmeal on top of the melt then you probably have zinc contamination. If not then you are OK. If you are cleaning WW, just as soon as the melt temp gets high enough to skim the clips even without using a thermometer and if you skim them off just at that point then any zinc WW will be skimmed off with the clips.

That oatmeal may be antimony...

Taken from the lasc site:

" Lead/antimony alloy drosses considerably. As your melt reaches liquidus temperature that silvery, lumpy, oatmeal looking stuff floating on top is antimony. Skimming it off seriously depletes the alloy; it needs to be fluxed back into the melt."

compass will

04-05-2009, 08:43 PM

Not sure I would use the purple haze test. All my pure lead ingots have a purple color to them.

Your probably OK.

d_striker

04-05-2009, 08:47 PM

Not sure I would use the purple haze test. All my pure lead ingots have a purple color to them.

Your probably OK.

Mine too...

geargnasher

04-05-2009, 09:19 PM

I use the "just melted" test also and have found numerous zinc and cast iron ww, never had a problem with contamination. Here's a BIG tip, also from Mr. Fryxell: Use sawdust (any kind) as a sacrificial reducant which returns tin oxide back into elemental tin and I have found it does wonders for getting antimony to blend back in. After I skim the clips and other trash I add enough sawdust to cover the melt 1/4" and stir it in thoroughly. As it chars I can see glossy melt underneath and the "oatmeal" stuff disappears like magic.

Gear.

docone31

04-05-2009, 09:32 PM

Kitty Litter does almost the same thing.
That blue tint is pure lead.

mooman76

04-05-2009, 10:24 PM

Try moulding some bullets. They won't fill out well with zinc. So if you get good bullets, no problem!

Echo

04-06-2009, 01:58 AM

Muriatic acid - dilute Sulfuric acid... I think...

Bret4207

04-06-2009, 07:47 AM

Muriatic acid - dilute Sulfuric acid... I think...

Available in the masonry section of your hardware store. 1 gallon runs under $6.00 locally for me. I use it to clean the scale from hard water in my barn. Nasty stuff.

bbs70

04-06-2009, 08:54 AM

If you should find you have zinc in your melted lead, I wouldn't throw it out.
When I get unknown lead from a scrap dealer, I set it aside with the zinc ww and melt them all together and make ingots.
In my area some people make their own decoy weights and weights for stock cars.
They don't care if there is zinc in the ingots or not, just so it is lead is all they care about.
I trade my unknown lead ingots for the ww these people have collected and everybody is happy.:drinks:

par0thead151

04-06-2009, 09:04 AM

i am pretty sure i have zinc mixed in with some of my lead, and i have no ill effects on fillout or wrinkles. have caster 9mm, 45, slugs and soon buckshot.
if you throw it away, dont. i will pay for you to ship it to me in a flat rate UPS box. i will use the lead.