What to do with the zinc?

[Markbo]

OK, I have been gathering wheel weights and have 2 5 gallon buckets full. I mean FULL. I am ready to start separating so I can melt down to ingots. I have read the threads about how to check for zinc with side cutters and of course by reading if they say Zn on them.

All of those that are separated (I have no idea, but 1/2 maybe?) will cut down on my over all weight but leave me with a substantial amount of useless metal. Do scrap dealers but zince wheel weights? Maybe I can do a trade for... give him 50 lbs and get back 40lbs of lead or something like that.

What do you think?
Mark

[qajaq59]

They make ok fishing weights if you have any buddys that cast those. And the scrap dealer will buy them if you wish to go that route. Or you could just buy a fishing weight mold, cast a bunch and sell them yourself. If you're near the sea the last might make you a few more bucks?

[Johnch]

I use a old Stainless Steel pan , a old 1 cup ladle and a spare Mini muffin tin
And cast Duck decoy weights out of the Zn I am getting

Localy we use 4-6 oz weights in the marsh and 1 Lb on lake Erie to hold the decoys in place
So I have a outlet for all the Zn I get

And I can sometimes trade Zn anchors for lead anchors that look nasty even up

John

[jonk]

I just cast a downrigger ball out of zinc.

For a long time I too seperated my weights. I usually only find 1-2 zincs per bucket.

I got sick of it, now it all just gets melted together.

I haven't had fill out suffer yet but imagine it would if I were doing a bucket that unbenownst to me had 1/3 zinc in it.....

[Greg5278]

Scrap Dealers will take the ZInc as Die Cast alloy. The last bucket that I sold brought $.25 per #. Lead is selling for $.76/# so you won't get much in trade. But at least the zinc is sold, and you get some cash for you hobby. I have cast Zinc slugs, but it is not my favorite thing to do.
Greg

[chris in va]

Doesn't zinc give off toxic fumes when melted?

[qajaq59]

Doesn't zinc give off toxic fumes when melted? Not that I know of, unless you got it up to a ridiculous temp.

I have heard that there can be a problem if you are using arsenic and mild acid in a zinc covered bucket for taxidermy work. But other then that, I've never heard it mentioned.

[steg]

So far I've found very little Zinc in my WW's except for the stick ons, they're all Zinc so far. As long as I keep an eye on the melting pot and remove the clips as soon as they melt, everything is fine, it takes alot longer at high heat to melt down the Zinc, Guess I'll start saving em and see if the scrapyard will take em.................steg

[qajaq59]

The scrap yard should. And I don't generally find too much zinc in the buckets yet. As the shops are forced to use more and more zinc, then it'll get to be a problem.

[sagacious]

Doesn't zinc give off toxic fumes when melted?

No.

Only when burned, but not when melted-- exactly the same as lead.