Diver's weights...?

[rdlange]

Does anyone know if these are pure lead? Or...

Thanks.

[docone31]

It depends on what is available in the area.
I used to cast my weights. I used wheel weight, zinc, and old lead castings.
Literally, if it melted, I poured it.
Melt them and find out.
Might be some good stuff.

[sagacious]

Does anyone know if these are pure lead? Or...

Thanks.

Nobody but you can answer the question of what lead alloy you have. There is no 'industry standard' for dive weights. Dive weights can be-- and often are-- whatever scrap lead is locally available.

Test the hardness, or melt/pour some and see what you've got. Do not mix lead of unknown quality with your good lead until you are sure the new lead pours reasonably well unalloyed-- then you can safely add it into your stash. Good luck.

[imashooter2]

As the others have said, dive weights are officially made of "heavy stuff that melts." I would melt them separately and make sure they cast before adding them to any known good alloy.

[lwknight]

Most diving weights are pure lead. Any of them could be anything that is heavy and meltable.

[Horace]

Two sets I`ve melted down have a bhn of wheel weights and cast great boolits the third set I`d say is Zinc.

Horace

[jtownguy]

I too have some Diver's weights that I melted down and I am very new at this and really don't know what to look for. A stupid question I know, but how would I know if it is Zinc? The ingots I made seemed to be a bright shinny color and I don't have anything to test them with.

[runfiverun]

zinc is far harder than lead and melts at a much higher temp.
if you alloy lead to make it harder it usually melts at a lower temp.
pure melts at 630* lino melts much lower 5 sumthin.
zinc is closer to 8 sumthin.

[Matt_G]

To expand on runfiverun's post, pure lead (Pb) melts at 621 degrees Fahrenheit.
TRUE linotype (84% Pb, 12% Sb, 4% Sn) melts at 464 degrees Fahrenheit.
Pure Zinc (Zn) melts at 787 degrees Fahrenheit.
Wheelweights in my neck of the woods tend to be totally molten (no slush) at about 570 degrees Fahrenheit. That is per my Lyman thermometer. Not sure how accurate it is. It's not like I've had it calibrated. :lol:

[sagacious]

...how would I know if it is Zinc? The ingots I made seemed to be a bright shinny color and I don't have anything to test them with.

Jtownguy,
You already own the single most important piece of testing equipment for determining the quality and 'pourability' of this lead......... wait for it.......... your molds.

Test it!! Melt some and see if you can get a good pour. That is the only thing that matters. If it produces good bullets, then you're set, right? It's results we're after in this game, so test it and see what the results are.

Worrying about zinc before you've even poured a few bullets is putting the cart before the horse. Good luck.

[atr]

The divers weights I\ve used and melted down have been predominately Lead......

You can get a rough idea of composition by observing the color .....lead tends toward dark grey....Lyman #2 is brighter, more silver.....

I have found that divers weights need to have tin added.....I usually cut my divers weights with wheel weights.

[lwknight]

Lead diving weights are usually all beat up ugly dull bluue-grey and very soft.
Otherwise they are not likely pure led unless brand new or something like that.

[jtownguy]

Thank you for that help. I have yet to test it by itself, but I have mixed with wheel weights and is pours fine. Bullets look good although I have not fired them yet.

[troy_mclure]

i melted down 150lbs of them, no zink just lead.

the plastic coated ones can be messy tho.

[lwknight]

Those plastic coated diving weights are worth several times the lead value in them.
Last time I looked they sold for about 4 or 5 bucks per pound at the overpriced dive shop.

If you needed only 4 weights , you could buy a mold and lead to cast your own and still save money. I mean the mold and lead would be paid fo with only 4 weights.

[Typecaster]

Those plastic coated diving weights are worth several times the lead value in them.

Man, that sounds like most everything we do…we melt it or break it, then say "Man, I sure wish I hadn't done that."

Richard

[troy_mclure]

you can get 20lbs of plastic coated weights all day on ebay for around $10+shipping.

i checked before i melted.

[lwknight]

Troy, just because there is no big demand on ebay does not mean that you can buy at that price just anytime/where. Dive shops get big bucks for all dive weights. And plastic coated are the highest.

True , that there great bargains on ebay but there is a limit

[qajaq59]

Test it!! Melt some and see if you can get a good pour. That is the only thing that matters. If it produces good bullets, then you're set, right? It's results we're after in this game, so test it and see what the results are.sagacious, you beat me to it. Melt a few of the weights and pour a bunch of bullets. If there's zinc in there, you'll know pretty fast. I had to do that a while back when someone gave me a bunch of lead of unknown origin.

[troy_mclure]

Dive shops get big bucks for all dive weights. And plastic coated are the highest.



the key part of the sentence above "DIVE SHOPS" get big bucks for weights, I've worked in several dive shops, and know several owners.

if you took your used weights in to sell you would be lucky to get 1/4 the price of new, as the few that sell used equipment only sell at around 2/3 price of new.