noob tape on weight questions

[gixxer1974]

Ok, so I have another noob question. Did a search but that just made me more confused.

If I understand right, tape on wheel weights are closer to pure lead than clip on weights correct?

I read a lot of threads about people seperating them from each other, but why?

Is there any reason not to just throw the clip on, and the tape on weights into one pot and mix them together when I cast the ingots?

Will this make bad boolits? will I have trouble in boolit molds?

Sorry if I am missing somethin

[sagacious]

...
Is there any reason not to just throw the clip on, and the tape on weights into one pot and mix them together when I cast the ingots?
...
Yes, you certainly can do that. It will not cause a problem when casting for the 357mag. You can melt it all as one batch. Don't let it confuse you. Some folks have a need for soft lead, and tape-ons are a source of soft lead, so they separate them out.

If you only have a small amount of tape-ons, you can toss them in while melting a large batch of clip-on ww's. A small amount of tape-ons won't change the clip-on alloy enough to notice at all, and it will still work perfectly for 357 reloads.

If you have a lot of tape-ons, you may wish to separate them, melt them down, and save the ingots for a time when you may need some 'pure' lead to soften the clip-on lead for an application that requires a softer alloy.

Hope this helps, best of luck! :drinks:

[gixxer1974]

sweet thanks for the info.

[Edubya]

I melt mine separately so that I have a more consistent hardness of my ingots. If and when I want a softer cast, I can either use the tape-on ingots or any blend of them that I desire. If you just throw them all together, you will have inconsistencies from one cast to the next.
EW

[HammerMTB]

I melt mine separately so that I have a more consistent hardness of my ingots. If and when I want a softer cast, I can either use the tape-on ingots or any blend of them that I desire. If you just throw them all together, you will have inconsistencies from one cast to the next.
EW

+1 what's been said above.
I can make boos for my muzzlestuffers from the stick-ons.
I make a blend (usually 50/50, but not always) for expanding boos
and get max hardness from straight clip-ons.

[223tenx]

I save my stick ons and flashing for making sinkers so I don't waste ww's.

[alamogunr]

I went about 3 years between cleaning up accumulations of WW. The most recent buckets of WW contained a lot more stick-on weights than those of about 3-4 years ago. I try to keep the stick-ons and flashing/shielding separate so I can experiment with tin and antimony and have a shot at knowing what the alloy contains. I also use the soft stuff for muzzleloaders and my Ruger Old Army.

Seems a real waste to throw all that soft lead in the water.

John
W.TN

[GuyKickinit]

Melt with tape on or try to remove first?

[45-70 Chevroner]

Melt with tape on much easier than trying to scrape it off, it's a little smelly though.

[GregLaROCHE]

For my aluminum wheels, mine were epoxied on. Would they be the same alloy as the tape on?

[mdi]

Tape on wheel weights are very soft. Many like to use this alloy for muzzle loaders. Clip on wheel weights run a little harder, about 11-13 BHN. Mixing stick on with clip on results in a softer, lower BHN than clip ons, but higher than stick on. The BHN depends on the ratio. I have purchased stick on alloy in ingots and use it to soften up harder alloy (I got a lot of alloy running between 16-18, and I like a 10-12 for my single action revolvers, so I add stick on to bring the BHN down to what I like).

[Wayne Smith]

Since I have 5 cap and ball revolvers soft lead is necessary for me. I can shoot round balls in a patch from my muzzle loaders of clip on wheel weights with no problems, but in the revolvers I will break the loading lever trying to load something that hard. Thus the need for soft lead.

[lightman]

This is an old thread but as to the question of melting them with the tape on or off, I melt them with the tape on. Its too much trouble trying to get it off. It will smoke and stink but sometimes you can light the smoke and get it to burn, reducing the smoke and stink. I also separate them, keeping the soft lead separate.

[GuyKickinit]

Sometimes old threads are the best. thanks for the info.

[mdi]

WOW! I missed the date. This is prolly the oldest thread I've posted on...

"Fluxing" usually uses something that burns and the resulting carbon helps clean the lead (saw dust is a good example), so wouldn't the burning tape aid in fluxing? I never thought of that and I just melt all the lead, steel, tape, jackets paint, etc. all together with some sawdust and it works pretty good for me (as long as it's dry it got thrown in the "first melt" pot).

[Green Frog]

I save my stick ons and flashing for making sinkers so I don't waste ww's.

How many pounds of stick-ons and flashing would you like to trade for nice clean COWW ingots? I need the soft stuff for muzzle loaders, cap & ball revolvers, and as a basis for schuetzen bullets. I've been doing just the opposite of you since I have the COWWs in larger reserve than the pure lead. Let me know! :coffeecom

Froggie