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melting down wheel weights

joshmb1982joshmb1982 Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
edited December 2009 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
what are some of these other metals that arent melting as well? there are some that look identicle to the lead weights with a metal clip and these little square ones that i set aside and took a much higher temp to melt. also i melted these over a camp fire as ihavent bought a furnace yet.
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ZINK, they are a contamination to lead.
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  • joshmb1982joshmb1982 Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    ok zink would be lighter then lead so it floats right? any that i did melt would be what i scooped off the top?

    also some of these were magnetic. i have a chepo telescoping magnet that i used to pull out the steel clips, and some of these "other" weights also stuck to it.
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  • BHAVINBHAVIN Member Posts: 3,490 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Les Schwab is now using Steel weights only. I am sure others are doing the same.
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  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,105 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I take about 16 fire bricks and make a square chimney with a small hole in bottom of one side . Then take a shot piece of auto tail pipe in the hole and a small hand held Vacumn cleaner hook up the blowing end to tail pipe fill chimney with charcoal and melt 100 pounds in large dutch oven in 10 minutes. Just be careful pouring in ingots
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  • joshmb1982joshmb1982 Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    my grandmother had one of those old small potbellie stoves im going to try and rig up. the bottem opens up so that will cause a pretty good draft on its own once it gets burning. just sit a pot a little above the chimney so the smoke/heat blows buy it. it would only be manye 1ft above the clames/coals so i think it should be plenty hot enough
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by joshmb1982
    ok zink would be lighter then lead so it floats right? any that i did melt would be what i scooped off the top?

    also some of these were magnetic. i have a chepo telescoping magnet that i used to pull out the steel clips, and some of these "other" weights also stuck to it.


    Did you flux the mix? The "stuff" you are scooping off the top is most likely the tin and antimony needed to harden the bullets. You can use old candles for flux. Let the pot melt and while stirring add a hunk of bees wax, ignite the fumes, stir the pot until the dirt comes to the top and the tin/antimony is mixed back into the metal.
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  • joshmb1982joshmb1982 Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    no i didnt flux the mix. the beeswax allows it to mix in better? just melting it and stirring it up doesnt do it?
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  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by joshmb1982
    no i didnt flux the mix. the beeswax allows it to mix in better? just melting it and stirring it up doesnt do it?

    Go here;
    http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/
    it is the Mecca of bullet casting. Also, buy a Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook and read it. You really need to learn a lot about something before you jump in and start doing it. Use an old candle or get some Marvelux for you lead. You can't just melt lead alloys, scrape off the top and wind up with a good result, it simply will not work.
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  • joshmb1982joshmb1982 Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    ok thanks. ill see if i can find the book.
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  • 5mmgunguy5mmgunguy Member Posts: 3,092 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Use marvelux, just follow the directions on the can. Great stuff.
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  • XXCrossXXCross Member Posts: 1,379 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ZINC
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  • Duck HeadDuck Head Member Posts: 82 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Joshmb1982, You could probably sell that potbelly stove and buy a good electric furnace and all the stuff you need to do what you want and then some.I personally use a Coleman Gasoline stove to melt my lead.Flux your lead well and scoop off the junk with a large stainless spoon with extra drain holes drilled in the lowest part of the spoon for your lead to drain out back into your pot. Throw away the rest.Good wheelweights are getting scarce. They also have cadmium plating on some to keep them shiney. Bad stuff for you and your lead.I don't know what you want to do with your wheelweights but Lyman has a cast bullet manual that is THE book to read.Hope this helps.
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  • Duck HeadDuck Head Member Posts: 82 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    ps, stick on wheelwights are junk. You really want the ones with metal clips.The darker,aged looking they are the better. That means they may be the good ones w/o cad. and zinc.If you can cut into it with your thumbnail it's good. If your nail acts like it's cutting glass I'd be wary. Don't mix up a lot of junk with the good stuff. You'll be sorry. Watch don't get no moisture on your lead when adding to molten lead. I got scars to show you why!
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  • joshmb1982joshmb1982 Member Posts: 8,228 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Duck Head
    ps, stick on wheelwights are junk. You really want the ones with metal clips.The darker,aged looking they are the better. That means they may be the good ones w/o cad. and zinc.If you can cut into it with your thumbnail it's good. If your nail acts like it's cutting glass I'd be wary. Don't mix up a lot of junk with the good stuff. You'll be sorry. Watch don't get no moisture on your lead when adding to molten lead. I got scars to show you why!


    i figured out about the water already[B)] luckely none got one me. wasn nothing to bad just a bit of snow melted in the ingot mold. ive done a lot of torch cutting from work so im accustomed to what kind of burns molten metal can leave on ya. mabye wouldnt be a bad idea to pick up some more weights then. thanks for all the advise guys.
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  • Duck HeadDuck Head Member Posts: 82 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Get all the lead you can. It's like money around here_(SW Pa.)Tire shops are always out unless you get lucky and find some before the next guy comes along. It pays to buy tires from a shop that uses the right weights you want.I hoard lead of all types,someday it will be all gone.Call me negative but I got lead.
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  • chiefrchiefr Member Posts: 14,083 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bpost1958
    quote:Originally posted by joshmb1982
    ok zink would be lighter then lead so it floats right? any that i did melt would be what i scooped off the top?

    also some of these were magnetic. i have a chepo telescoping magnet that i used to pull out the steel clips, and some of these "other" weights also stuck to it.


    Did you flux the mix? The "stuff" you are scooping off the top is most likely the tin and antimony needed to harden the bullets. You can use old candles for flux. Let the pot melt and while stirring add a hunk of bees wax, ignite the fumes, stir the pot until the dirt comes to the top and the tin/antimony is mixed back into the metal.


    +1 Bpost, Tin and Antimony keep you bullets from leadin the barrel.
    I learned this years ago. Probably the biggest problem I have is the double peel tape and the stench and from melting. The clips did not bother me. Seems with all aluminum wheels, clips are a rarity; at least around here.
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