What to do with zinc ingots?

[SciFiJim]

Being a scrounger, I hate to waste anything. The other day I melted down the zinc WWs I have been setting aside. It was difficult to get enough heat to melt them with my setup. That was reassuring to make sure I didn't melt any accidentally with the rest of my WWs.
I made muffin ingots out of the melt and stamped them as zinc. Now the question is, What can I do with them?

http://i596.photobucket.com/albums/tt47/SciFiJim_photobucket/100_2962.jpg

[lwknight]

Sell them to a recycler for about 60-75 cents per pound.
If they won't pay it, shop around. Call them all.
Zinc is higher than lead in the futures market.

[runfiverun]

keep them you'll figure out what to do whith them.
zinc will alloy with cast boolit material.
ww alloy will easily take 1% and about 1.6% is it's saturation /problem point.
there's always fishing sinkers or like said above recycle value.

[Muddy Creek Sam]

Don't try to melt them in the small lee pot, Won't get hot enough, BIL has spent two days trying to get them liquid to make fishing weights.

NO Go!

Sam :D

[sagacious]

Pour bullets with it. That's the only use that will repay your time/expense.

[stephen perry]

I seperate them out from my take and send them to the recycle bin. Lately I have had a good source of 1/2 lb and 1 lb big tire wheel weights. Now I leave the small weight stuff for the scroungers.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR

[wiljen]

Sell em to somebody who casts cannon balls.

[10 ga]

Put them on the sale/swap forum. I use some of my contaminated Pb for cast boolits for sabot shooting in my MLs, they are HARD and will penetrate clear through most any big animal even with the big flat meplat. The fishing gear and cannon ball guys are always looking for zinc. Take to the recycle yard and swap for PB. As a commercial fisherman I use a lot of zinc that is cast into special shapes for anodes on any metal stuff (boat hulls, outboard motors, fish and crab pots etc...) that go into the water. Don't cast that big stuff myself (only net weights and fishing sinkers) as many of the anodes fit special parts and shapes for design purposes etc... Putem on the board, they'll sell. 10 ga

[Markbo]

Pour bullets with it. That's the only use that will repay your time/expense.

Is that really possible? What are the properties/hardness of pure zinc bullets?

[sagacious]

Is that really possible? What are the properties/hardness of pure zinc bullets?
Yes, it's possible, just a matter of doing it. Zinc is of course lighter than lead, and it's about the same hardness as copper. Zinc bullets work well for a variety of applications. I, and others, have written extensively here on pouring zinc-- a search will turn up much more how-to info. Good luck.

[The Double D]

How many pounds do you have and now much do you want for it?

I need zinc for my big bores!

[303Guy]

There are people who make zinc sacrificial blocks for boats and things. It would be more noble to send it down the barrel of a gun, of course!

[Andy Griffith]

Purchase a mountain howitzer. :lol:

[Markbo]

Hmmmm... I'm thinking great big long bullets that don't HAVE to weigh all that. Like .458" sized bullets. ;)

[madsenshooter]

Don't try to melt them in the small lee pot, Won't get hot enough, BIL has spent two days trying to get them liquid to make fishing weights.

NO Go!

Sam :D

Then perhaps BIL is in need of a new heating element, with a new element mine will get close to 1000 degees.

[Cowboy T]

My Lee Pro 4-20 will easily get temperatures to 1,000 degrees. I know, because I accidentally did it once with WW alloy. :oops:

Here's a suggestion. Do you cast shotgun slugs, perchance? Zinc would be great for that and would punch through a lot of things even a Linotype slug might not. Lee makes a 1 oz (lead, that is) slug mould which is very spherical, so surface tension wouldn't be an issue messing up your cast there.

[Munkeyjoe]

Now the question is, What can I do with them?


I would GLADLY accept these Zinc muffins for my casting if your leary of shooting yours...... More metal soldiers for me!!

[Ole]

Toss a small ingot in your radiator to act as a sacrificial metal.

[sagacious]

My Lee Pro 4-20 will easily get temperatures to 1,000 degrees. I know, because I accidentally did it once with WW alloy.
I would advise against anyone melting zinc in their LEE pot. Zinc can/will eat right through the mild steel liner of the LEE pot.

Just a head's-up! :drinks:

[Munkeyjoe]

I would advise against anyone melting zinc in their LEE pot. Zinc can/will eat right through the mild steel liner of the LEE pot.

Just a head's-up! :drinks:

Really?? why is that if I may ask? I think I have done it before but I am now having issues with my 4-20 Lee....... And this might be the answer!

[a.squibload]

Don't know about zinc vs mild steel, I'll wait for Sagacious to reply.
I am saving my zinc WWs for future use.
I ladle-cast with SS or enameled pots so it probably won't concern me, unless I hit the Lotto and buy an electric melter.
Still interesting though.

I figure sooner or later lead will be as popular and easy to get as, say, plutonium.
Between that time and the time that zinc is regulated out of existence I will learn to cast zinc boolits.

[sagacious]

Really?? why is that if I may ask? I think I have done it before but I am now having issues with my 4-20 Lee....... And this might be the answer!
Munkeyjoe,
Zinc will slowly dissolve ordinary carbon steel like water will dissolve a block of salt. The zinc does not need to melt the steel, in the same way that water does not need to melt salt to dissolve it. The zinc will erode and dissolve the steel, and if one melts much zinc in a mild steel pot, they will soon enounter this. It is for this reason that the LEE pots are not warranted for use with molten zinc.

If one is not expecting this to happen, the zinc will continue to eat away at the steel until..... one day..... a pinhole suddenly forms and there's a thin stream of molten zinc squirting out of the melting vessel. It's enough to get your attention real quick, and you'll remember it for a long time afterwards.

If you specify what the problems are with your LEE pot, I can comment on whether it's caused by zinc or not, and I or another can perhaps help remedy your LEE 4-20 pot problem.

[Munkeyjoe]

Not to Hijack Here I will post in another place. I do thank you for your recommendations and interest.

And Silly Me.... I dont even know my own equipment, I have the Lee Production Pot IV NOT a 4-20.... I wish I had a pot that large!

[DeadHandRed]

Zinkers !!!

i think youd have to use string to tie it to your nylon, i wouldnt trust the sharp edges, there were a few with birth defects.. generally pretty succesful.

http://img180.imageshack.us/img180/5962/img005gz.jpg

[a.squibload]

I zwear, that'll zink right to the bottom!