Processing Lead Wheel Weights question

So I have found a source for lead wheel weights (yes - I will need to sort through them, but that's ok!) and my question is - what would be a better option for processing the wheel weights into ingots - an electric pot set up for ladle casting (such as Lee Magnum Melter or a cast iron skillet? I have read you shouldn't use your casting pot to process/refine salvage lead, so I am trying to decide what would be the best bet for the task (my casting pot is a Lee 4-20).

Thank you in advance for suggestions/opinions/feedback!

Mike

Most guys use a propane set up. Mine is simpler and less costly. I saw up three or four oak pallets and take them to a campsite and smelt in the fire pit. Works well.

Cast iron skillets work although they aren’t real deep like Dutch oven. Propane good just have to watch temp and go slow in case you miss some zinc.

Propane turkey burner or even a camping stove. Then just any pot will work. Most love their cast ironx but i use a steel stock pot.

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Thanks everyone!

There are a lot of stickies about wheel weights and smelting set ups. They contain some good info and are worth checking out. A lot of casters use a turkey fryer and a cutoff propane tank. When melting at that volume you will need several ingot molds. Muffin tins are popular. Many make or have made molds from angle or channel iron. I got a deal several years ago on several of the Lyman style molds. A ladle and a thermometer are also nice to have.

Just another option...I use a large heavy 15 or 20 quart stainless bowl I found at the Good Will store on top a crawfish burner. After smuggling some kitchen utensils I have a good set up:mrgreen:

i bought a bayou classic burner including a 10 psi and a 20 psi valve.reason for the 20psi valve is temps in winter on mountain top where i live, are dropping in the 2 digit minus,then i need more ''power''' to melt the typical 70 to 100lbs pot reasonnably fast..

if you don't melt large volumes, you might want to consider a used 4-20 down pour pot....it's less cumbersome and there's no propane tank involved.

oh...and i now use a stainless steel bucket .was previously using a cast iron unit,but when i realised it could crack during my winter activities,i've converted to steel.safer to use in very cold temps.

I have always melted down my "raw" alloy and cleaned & fluxed x2 in a cast iron pot, then poured into ingots.
Keeps **** out of the casting pot. I used a Coleman white gas stove and an ancient 20lb cast iron pot 45+ yrs ago. These days I use a big cast iron Dutch Oven that will hold 60lb+ over a turkey fryer.

Before I got on this website, I never knew folks used anything BUT cast IRON to melt lead. Unless you're actually casting clean alloy in an electric pot.

Folks mentioned you-tube on this site. I looked at some of those VIDEO'S. SCARIED THE BEJEEUS OUTA ME.

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Originally Posted by Walks

Folks mentioned you-tube on this site. I looked at some of those VIDEO'S. SCARIED THE BEJEEUS OUTA ME.

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Ain't that the truth? Flip flops, shorts, tank tops, Wow! I also amazes me the number of setups that you see with people working on the ground. My ole back likes to be upright.

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Originally Posted by Mcliff1971

So I have found a source for lead wheel weights (yes - I will need to sort through them, but that's ok!) and my question is - what would be a better option for processing the wheel weights into ingots - an electric pot set up for ladle casting (such as Lee Magnum Melter or a cast iron skillet? I have read you shouldn't use your casting pot to process/refine salvage lead, so I am trying to decide what would be the best bet for the task (my casting pot is a Lee 4-20).

Thank you in advance for suggestions/opinions/feedback!

Mike

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If you aren't gonna process more than 500 lbs a day, a Coleman Gasoline camp stove and a stainless steel soup pot from a thrift store is a pretty economically way to go...that's how I do it anyway, see post #20

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ack-to-camping

Use a cheap Chinese cast iron kettle from Wal mart, not a Lodge!

