What should I do with this lead?

[merlin101]

Be carefull useing an acetylene torch to cut lead, not only expensive but it may be vaporizeing the lead and then you really do have lead fumes! Try the propane and just melt and drip into a mold or pot. Wish you were around here, I'd make ya a heck've deal and you wouldn't have to lift a finger!

[Toymaker]

+1 with merlin101. Acetylene cutting will vaporize the lead and you don't want that.

I think you're wasting effort. Unless you just want to see what the process is and how it goes.

Take what you want and smelt it for your use. Cut the rest up into blocks and sell it to the two dozen lead hounds (me included) panting at your doorstep. (Maybe its three dozen by now).

[mikeym1a]

You mentioned 'my time'................Time is what you make of it. You could sell it, as suggested and buy a 'real' alloy. Or, you can process it as you want. I can get used lead locally. I do not figure my time into it, as my time is my own. I only figure the cost of my propane, and anything I had to buy to process the lead. Whether bought or recovered, you need the same tools to process the lead. My personal view is that cutting it with a chainsaw, and salvaging the chips, is the fastest way to cut it into managable sizes. The you can either process it, or advertise it for sale. Personally, I see it as 'found money'. If you get tired of the hassle, then just truck it to the salvage yard. If you could find an easy way to cut it into 25lb - 50lb chunks, you'd find a ready market here. Good luck, any way you choose. mikey

[DrBill33]

As of last evening, the spot pric of reclaimed lead was .70 per pound.

Hope that this helps

[F_L]

As of last evening, the spot pric of reclaimed lead was .70 per pound.

Hope that this helps

Thanks - My local yard offered me .45

I haven't had time to mess with the keel until today. Here is about 100 lbs I cut off in about 20 minutes.

Those warning of lead fumes, thanks for your concern. I have plenty of ventilation and always wear a respirator. I think I am keeping the lead below its boiling point, but don't know for sure.

[Toymaker]

Haven't been able to check threads for a couple of days so I was impressed with the amount of lead you removed in only 20 minutes. I thought it would take longer. I was also glad to read you are taking precautions and using a respirator. That 10# chunk you melted in your "tank" pot looks nice and shiney, = clean. I get a little paranoid with some things because I was educated as a chemist and worked in labs for 10 years before moving up the administration ladder. Your project is interesting, so keep us posted on your progress.

[amosfella]

Those warning of lead fumes, thanks for your concern. I have plenty of ventilation and always wear a respirator. I think I am keeping the lead below its boiling point, but don't know for sure.

Lead boils around 1700C. You should be fine.

[David2011]

F L,

Having owned a number of sailboats and done my own maintenance, I would be FAR more concerned about the bottom paint than lead vapors. The toxins in copper based antifouling paint are very nasty as is the binder when heated.

For people now searching for keels, be aware that Catalina Yachts uses cast iron on keels for boats much larger than 22 feet. It would be a bad day to haul a 4000 lb find home only to find out later that it wasn't lead.

Just curious, most scrapped sailboats I've been around were the result of hurricanes. Are these boats damaged or abandoned?

David

[David2011]

Lead boils around 1700C. You should be fine.

But it produces toxic vapors around 1100 degrees Farenheit. The bottom paint is dangerous at much lower temperatures.

David

[F_L]

Work is still getting in the way of the lead project, but I have made some progress. I finished the bottom pour pot following the directions here. I have to say the simple design of the valve works great. No drips and good control over the lead flow. I followed Randy C's advise and built a mold to fit the small flat rate box.

Please excuse the rough look of the mold. If I decide to go this way I will clean it up and put on some handles. With this mold it is 4 ingots to a box. I don't have a scale at the shop but will weigh it at home. My goal is 30 lbs but I don't know how realistic that is. The mold is beveled on one side only to minimize the empty space in the box.

David - Bottom paint is nasty stuff if you are sanding or burning it. This morning I was sanding bottom paint off a boat. This afternoon I was burning it off chunks of lead in the smelting pot. I have both regular and forced air respirators. I started doing bottom jobs years ago using the cheap paper masks and decided I didn't want to die that way.
The boats I scrap are usually older boats where the repairs exceed their value. Most of the time the owner is paying an expensive slip fee. They can't sell it, and don't have a trailer to haul it.

Thanks,
Fred

[propwashp47]

great job fred on getting the bottom pour pot finished. I think it will save much time for you with the amount of lead you will be melting , and after the hard work in getting it cut up. keep letting us know how it is coming

[F_L]

Success!

