Zinc Wheelweights

[a.squibload]

First step: admit you have a problem.
Second step: get rid of the addicting substance (send lead to me for disposal).

OK, somebody had to say it.


Same here, I've spent a lot of time reading on this site, have learned a LOT.
casting is not as frustrating when you have the information to improve it.
Thanks everyone!

I'm saving zinc WWs, either to trade for lead or to use in case the lead disappears.

[metweezer]

Smelted too hot? I hear keeping it to 650 will eliminate that problem. So I'm waiting for my thermometer before I start on this.

The melting temperature for lead is 621.5 degrees F.
The melting temperature for zinc is 787.15 degrees F.
So yes, keeping your temperature at 650 degrees will melt your lead and leave the zinc and steel unmelted and floating on top to be easily removed.

[badbob454]

welcome Gester 01 the best to you and many years of casting ...love this sight its more addictive than casting ....he he

[Sonnypie]

Down South
That is wishful thinking!!
Once the Zinc is melted, you are screwed!! It becomes part of the alloy.
Would be akin to trying to separate the whisky from the ginger ale after it was poured.
Pepe Ray

Oh, I do that all the time.
The ginger ale turns to pee, and the whiskey turns to a silly grin.

This is an Outstanding thread for a beginner like me.
Thank You mac1911 for the link! Greatly appreciated!

[DOMIDARKO]

As a complete newb, this thread has been extremely helpful. Sorted out 50 lbs of dirty WW and found 4 zn weights and about 1/2 lb of fe.

[SciFiJim]

Sorted out 50 lbs of dirty WW and found 4 zn weights and about 1/2 lb of fe.

That's a great ratio. About of third of what I am able to get is unusable. The dirt doesn't hurt anything. It will all come off in the melt.

[mold maker]

The ratio of zinc has fallen and the iron is increasing. It looks as if the WW makers have discovered a cheaper way to satisfy everyone but us.
Zinc is as expensive as lead, but cost more to make WWs. The iron is cheap and their being made over seas, out of our scrap. I guess that's some of the jobs Obama created, last night.

[bhardy57]

This thread is going to be very helpful a friend just dropped off 60 lbs. of wheel weights and this will be my first time sorting.

[Bullet Caster]

Well, I'm new to boolit casting also and have read the entire post of threads as I like to read. I sure envy you guys that are able to find wheel weights as they're non-existent in eastern TN. Went to Wally World and they told me they haven't used lead wheel weights in the past 2 years, and they have all went to steel stick on weights. My only recourse is to read all about it. Thanks to everyone who has posted here. I have a friend who works at a trailer manufacturing plant and he has promised to save any lead ww for me. So far 0 lbs, 0 ozs. I've even thought about melting down my BP round balls and use what few I have to cast for my .45 colt clone. Looks like lead supply from tire shops is quickly coming to an end. I've yet to call a few roofers and see what the Pb supply is. Might try that next. BC

[Whiterabbit]

When someone comes up with a safe way to process battery lead, it'll be a slam dunk again.

[badbob454]

When someone comes up with a safe way to process battery lead, it'll be a slam dunk again.

trade your battery lead in for scrap lead ?

[badbob454]

Well, I'm new to boolit casting also and have read the entire post of threads as I like to read. I sure envy you guys that are able to find wheel weights as they're non-existent in eastern TN. Went to Wally World and they told me they haven't used lead wheel weights in the past 2 years, and they have all went to steel stick on weights. My only recourse is to read all about it. Thanks to everyone who has posted here. I have a friend who works at a trailer manufacturing plant and he has promised to save any lead ww for me. So far 0 lbs, 0 ozs. I've even thought about melting down my BP round balls and use what few I have to cast for my .45 colt clone. Looks like lead supply from tire shops is quickly coming to an end. I've yet to call a few roofers and see what the Pb supply is. Might try that next. BC

dont let them tell you they dont have any , the cars and trucks are still coming in with lead on them, and must be removed ..

[Russel Nash]

the problem with a big retailer or national franchise like Wally World is that they have already been contracted out to some recycling business which swings by their stores once a week and picks up both the old batteries and wheel weights.

You need to find several mom and pop independent tire dealers to get your wheelweights from.

They are too small that the recycling businesses haven't bothered contracting with them.

[Fredx10sen]

Just scored another five gallon bucket full to the top from a shop that deals in large truck, tractor and autos. Had to force him to take ten dollars. He said he would have more in two weeks. Great guy to deal with too. There are lots of very large stick-on soft lead through-out the bucket. I have been going to this guy for years. First time he pointed out back of the shop and said have at it. 2500 lbs later I had cleaned up all those they were tossing back there on the ground. Been great every since. Also scored some more solder drippings from the radiator shop. Had to force him to take five bucks as he said twenty was way tooooo much. I thanked both of these fellas and said I appreciate it. Both have said come back. Oh ya that full bucket today had to be seperated into two so as to get them into the truck. Dolly helped get the to them to the smelting area

[Boyscout]

In our area the scrap dealers even hit the little guys. I was able to get about 400 lbs of WW before my contact dried up. I bought some Roto metals 70/30 to harden it up since I don't have the ability to melt pure antimony.

[Wolfer]

The last few years I have been doing most of my target shooting into half of a 55 gallon plastic drum filled with sand. A couple times a year I will shovel the sand thru a box with a 1/4" screen on the bottom that sits on my wheelbarrow and sift out all the lead. This (range scrap) is already pre-mixed (more or less) and just needs to be melted down,cleaned up,and poured into ingots ready for the pot. Most of the boolits I shoot have been shot several times before but every so often I will have to mix a new batch because everything I have is in the tub. I also lose several shooting at various rocks,sticks,and critters

[mold maker]

Get what you can while its there. Around here the tire shops are tighter, with the weights, than Aunt Gurtey's girdle. They all claim some haz waste order, or forced return rule.
Truth is they signed a contract with the devil (battery co) and think they are getting a deal.
Little do they know!!!!!!!!!!

[Jim_Fleming]

If you're willing to take the time and you are willing to spend the money, wheel weights and lead can be found on ebay.

I personally lucked into a deal and bought linotype at 60 cents a pound. I got 320 lbs of it, too.

Sent from my Droid

[2571]

Have not seen much pb in two years. All the WW I get, even from ghetto stores servicing used cars, is Zinc. Instead of picking zinc out of a 5 gal bucket, I now pick out the lead.

OTOH, zinc casts into acceptable sling shot missiles.

[zxcvbob]

I have about 10 pounds of zinc'd lead. I'm thinking of pouring a bunch of silver dollar sized (real silver dollars) mini-ingots and adding them one-per-batch to my 20# boolit pot. It should act as a hardener if I don't use too much. Most of my lead is too soft anyway.

Six months later and I finally got a round toit. I cast a bunch of little oatmeal ingots; they weigh 4 to 5 ounces each. Except for the porosity, they look more like solder than lead, and they ring when I bang them together even tho' they were air-cooled.