I'm fairly new to making my own cast boolits, but so far its been a lot of fun. I have a old boiled peanut propane cooker and I just ordered a 3 qrt. cast iron pot w/lid along with a Lyman thermometer from Amazon for $55.00, bought a stainless spaghetti spoon from Wally World for $4.00 and I have several ingot molds that came with a lube sizer deal, so I'm set. A couple weekends ago I made 177 COWW ingots and 118 SOWW ingots in just a few hours. The 3 qrt. pot will smelt around 40 to 50 lbs. of lead with room to flux without making a real mess. I went through the "Sticky's" section here on the forum and found loads of good info plus many folks here answered questions I had. My method, as with many others here, is to get your alloy up to 600 +/- degrees as not to melt any zinc and then flux twice with a good handful of sawdust followed by 1/2" to 3/4" chunks of wax, all this while stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of your pot. Then remove to trash on top and ladle into ingots. I must agree with the above posts - DO NOT SMELT IN YOUR CASTING FURNACE! To much unwanted filth in wheel weights and you wouldn't want that getting into your mold/boolits. There is a mass quantity of knowledge on this forum and many helpful people. so you shouldn't have any issues that can't be worked out. Good luck.

FWIW, try to watch your temps when rendering WWs with gas burners. I started rendering in an old Lee 20 lb model due to concerns about inadvertently melting a non-lead weight, and ruining the batch. I thought I was good at sorting the WWs, but a couple of “floaters” still pass through.

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Originally Posted by eck0313

FWIW, try to watch your temps when rendering WWs with gas burners. I started rendering in an old Lee 20 lb model due to concerns about inadvertently melting a non-lead weight, and ruining the batch. I thought I was good at sorting the WWs, but a couple of “floaters” still pass through.

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Thanks eck0313. I have an old casting pot that doesn't need to be used to cast bullets anymore. I might try using that for my wheel weight processing. I have a nice propane burner and cast iron skillet I can use, but I might save that for processing range "reclamation"

I may have missed it, but DON'T USE AN ALUMINUM POT.

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Originally Posted by OFFSHORE

I'm fairly new to making my own cast boolits, but so far its been a lot of fun. I have a old boiled peanut propane cooker and I just ordered a 3 qrt. cast iron pot w/lid along with a Lyman thermometer from Amazon for $55.00, bought a stainless spaghetti spoon from Wally World for $4.00 and I have several ingot molds that came with a lube sizer deal, so I'm set. A couple weekends ago I made 177 COWW ingots and 118 SOWW ingots in just a few hours. The 3 qrt. pot will smelt around 40 to 50 lbs. of lead with room to flux without making a real mess. I went through the "Sticky's" section here on the forum and found loads of good info plus many folks here answered questions I had. My method, as with many others here, is to get your alloy up to 600 +/- degrees as not to melt any zinc and then flux twice with a good handful of sawdust followed by 1/2" to 3/4" chunks of wax, all this while stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of your pot. Then remove to trash on top and ladle into ingots. I must agree with the above posts - DO NOT SMELT IN YOUR CASTING FURNACE! To much unwanted filth in wheel weights and you wouldn't want that getting into your mold/boolits. There is a mass quantity of knowledge on this forum and many helpful people. so you shouldn't have any issues that can't be worked out. Good luck.

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It sounds like you are off to a good start. Most of us don't mind answering questions, even the ones that are ask over and over. But, reading the stickies is a good idea because you save the time posting your question and waiting on an answer. The stickies sometimes contain pictures too.
There are different opinions on sorting weights vs letting the pot temp sort them for you. Personally, I prefer to take the time to hand sort them.

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Originally Posted by lightman

It sounds like you are off to a good start. Most of us don't mind answering questions, even the ones that are ask over and over. But, reading the stickies is a good idea because you save the time posting your question and waiting on an answer. The stickies sometimes contain pictures too.
There are different opinions on sorting weights vs letting the pot temp sort them for you. Personally, I prefer to take the time to hand sort them.

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I hand sort as well and even use a set of side cutters, but just to be on the side of caution I will keep my heat in the 600/650 degree range.

I can't stand and stoop back and forth to pour ingots.
Set up a picnic bench about 2ft away from my melting pot. I put a big 'ol piece of plywood under everything.
I clamp a 2'X4' 3/4" piece of plywood to the end of the picnic bench and place old clay bricks spaced in pairs with the ingot molds on top. Makes the ingot molds about the same height as the top of the lead pot. I sit close enough in an old kitchen chair to pour ingot with out straining.
And YEP, I wear all safety equipment, my knee high COWBOY boots with my cotton overalls tucked all the way down into them, I even made "flaps" of 10 OUNCE leather that buckle behind my ankles and cover my feet completely. Long sleeve cotton shirt, welding gloves and full face mask with ball cat on top.

