# Help with lead wheel weights please



## Lazy 8

I was just given about a 2 lb coffee can full of old wheel weights. I'd like to first clean them up and maybe get them into an ingot (sp?) type shape. Can I heat them up over a camp fire, small amount at a time? Are the bent piece that attaches them to the wheel made of lead? Can anyone give me some insight?

I was thinking of maybe using them for sinkers or slingshot ammo?


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## rustyhooks

Lazy 8 said:


> I was just given about a 2 lb coffee can full of old wheel weights. I'd like to first clean them up and maybe get them into an ingot (sp?) type shape. Can I heat them up over a camp fire, small amount at a time? Are the bent piece that attaches them to the wheel made of lead? Can anyone give me some insight?
> 
> I was thinking of maybe using them for sinkers or slingshot ammo?


the clips will float to the top when melted. the best way I have found to melt them is to use a propane burner , like the kind you get with a turkey fryer. put the weights in a steel pan or pot and crank it up. the clips and dirt will come to the top


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## 47dipseydivers

I always skim all that nasty stuff off the top with a spoon

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## ironman172

for a small amount like that might look into a cast iron ladle....and a propane torch for doing plumbing

I will use a propane turkey fryer burner with a cast iron pan to melt down the larger 20lb lead plates to more manageable corn mold pieces for my 4lb electric melting pot or production pot.

http://www.srmo.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=MOLDS_AND_ACC


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## Blue Pike

What Ironman and the others said. ^

And if you are using a mold to make sinkers try to sort out the zinc wheel weights, they don't play well with lead wheel (w/w)weights.

Your camp fire may work ---- you will need the temp up into the 750 degree range to melt w/w.
Do all of your work in a well ventilated area.
An old cupcake pan will work well as a ingot mold.

Part of over 1000 lbs of bullet alloy.


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## sherman51

what others have said is good advice. but I don't think your going to get hot enough with a camp fire. you really need some type of propane burner. if you have a small propane burner or even a propane torch you can melt small amounts. then take an old spoon to skim the metal pieces and scrap off the top. I have used a small propane stove to melt my lead. and then used an old metal soup ladle to pour my lead. if you use a propane torch you want to heat the lead from the top until it melts then put the burner on the bottom of your pot. you can even use your kitchen stove but if you do make sure and clean up the area real good when you get done. and this would be a last resort. good luck.
sherman


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## ironman172

If not in a hurry, I can help out in the spring when I do a little more melting and pouring....I have a few molds(jig,and bank sinker) you could use then or buy you an electric melting pot for the future times you might score some free lead ....check ebay or even on here there is some now and then


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## sherman51

if we lived alittle closer I would just loan you my melting pot. if its something you think you might do again in the future you might do like ironman said and check out ebay for a good used melting pot. they have 2 types of pots. the ladle type where you pour the lead and then the ones with the bottom pour spouts. for small jobs the ladle type will work just fine. but I much prefer the bottom pour spouts.

I use to pour a lot of jigs and barrel sinkers. I had a 10 lb bottom pour that I used. then it got smashed down in the pole barn. so when I replaced it I got the 20 lb pot.

buying a pot is an investment. but if you think your going to use it then its worth the investment. its fun pouring your own jigs and sinkers. plus the money you save on pouring your own jigs and sinkers.

just go to ebay and type in lead melting pot. they have a new 10 lb bottom pour for 62.00 plus around 10.00 for shipping. then they have a new 20 lb pot for 80.00 plus shipping. but they have all types of pots some on auction and some buy it now. you can also find some pretty good prices for lead on ebay.
sherman


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## Lazy 8

Blue Pike said:


> What Ironman and the others said. ^
> 
> And if you are using a mold to make sinkers try to sort out the zinc wheel weights, they don't play well with lead wheel (w/w)weights.
> 
> Your camp fire may work ---- you will need the temp up into the 750 degree range to melt w/w.
> Do all of your work in a well ventilated area.
> An old cupcake pan will work well as a ingot mold.
> 
> Part of over 1000 lbs of bullet alloy.


Thanks EVERYBODY! Including those who offered their services or equipment! I love this place! 
How can I tell the difference between zinc and lead weights? And my stuff is not suitable for bullets..correct?


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## Blue Pike

Here you go Lazy 8
Wheel weights can be steel, lead alloy or Zinc. Some zinc have ZN on them.


