Got some pure lead pipe today, old water lines.

[BNE]

GREAT score. It is most likely pure lead. (I have tested a fair amount of lead pipe. Always pure. Maybe some tin if you have a joint.)

Lots of options for alloying mentioned above. If you are powder coating, you will not have to harden it up much.

[unclemikeinct]

Hey Dan, Good texting w you, This is my Rifle Club in your St. of Pa, Ridgway. uncle mike https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nja3Ao1gqE0&t=39s

[harm]

Nice score! I recently was given a good chunk of lead pipe, finally talked to the right guy working with the plumbers -- in my case it's a "first one is free" and he's got my number to make a deal on the next batch.

Having melted some pipe that had water in it after at least a couple years sitting indoors, I'll recommend a pot with a lid and being extra careful when you go to check if it's melted yet. Who knows what all went down those drains.

[nawagner]

There are still some lead service lines, lines that run from the fresh water main to the premise of the house. It's not good, remember Flint, and water companies are getting rid of them as fast as they can. By the size you mention I would bet that's what they are and depending on where you are in the nation there will be a lot of it for the taking.

[lightman]

Thats a good score! If you go back for more you should take those guys some donuts or something. They might be working all over town!

[NyFirefighter357]

If those pipes are 2-3 inches or so in diameter---- they aren't water lines bro.

Pure Lead pipes won't take the pressure, they're drain or sewer lines.
They were commonly used to go from a sink and run until they could drop into a 3-4" cast Iron sewer line.

Stay upwind as ya melt 'em down.

I still see 3/4" & 1" lead water mains here. I've gotten about 100lbs so far. I also know it holds as high as 150lbs of water pressure where I've seen it still in use.

[USSR]

After lead sheathing, lead pipe is my favorite source of pure lead. Smelted down about 180# in the last week.

Don

[lightman]

I've melted a good bit of lead pipe and moisture was never a problem. I cut it up to fit in my pot and load the pot before I light the burner. Any moisture cooks off long before the lead melts. I've even done sink and bathroom traps this way. If I want to add to the pot I shut the burner off and let the lead harden then I'll lay some more on top and start again. It never hurts to stand back away from the pot while things are melting. After you get familiar with your pot you can make a pretty good guess at how much to stack in it to get a full pot.

[Green Frog]

Pure lead will get you to a great starting point for any alloy. When I was serious about Schuetzen I used pure lead and pure tin for those bullets. For muzzle loaders, the pure lead is what works best. For pistol bullets, the pure lead gets some Linotype or even old COWWs to harden it up. Any kind of bullets you want, pure lead is the best place to start.

Don’t want to pay for tin or hard alloy to mix in? Lots of people want pure lead and many of them will trade with you. Then again, if your base supply of lead is free, paying a small premium for harder alloy still gives you a very reasonably priced end product.

Froggie

[John Boy]

Uncle Mike: Ridgway, me too but a 6 hour drive one way.
Are you Mike that lives on the street near the Royal Inn?

[unclemikeinct]

No Sir, South Jersey John, I'm the mike 7 hours east of Ridgway in CT. John H & I both shoot VBRS with our wife's. I know you have seen us. uncle mike

[usmc0811]

Update...... I just got another 211 pounds today!!!!
He said I can come back tomorrow and the next day after that to get more then they will be done the job. He said to bad I didnt talk to him earlier in the week, he had over 1,000 lbs I could have had.
So so far from todat and yesterday a total of 390 lbs.

[usmc0811]

So I went to rotometal website and this is their options for pewter.
I'm trying to harden up my pure lead pipe i acquired. Which type should i get and how much?
A/C-pewter
92%tin,
7.75%antimony,
.25%copper

R-92-pewter 92%tin
8% antimony

R-98-pewter 98%tin
.50%copper
1.5%bismuth

[Geezer in NH]

I would smelt all that pure down to ingots then sell or trade in the S$S section for the alloy I needed. Never mind spending money on additives. Think smelt cost only then FREE!

[Green Frog]

So I went to rotometal website and this is their options for pewter.
I'm trying to harden up my pure lead pipe i acquired. Which type should i get and how much?
A/C-pewter
92%tin,
7.75%antimony,
.25%copper

R-92-pewter 92%tin
8% antimony

R-98-pewter 98%tin
.50%copper
1.5%bismuth

usmc0811, be aware that tin alone doesn't harden the lead all that quickly... it's the antimony that makes it harder and tougher. If you can get someone to swap you some clip on wheel weights or better yet some type metal (linotype, monotype, etc) that will really make more difference sooner. Also, all this talk you hear about water quenching to harden your bullets only works with antimony in the mix.

BTW, that 390 lb sounds like a lot until you start using it, then you will be amazed at how quickly it seems to evaporate, particularly if you get into muzzle loaders or other big bullets that take 400-500 grains at a time!

Froggie

[usmc0811]

usmc0811, be aware that tin alone doesn't harden the lead all that quickly... it's the antimony that makes it harder and tougher. If you can get someone to swap you some clip on wheel weights or better yet some type metal (linotype, monotype, etc) that will really make more difference sooner. Also, all this talk you hear about water quenching to harden your bullets only works with antimony in the mix.

BTW, that 390 lb sounds like a lot until you start using it, then you will be amazed at how quickly it seems to evaporate, particularly if you get into muzzle loaders or other big bullets that take 400-500 grains at a time!

Froggie

I do have 1 or 2 pounds of type metal.
Im sure it will go quicker than I think lol hopefully I get a bunch more tomorrow and Friday.

[kevin c]

FWIW, you might as well buy pure tin ingots from Rotometals rather than the pewter ingots. The pewter is not pure tin, but the cost of a one pound ingot is the same as pure. You get more value from the pure (at 2%, the amount of antimony and copper that ends up in your alloy isn't significant in terms of casting characteristics or terminal ballistics).

For an even better value, check for pewter ware at your local thrift shop. A battered, bent and scratched up piece may only cost you a couple dollars a pound. Even at ten bucks a pound that'd only be half the cost of pewter or tin from Rotometals, if you factor in shipping at under a c note's worth of purchases.

Quick and dirty math for tin: take the number of pounds (or ounces) of lead and move the decimal two places to the left to get close enough to one percent added. 10# lead needs .1 pounds of tin to get about 1%, double that for 2%.

[Green Frog]

I do have 1 or 2 pounds of type metal.
Im sure it will go quicker than I think lol hopefully I get a bunch more tomorrow and Friday.

The old Ideal cast bullet handbooks gave all sorts of formulae for mixing up what they used as a “standard” for most casting, so-called “Lyman #2”. Back then, type metal was relatively cheap and common, so that figured prominently in their suggestions.

Froggie

[Pipefitter]

If you have any sections of the pipe that are "bulged" (looks like a snake swallowed a rat), cut them out and melt them separate. They are wiped solder joints and contain a fair amount of tin already.

[usmc0811]

If you have any sections of the pipe that are "bulged" (looks like a snake swallowed a rat), cut them out and melt them separate. They are wiped solder joints and contain a fair amount of tin already.

Yes I have a few of them. How would I go about using them? How much of it should I add to how much of the pure lead? Just got another 128 pounds todayand will be getting one more last batch tomorrow. So far 518 pounds.