Another plus to the burner and pot is a bigger pot can be used to make larger batches of ingots of the same alloy. Getting thru a 5 gallon bucket of wheel weights in a 20 lb pot takes a lot longer than using the cut off propane tank or dutch oven type pot that will hold between 100 and 300lbs. When smelting most don't add to a partial filled pot but empty and start over every pot so contaminants and moisture arnt an issue. Its nice to put all the bucket in a pot heat to remove moisture and melt, flux and skim in one shot.

If you go the cast iron pot heat it slowly up to temp I have had one crack when starting out full bore with the burner. Start iut about half flame and give it 10-15mins then increase to melt. This heats the pot slowly and gives a chance to burn any moisture off.

If you go the cut down propane tank and do it your self, Make sure the tank is purged of all gas before starting. remove valve and wash dish soap and water several times run an air hose into it. Make sure its clean. I have done it by wrapping tape where I want the cut and using a hack saw or saws all to follow the tape edge. They cut pretty quick. Use a fine toothed metal cutting blade. Once you break thru you are cutting a thin cross section. with the saws all a hole the blade will fit into needs to be drilled for a start point. I also cut a ring from the scrap edge and weld on to bottom of pot to make a bigger foot print for the base.

Depending on how you go pot wise and size make sure the stand or base is up to supporting the weight when hot.

A frame can be use from stacked bricks or blocks with 2 heavy grates in between layers one for wood and one above for the pot. hard wood or coal and a shop vac for a blower will melt lead quick and fast.

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Originally Posted by Walks

I can't stand and stoop back and forth to pour ingots.
Set up a picnic bench about 2ft away from my melting pot. I put a big 'ol piece of plywood under everything.
I clamp a 2'X4' 3/4" piece of plywood to the end of the picnic bench and place old clay bricks spaced in pairs with the ingot molds on top. Makes the ingot molds about the same height as the top of the lead pot. I sit close enough in an old kitchen chair to pour ingot with out straining.
And YEP, I wear all safety equipment, my knee high COWBOY boots with my cotton overalls tucked all the way down into them, I even made "flaps" of 10 OUNCE leather that buckle behind my ankles and cover my feet completely. Long sleeve cotton shirt, welding gloves and full face mask with ball cat on top.

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I think I'd have the legs of the coveralls on the outside of the cowboy boots. Open boot top is an open invitation to a big burn with your foot stuck inside.

Yep...lotta of good ideas offered here...GOOD ONES....

I'd like to throw in ...leather gloves...BOOTS as mentioned above...I use and APRON too...Leather is my first choice...and last but not least...SAFETY GLASSES...at all times...

When I smelt...I SMELT TRASH..CORRUPTION and garbage... So...I 'water wash' all the stuff on the driveway the night before and let it drain down...
this helps dirt and stuff go down the street and not in my SMELT POT. And as noted above... the SMELT POT should not be your CASTING POT.
And a $55 smelt pot must be a GOOD ONE... I have time and frequent 'yard sales'... yep... most are a waste of time but I do find CAST POTS and buckets and these are good to smelt with. And... the stuff I buy is much lower price... but ...that is me on a fixed income....

I too...'pre inspect' wheel weights. Pick out the aluminum stuff and other 'unidentifiable' materials. And now, since my closest neighbor is 1/2 mile away,,,I don't have to worry about adding my 'cleansing' ingredients to the smelt pot. Yep...I start with a few handfuls of pine saw dust and some sulfur when I can find it cheap. Now,,,if you 'live in the city'....this smelt concoction will get you "LOVE LETTERS" from you HOA and 'man you are a sweet person' phone calls from your neighbors! IT STINKS...STINKS...it SMOKES...SMOKES and really will make you next door neighbor angry...especially if he is barbecuing in his back yard! And... this is way i always have on leather boots, glasses, welding sleeves, leather gloves and safety glasses and a face shield. MY SMELT ALWAYS POPS AND FIZZLES due to my water wash pre treatment. SO>>> BE WARE.

Some where in these pages I have detailed my 'step by step' procedure on smelting. Sawdust,,,sulfur...wax.... mixing...and ingot making...

Be careful my friend and HAVE FUN! Casting is a kick. 45 years on...still doin' it!!

Never tuck pants into boots when dealing with molten metals or hot liquids. This is a common mistake in breweries and has resulted in some serious burns from a boot full of hot wort or boiling water.

