View Full Version : Price for scrap lead?
eagle4g63
11-05-2010, 08:19 PM
I tried to do a search but didn't exactly answer my question. I've been trying to scrounge for quite some time and now I am going to start casting. After striking out at almost every tire joint around me for WW I decided to try my local scrap yards. One said no way on selling off any scrap to me. The other however said OK, what they want is $.70 a pound! I looked and most of what they had today was roof vent sheet lead( you know the old lead pipe flashing) or water supply line. My question is: Is this a good price since I still have to smelt it or is it better to just move on?
richbug
11-05-2010, 08:25 PM
Wholesale spot price on lead was $1.13/# today. 70 cents is pretty fair in comparison, both would yield 90% plus when cleaned up.
Charlie Two Tracks
11-05-2010, 09:19 PM
I got mine from Muddy Creek Sam, who is on this site. There are others here who also sell lead. Ingots, ready to be cast for around a buck a pound. Not bad at all. I really like Sam's Isotope lead. Real clean. Check out the swappin & sellin section of the forum.
eagle4g63
11-05-2010, 09:27 PM
That's what I'm talking about, I can find guys with the rigs that sell the stuff for around a dollar a pound and all I have to do is put it in my melter and start casting. The scrap means I have to find, buy, or beg for equipment(I know it isn't much but...) and then take the time to smelt it. To me $.70 sounds like I'm not going to really see any savings for quite some time. If I buy equipment it looks like about $100 on the cheaper end I will have to smelt over 300 pounds of lead at that price to just break even. Wait that didn't include any tin to harden it!!
At those price's you might want to check out rotometal's.
lwknight
11-06-2010, 02:51 PM
At $0.70 per pound, roofing lead is a bargain.
eagle4g63
11-06-2010, 03:53 PM
So I should buy the roofing lead? What is the main difference in the roofing lead as apposed to the lead pipe? I thought they were both pretty much straight lead(real soft). You would think that I would have been smarter about my business....I've been a general contractor for 13 years. The real kick is that about two years ago I replaced my roof and took out three large pieces of lead vent booting and also replaced all my cast pipe about 4 years ago and didn't keep any of the lead from either!!!DOH!!
GabbyM
11-07-2010, 12:06 AM
A few weeks ago 2/6 alloy was $1.38 per pound FOB. It's only gone up since then.
If you have green backs in abundance lead is a better place to have some commodity investment in the amount you may need for personal consumpion.
badbob454
11-07-2010, 02:59 AM
TRY THE e b*y for lead ingots .. they sell for @ 1.oo per lb . clip on w/w are the best for smokeless handgun bullets... ask the seller if they seperated the zinc before the melt before you bid ... i take a new 3-5 gallon bucket to tire stores and a 12 pack of beer and ask to swap for a full bucket of ww's some will go for it i have @ 1,000 lbs this way
badbob454
11-07-2010, 03:09 AM
So I should buy the roofing lead? What is the main difference in the roofing lead as apposed to the lead pipe? I thought they were both pretty much straight lead(real soft). You would think that I would have been smarter about my business....I've been a general contractor for 13 years. The real kick is that about two years ago I replaced my roof and took out three large pieces of lead vent booting and also replaced all my cast pipe about 4 years ago and didn't keep any of the lead from either!!!DOH!!
i would buy it for now, then scout for better deals . at least if the supply dries up as in kalifornia , no more lead w/w 's ,. you will have some.. linotype , tin, ww, clip on type. and monotype and stereotype, all will help harden your soft lead supply
both roofing leads are @ 95-99 % lead soft and pliable great for muzzle-loaders or low velocity boolits .. if any doubt scratch it with your thimbnail , if it gouges a line its soft enough .. :bigsmyl2::cbpour:
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