First smelt report

[Rock]

I managed to acquire the rights to all the wheel weights from my local tire shop from now till the lead runs out (darn kaliforniastan rules......).

Then today at a yard sale I found a lead ladle, and a propane powered smelting setup (but missing the pot) for the huge sum of $5.00. A stainless steel serving spoon was another .50 cents.

Then off to harbor freight:
Leather apron and gloves. Face shields were junk tho.
Ace Hardware: Face shield and respirator

Yard Sale: 10" cast iron pot $5
3" diameter 12" long candle: .50 cents
Muffin tin: .50 cents

First run: 20 ingots, 32 lbs total.

Skimmed out the floating zink weights and clips. Fluxed with wax.
Ran the stick on weights separately. (lots of zink and steel weights in this batch).

Overall this was not nearly as difficult nor as time consuming as I had anticipated. Although the muffin tin is not going to last very long. One ingot was cast up to level in the tin, then could not be extracted with any amount of slamming the tin against a RR steel plate. Now the tin is missing one cup... :(

Thanks for all of the people who came here before me and posted about their experiences so I could have a good first experience.

[sagacious]

Good job. If you set it up right, it goes smoothly.

Keep your eyes open for thrift-store muffin pans. No worries-- everyone overfills one when they start out. Lesson learned, the easy way!

Keep up the good work. :drinks:

[carpetman]

You can use a muffin tin as an ingot mold??

[WILCO]

One ingot was cast up to level in the tin, then could not be extracted with any amount of slamming the tin against a RR steel plate. Now the tin is missing one cup... :(

Been there, done that......

[jsizemore]

Look for the rusty or well used muffin pans. They'll smell like biscuits the first time you use them. If they look new, spray 'em down with some saltwater and leave 'em outside in the weather. They release ingots great.

[Rock]

Smelted another batch of wheel weights and range scrap into ingots today (unique batches of each, labeled as such). 160 lbs of ingots.

Now I'm out of lead....... :(

[Flinchrock]

Smelted another batch of wheel weights and range scrap into ingots today (unique batches of each, labeled as such). 160 lbs of ingots.

Now I'm out of lead....... :(

Happens to the best of us,,,160 lbs aint a bad stash, pretty soon you will be able to spot a wheelweight all the way across the wal-mart parking lot!!

[WHITETAIL]

Rock, welcome to the forum![smilie=s:

[Rock]

Rock, welcome to the forum![smilie=s:

Thank you sir. You folks are a very generous and helpful lot. I look forward to becoming an old timer with knowledge worthy of sharing.

[squid1230]

Happens to the best of us,,,160 lbs aint a bad stash, pretty soon you will be able to spot a wheelweight all the way across the wal-mart parking lot!!

LOL! Everytime my wife comes home from her obstetrician appointments she drops a couple of wheel weights she found. She's got the eye, so she's a keeper.

[WHITETAIL]

Rock, You are on the right track.
Keep your eye out and you will find
all you need at those places.[smilie=6:

[stephen perry]

You speak so harshly about your State. I think its a clique to blast your home State and continue to get wheel weights guaranteed. Gee for a "K" state we have more shooting ranges than any state in the Union. Sell more hunting licenses. Sell more ammunition. Sell more fishing licenses. And shoot and tag more deer every year. Also California has been the home of Sierra bullets, RCBS, SAECO, Lyman when part of Sierra in California, Bausch & Lomb and Bushnell scopes, several powder companies and 4 BR ranges and a Cast BR range. Also in Chino an Olympic Shooting Range from the 1984 Games.

Point is you don't know how good you Yuppies have it in California., I am a 54 year native of California and from a Sportsmans stand I feel I have had it good. I can drive 30 miles and hunt all the Quail and Chucker I can handle and do Doves in season. Not bad for a "K" state that many complain about but stay for their retirement. Go figure.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR [smilie=b:

[Rock]

Sorry Stephen, I'm here to talk casting, not the politics of this or any other state. I grant that you are entitled to your point of view on politics, please grant me the same.