Been sorting weights most of the day, and by the way thanks for all the tips everybody are sharing here-learn something new everyday! Seems I got backed up a bit by putting things off so I had like 4 buckets slap full. I know it differs from location to location but was wondering about what some your ratios were in the way of SOWW, COWW, ZINC, STEEL...? Seems my COWW is running about 20-25 lbs. of every 100 lbs., SOWW about the same, but the steel of course is the majority.

Pick up any decent cast iron pot or pan from the flea market for a few bucks. Then any source of heat you desire. I prefer propane personally but can also do it with a fire pit if needed.

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Originally Posted by Dieselhorses

Been sorting weights most of the day, and by the way thanks for all the tips everybody are sharing here-learn something new everyday! Seems I got backed up a bit by putting things off so I had like 4 buckets slap full. I know it differs from location to location but was wondering about what some your ratios were in the way of SOWW, COWW, ZINC, STEEL...? Seems my COWW is running about 20-25 lbs. of every 100 lbs., SOWW about the same, but the steel of course is the majority.

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Around here I am running probably 70% lead weights. Maybe 10% of those are stick ons. The other 30% is more steel than zinc, which I consider as good. You won't accidentally melt a missed steel weight. I recently was given about a gallon of weights that came from a Texas car dealership and they probably ran about 30% lead.

i have never sorted a wheel weight in my life. i do try to keep the temp down but have never worried to much about it. i have done the acid test and nothing. i know i am not in a utopia where they are all lead. i have never had any problems always get great bullets and they shoot good. contrary to popular belief it ain't rocket science! if you like sorting coww then by all means go for it. i usually don't cast pure coww anyway just use them to get bnh up.

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Originally Posted by lightman

Around here I am running probably 70% lead weights. Maybe 10% of those are stick ons. The other 30% is more steel than zinc, which I consider as good. You won't accidentally melt a missed steel weight. I recently was given about a gallon of weights that came from a Texas car dealership and they probably ran about 30% lead.

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70% is great with the lead weights! I just rake everything with a big magnet to hone in on the lead. I reckon it's a demographic thing. I miss the days when they all were lead.

Jsizemore,
I don't think you've ever worn big fat boy overalls. The legs are so big, stuffing in tall boots leaves so much material wadded up inside the boot, I could pour a can of soda over my knee and my socks would stay dry.

i must agree that you need to be careful . i started out with shorts that lasted one session. left glove off my pouring hand and i now have a nice scar that covers the back of that hand. my wife tells me that i know i have never been graceful. every time i say i am just doing a little it will be ok she reminded me of when she told me to be careful using table saw i told her i had been doing this type of stuff all my life. half hour later was in emergency room being sewed up. i don't say things like that much anymore.

Yup, accidents are unplanned events! And they happen quick. Be Prepared!

I just scored another partial bucket of weights, somewhere around 2/3 or 3/4 of a bucket. The tire store that I use rotates and balances any tires that they sell for free for the life of the tire. I just had my Wifes Expedition in for service prior to an upcoming trip. I can get the weights for free for the asking. I just finished sorting them and I'm still in the 65-70% range. There were maybe 60-65% lead clip ons, 5 to 10% lead stick ons and the rest were steel or zinc. Most were steel, which I consider to be good and a lot of the stick on rejects were composite. We are in the beginning of harvest season here and there were lots of truck weights in this bucket. :drinks: There were also an unusually larger number of larger passenger car weights. :drinks: Those weighing 2, 3,4 or more ounces. Love those larger weights!

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Originally Posted by lightman

I just scored another partial bucket of weights, somewhere around 2/3 or 3/4 of a bucket. The tire store that I use rotates and balances any tires that they sell for free for the life of the tire. I just had my Wifes Expedition in for service prior to an upcoming trip. I can get the weights for free for the asking. I just finished sorting them and I'm still in the 65-70% range. There were maybe 60-65% lead clip ons, 5 to 10% lead stick ons and the rest were steel or zinc. Most were steel, which I consider to be good and a lot of the stick on rejects were composite. We are in the beginning of harvest season here and there were lots of truck weights in this bucket. :drinks: There were also an unusually larger number of larger passenger car weights. :drinks: Those weighing 2, 3,4 or more ounces. Love those larger weights!

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Nice score!