This box-o-lead weighed 30 lbs on my cheap scale at home. Now I need to refine my smelting technique so I can duplicate it. I think it took about 20 tries to get 4 ingots that were consistent in size.
Fred

[Toymaker]

Congrats!!! I'm trying to figure what you mean by "consistent in size" and possible reasons. They're not going to be pretty and uniform like bullets, but many of the same principles of casting apply. It takes a little while for that bottom pour spout to get hot enough to get a good flow. I like my lead a little hotter than bullet casting temperatures when I'm casting ingots. ETC. I don't much care what my ingots weigh as long as I know the weight. When I make ingots I cast a bullet or plug from the mix so I can test the BHN. I use a Saeco tester. Then I scratch the date, BHN, weight and, if known, alloy ingredients on each ingot.

[meeesterpaul]

some refrigerants are a version of propane

[F_L]

Congrats!!! I'm trying to figure what you mean by "consistent in size" and possible reasons. They're not going to be pretty and uniform like bullets, but many of the same principles of casting apply. It takes a little while for that bottom pour spout to get hot enough to get a good flow. I like my lead a little hotter than bullet casting temperatures when I'm casting ingots. ETC. I don't much care what my ingots weigh as long as I know the weight. When I make ingots I cast a bullet or plug from the mix so I can test the BHN. I use a Saeco tester. Then I scratch the date, BHN, weight and, if known, alloy ingredients on each ingot.

I appreciate your comments. I am trying to find a way to market the extra lead. 30 lbs fits perfectly in the small boxes. Just a bit of lead under or over filled makes a substantial difference. I am getting better at it.

I did borrow a Saeco tester. I don't have any bullet molds yet so I poured some lead into a few .45 cases. They tested 6-7 bhn. At least now I have an idea of what I have.

Thanks,
Fred

[Toymaker]

Marketing - is it against the rules to post a "Lead for Sale" message? Any of the selling web sites take a cut. Post notes at local ranges. My bro-in-law shoots Cowboy Action down that way. I'd certainly take advantage of the opportunity. With the Saeco tester that indicates a really good lead. As it ages a little it will harden to about BHN 8 which is the usual hardness for pure lead. Perfect for my muzzle loaders and great for making my own alloys. Fantastic job. It's been fun following the thread.

[F_L]

Marketing - is it against the rules to post a "Lead for Sale" message?

The Swappin and Selling section of this forum is just for that. I need to get to 25 posts first (per the rules) but intend to post the lead there for sale. 25 posts will be easy as I have't yet started posting questions on preferred alloys, molds, lube, etc. for my own bullet casting. I will post some questions in the appropriate section when I am ready to proceed. Unfortunately my real job has gotten busy and slowed down my lead project.

I did sell 30 lbs on Ebay just to test the water. It sold quickly at $1/lb + shipping. But I hate Ebay and Paypal with a passion. Even though I have used Paypal for years for my company credit card processing, ran over $4500 through Paypal last month, never had a charge back or complaint, they are holding the funds of the lead auction because I don't have an "established seller rating". I would dump Paypal in a heart beat, but haven't found a viable alternative yet.

[F_L]

I got a few hours to work on my lead project.

These 2 pieces along with another piece and all the drippings weighed in at 310 lbs. It took about 2 1/2 hrs. That's longer than i expected but I think I can speed it up as I refine the technique. I also want to experiment with a chainsaw and weed burner. My plan is to have the keel off the boat and cut up into ~100 lbs chunks by this weekend .

Fred

[NewbieDave007]

That is a lot of time and work, but I would love to be in your shoes with all that lead. Good luck.

[Toymaker]

Curious. I know the weed burner and chain saw were suggested, but ....... will a weed burner really get hot enough? Careful of the fumes from the paint.

Will a chain saw really work? I'm seeing lead chunks and dust (it makes wood dust and chunks, right? = Spock logic) Also, lead getting in the couplings between the links. What happens when a link, or links, jam? Then there's lead collecting on the sprocket. What ever happens the chain saw is going to be toast.

Wouldn't a saw-saw with a really coarse tooth blade be better? Lube the blade with spray Teflon, like TriFlo (for bike chains) or one of these products to make drawers slide easier. There's even some pure silicone sprays.

You going to set up the video camera to document the process for future generations? )