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## sherman51

Lazy 8 said:


> Thanks EVERYBODY! Including those who offered their services or equipment! I love this place!
> How can I tell the difference between zinc and lead weights? And my stuff is not suitable for bullets..correct?


wheel weights are not a good idea for casting bullets. you want pure lead and not zink. wheel weights are not made from pure lead. you can buy the pure lead on ebay for less the 1.50 per pound.
sherman


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## Lazy 8

Did I miss something? Why did he crimp or pinch the weights with a pair of ***** or linesmans?


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## Blue Pike

He pinched the wheel weights to see if the side cutters/ pliers would dent the lead.
Lead will dent --- zink and steel will not dent as much as lead.

Wheel weights make great bullets. One bullet that I cast for one of the 45-70's weighs 430 gr. and I run it at 1450 fps --- no leading of the barrel at all. Wheel weights with a bit of tin added.

Use soft lead for muzzle loaders.

http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletAlloy.htm


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## RushCreekAngler

To make sure you don't have any zink in the batch ( it will ruin it for casting) keep the temp just high enough to melt lead. Lead melts at a lower temp than zink. Then the steel clips and zink will float to the top. If it floats, throw it out. After all the floaties are out, you can turn up the temp and cast it into ingots.


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## Lazy 8

Thanks to BluePike, RushCreek and everybody. You all are like my father who is no longer with us. I would of turned to him in a case like this. Thank you all.


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## Lazy 8

Here's something to add. I subscribe to the Backwoodsman and they did a article on, Melting Scrap Metals Easily. One thing I found interesting was that if you add a dab of fat just before pouring, it helps to flux out impurities.
Any thoughts on that?


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## Blue Pike

lazy --One of the best fluxing agents is pine sawdust -- the stuff works great and it's free.
Just drop a table spoon full on top of your melted lead and stir it in with a dry stick of wood. 
What you are doing is introducing carbon into your lead alloy mix ----

Got ya a link --- http://www.lasc.us/FryxellFluxing.htm


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## RushCreekAngler

I always flux when casting. I use beeswax ( I used to have hives, and have a coffee can full - should last me forever). I use about a pea sized piece in my 3lb melting pot. It helps to pull out impurities caused by the lead oxidizing.

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## Lazy 8

Thanks BluePike and RushCreekAngler. I have sawdust and beeswax. My wax is from the 70's when we had 20 hives. I mainly use it for lubing drawers.


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## Blue Pike

Hi Lazy8
Hey, on post #5 I mad a mistake.
Your camp fire may work ---- you will need the temp up into the 750 degree range to melt w/w.

This should have read --- You will need a temp up into the 650 degree range and not over 750 degrees.

Lead melts at 625 degrees or so and zinc melts at 785 or so.
Sorry for the bad info ---------- I just seen the mistake.


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## Lazy 8

Thanks BP but how in the heck do I regulate a camp type fire? Will a butane torch work?


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## Blue Pike

More sticks, hotter  Less sticks, cooler.

Yea, the torch will work.


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## sherman51

Lazy 8 said:


> Thanks BP but how in the heck do I regulate a camp type fire? Will a butane torch work?


yes you can use a propane or butane torch. it works best if you melt the metal from the top then move your torch to the bottom of your pan. I have used a propane torch to melt down larger pieces of lead for my pot like old home made downrigger weights. then put it in my pot. I have used a little cheap 2 burner propane stove to melt my lead. then when I got into pouring a lot of jigs barrel sinkers and big saltwater jigs I bought a 10 lb melting pot with the bottom pour spout off ebay. I used it for 15 or 20 yrs then a big speaker that my son had stored on a shelf above my pot fell and smashed it. so now I have a 20 lb pot that I haven't even used yet.
sherman


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## racetech

I could use some of that for ballast in my race car lol





Blue Pike said:


> What Ironman and the others said. ^
> 
> And if you are using a mold to make sinkers try to sort out the zinc wheel weights, they don't play well with lead wheel (w/w)weights.
> 
> Your camp fire may work ---- you will need the temp up into the 750 degree range to melt w/w.
> Do all of your work in a well ventilated area.
> An old cupcake pan will work well as a ingot mold.
> 
> Part of over 1000 lbs of bullet alloy.


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## Lazy 8

Thank you BluePike.
Sherman, what are you waiting for? Break that pot in? (don't break the pot!)


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## TomC

If your interested get with me in the spring, I usually melt down somewhere between 850-1200lbs of wheel weights every sping for my yearly ingot and sinker making.


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