Lead from a Radiator shop

[hunter64]

I was doing some work at a radiator shop today and there was a bucket full of long slivers of lead. I asked what they were and the guy said that they had been there for at least 10 years and he gave them to me. Here is the weird part. I melted them down when I got home after supper and when I put the wax flux into the mix as per usual the wax wouldn't catch on fire. I stirred and stirred and all it did was stay on the top of the lead and even when I dropped a match into it all it did was put the match out. This is the same wax that when I put into WW it immediately catches fire and I stir the heck out of the lead to ensure all the junk is out. The wax kind of had a funny smell and when I finally got it off the top of the lead and poured it into my molds it lead turned out almost a white color instead of the normal silver color. If I scratch the surface which is really soft then I see the silver color. So what do radiator shops use, is this pure lead? All I have ever done is WW so this is new to me.

[454PB]

In general what you'll find in radiator shops is lead/tin solder. If what you have is 50/50 solder or better, it is too valuable to use as boolit alloy. It should be used to enrichen your normal alloy with tin.

[Buckshot]

.............Yup, 50/50 or 60/40. Good stuff to add to WW metal.

............Buckshot

[Lloyd Smale]

ive picked up probably 200 lbs of it. Most radiator shop stuff is 60/40 solder

[hunter64]

I kind of figured it would be around 50/50 stuff. After it cooled over night it is about the same as my WW for hardness. I really need to get a hardness tester. Well I have been using 9 to 1 lead to tin ratio and it works good for me so now I have 20 pounds of the stuff and that will save a bit of money. The weird part for me was why the wax didn't ignite and that had me going. Thanks for the replys. I am new to the board and the casting experience in general. I would like to start loading for rifles and that is my next project to learn about.

[BOOM BOOM]

HI,
Good stuff! This is a new lead source idea for me, thanks!