Smelting wheel weights

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I got 5 gallons of wheel weights and 200 pounds of lead pipe.
So far I smelted the wheel weights and 30 pounds of the pipe.
I'm trying to figure out a good way to guarantee keeping them separate.
Started using a small skillet. Then switched to an old cupcake tin.
 

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AJC1 said:
I do kinda the same I use my lee tester and stamp the hardness on them after a week. Makes cooking up special sause easier
Click to expand...
Don't have a hardness tester yet. That and a bottom pour pot are on my short list.
Currently a friend is helping me find my way.
 
Ditto on the sharpie. My source is the back stop at the gun club, marked “R” an occasional batch of lead ingots from a plumber son, marked “P” and lead collected from my telephone days, marked “T”.
Gave up on wheel weights when the zinc started collecting on the bottom of my electric pot.
 
I cast all my clip on wheel weights into regular size muffin tins, I don't stamp or otherwise mark them.

Cable sheathing, stick-on WW's and other soft lead is cast into stainless steel one cup measures. The larger size gives me more room to stamp the exact composition on 'em.

Pewter and solder goes into mini muffin tins stamped 'P' or 'S' as appropriate.

You can buy the muffin tins very cheaply at secondhand stores.

In the future you may want to consider separating out your stick on and clip on wheelweights. Since the amount of stick-ons tends to vary from batch to batch, it'll affect consistency when blending alloys.
AJC1 said:
The high end pots dont seem to offer any better quality.
Click to expand...
True, unless you care about little things like a pour spout that doesn't drip, a thermostat that actually works and heating elements that don't have to be replaced every few years.

There's nothing wrong with the 4-20, especially for the price, but don't kid yourself that it's as good as an RCBS Pro Melt.
 
Swampman said:
I cast all my clip on wheel weights into regular size muffin tins, I don't stamp or otherwise mark them.

Cable sheathing, stick-on WW's and other soft lead is cast into stainless steel one cup measures. The larger size gives me more room to stamp the exact composition on 'em.

Pewter and solder goes into mini muffin tins stamped 'P' or 'S' as appropriate.

You can buy the muffin tins very cheaply at secondhand stores.

In the future you may want to consider separating out your stick on and clip on wheelweights. Since the amount of stick-ons tends to vary from batch to batch, it'll affect consistency when blending alloys.

True, unless you care about little things like a pour spout that doesn't drip, a thermostat that actually works and heating elements that don't have to be replaced every few years.

There's nothing wrong with the 4-20, especially for the price, but don't kid yourself that it's as good as an RCBS Pro Melt.
Click to expand...
I'm still new to the casting game and 350 was just more than I could justify. Maybe when I wear this pot out, but as much as I have moved in the last 23 years I hate to get nice stuff because movers are not delicate.
 
It looks like the sharpie guys have the best idea.
I got all my smelting equipment from the second hand store.
I'm planning on getting the Lee bottom pour. But am waiting for the craziness to go away.
I currently use my friend's and it functions just fine.

Here's tonight's batch of plumbing lead ingots.
30 @ 2 lbs per.
 

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For hardness check, these pencils are recommended;
https://www.amazon.com/STAEDTLER-break-resistant-super-bonded-100-G12/dp/B0014E2S0Q

There are hardness references to the pencil "lead" harnness on the web.

By running the pencil point perpendicular to a file to create a flat. Then start with a softer pencil, run it across a smooth area on the lead at a 45 degree. If the pencil "writes" on the lead, go to the next harder pencil. Once the pencil scribes the lead (you will see the fresh lead shine in good light), that is your harness.
 
Just a point of clarity, smelting is the process of extracting the metal from the raw natural ore. Just melting scrap lead and skimming off dross and impurities is just that, not smelting.
Though I suspect we all knew what you meant.
 
Smelted (?) 200 lbs of WW lead yesterday ending up with 127 lbs of lead ingots. It was mixed stuff from a truck tire store, so some of the weights were quite big.
Unfortunately it appears more and more of the stick-on weights are zinc (even though they act like the lead version). Fortunately I picked up a digital Lyman lead thermometer and kept the mix below 700 degrees....so no zinc got mixed in.

EDIT: Thanks for the clarification Pivot Dr. - I was unsure about the word usage ;)
 
A cheap set of steel stamps from Harbor Freight makes a permanent mark. I use "WW" for clip on weights, PB for soft lead, ect. I bought 2 sets and tack welded some of them in pairs like WW, PB, and a couple of others for other alloys. Some casters us different types of molds for different alloys. If you use a set of initials for ID its a good idea to make a legend someplace like in your loading log book.

It sounds like your first melt went well. I hope you sorted out the Zinc weights and I didn't see where you mentioned it.

Most of us start out small and gradually get bigger. I have a pot that holds about 400# and a burner that will melt it in 20 minutes or so. I run 8 of the Lyman type ingot molds and have a 5# Rowell Ladle and a long handled skimmer. If I push it I can do 4 batches in a day. But thats "2 Aleve" night!

Pivot Dr is correct about the definition of smelting but I have been "smelting" wheelweights for 45 years and doubt that I will change.
 
whughett said:
Ditto on the sharpie. My source is the back stop at the gun club, marked “R” an occasional batch of lead ingots from a plumber son, marked “P” and lead collected from my telephone days, marked “T”.
Gave up on wheel weights when the zinc started collecting on the bottom of my electric pot.
Click to expand...
I use a 20# Lee melting pot. At the #7 setting it gets hot enough to melt the lead. But the zinc weights will float to the top. I reclaimed about 200 lbs of WWs this way.
My main desire for the WWs is the arsenic that gives an age hardening. About 16 Bhn with 2% tin added.
 
lightman said:
A cheap set of steel stamps from Harbor Freight makes a permanent mark. I use "WW" for clip on weights, PB for soft lead, ect. I bought 2 sets and tack welded some of them in pairs like WW, PB, and a couple of others for other alloys. Some casters us different types of molds for different alloys. If you use a set of initials for ID its a good idea to make a legend someplace like in your loading log book.

It sounds like your first melt went well. I hope you sorted out the Zinc weights and I didn't see where you mentioned it.

Most of us start out small and gradually get bigger. I have a pot that holds about 400# and a burner that will melt it in 20 minutes or so. I run 8 of the Lyman type ingot molds and have a 5# Rowell Ladle and a long handled skimmer. If I push it I can do 4 batches in a day. But thats "2 Aleve" night!

Pivot Dr is correct about the definition of smelting but I have been "smelting" wheelweights for 45 years and doubt that I will change.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately wheel weights of 45 years ago are not the wheel weights of today. I suppose if they are ones primary source then the time spend sorting and cleaning is worthwhile. For my self, who has other sources they just contained to many non lead components to be worth my time.
 
whughett said:
Unfortunately wheel weights of 45 years ago are not the wheel weights of today. I suppose if they are ones primary source then the time spend sorting and cleaning is worthwhile. For my self, who has other sources they just contained to many non lead components to be worth my time.
Click to expand...
Last year my grandson, who works at a tire shop, would bring me buckets of WWs. Got the 200 lbs from those. But I have 2 5 gal. buckets full of steel weights and clips from the lead weights. Plus about 2 gal. worth of zinc.

I'll save the WWs for harder cast. Rifle and true magnum loads.
 
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