How to seperate Zinc

[peter nap]

This is my first post and I did a search. I found a few threads but not exactly what I was looking for.

I haven't cast for 15 years or so and unless I just didn't know any better, they didn't use Zinc wheel weights then.

I have 50 pounds of pure lead shielding and 50 pounds of wheel weight muffins from back when.

I bought about 200 pounds of wheel weights today (and paid 00.22 a pound:mad:)

After talking to a couple distributors today, they said American Zinc WW will have "Z" somewhere on them but Chinese Zinc may not have anything.

Is there another way to tell the lead from the zinc and if not, what temperture should I melt the lead and keep the zinc solid. I've read to keep it under 600 degrees, but wanted to double check.

Thanks

[alor_swe]

You can cut the wights with a knife, the lead and tin weights you can cut shaves of but not the zinc and iron weights. Boring as hell to do but I haven't found any other reliable way to guarantee that i don't get any zinc in my pot.

[44man]

This is my first post and I did a search. I found a few threads but not exactly what I was looking for.

I haven't cast for 15 years or so and unless I just didn't know any better, they didn't use Zinc wheel weights then.

I have 50 pounds of pure lead shielding and 50 pounds of wheel weight muffins from back when.

I bought about 200 pounds of wheel weights today (and paid 00.22 a pound:mad:)

After talking to a couple distributors today, they said American Zinc WW will have "Z" somewhere on them but Chinese Zinc may not have anything.

Is there another way to tell the lead from the zinc and if not, what temperture should I melt the lead and keep the zinc solid. I've read to keep it under 600 degrees, but wanted to double check.

Thanks
That is all you need to do. Keep it at 600*, buy a thermometer if you need to. Anything that floats after all the lead is melted gets tossed in the trash.

[peter nap]

Thanks Guys!

[randyrat]

Stir a little because the bottom of the pot will heat up extreemly hot before the top will. If you have a Zinc turd on the bottom it may melt.

[peter nap]

That is all you need to do. Keep it at 600*, buy a thermometer if you need to. Anything that floats after all the lead is melted gets tossed in the trash.

I doubt I'll toss them. There is some idiot that has gone to every tire store around and told them he will pay $50.00 per 5 gal bucket of WW's, no matter what they're made of.

That's part of what has driven the cost up here. I'll just sell him my zinc[smilie=w:

[leadman]

I like the wire cutters to test the weights with. The lead will be cut pretty deep, the zinc will just be marked. Some zinc has a zn in the weight by the clip.
You can also go to www.wheel-weight.com iirc and see some pics of the weights. The zinc also have a different shape most of the time on the ends of the weights. If there are rivets holding the weight to the clip it is not lead.

[462]

Peter nap,

If you will reimburse the postage, I'll be more than glad to send you my rejects.

The easy way to tell: Zinc weights are usually marked Zn. But not always.
Any weight that has its clip rivited on is junk.
Zinc stick-ons are usually more rectangular in shape than lead. But not
always.
Any weight marked Fe is steel.
Cutters are always 100% accurate.
A low pot temperature is mandatory.

[Cloudpeak]

I doubt I'll toss them. There is some idiot that has gone to every tire store around and told them he will pay $50.00 per 5 gal bucket of WW's, no matter what they're made of.

That's part of what has driven the cost up here. I'll just sell him my zinc[smilie=w:


Ooooh, you'll fit in around here just fine.:-D Welcome.