I've aquired a five gallon bucket of wheel weights.Half are the clip on and half are the stick on. I'm wanting to get into casting my own bullits in the near future. My question is this...Are the stick on weights really as bad as people say they are? If so than i'll just toss'em when i get'em. Also are there any clip-on weights i should whatch out for?
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Re: stick-on wheel weights
If they're made from the same alloy then there shouldn't be any castability problems.....
"Bad" might mean smelting them down in the first place with the glue strip still on them. I wouldn't want to do it and would be compelled to remove all traces of it. Seems like too much work unless I was desperate for bullet metal.
Thank God I still have a huge portion of the 500 pounds of linotype from the old newspaper.....
If they're made from the same alloy then there shouldn't be any castability problems.....
"Bad" might mean smelting them down in the first place with the glue strip still on them. I wouldn't want to do it and would be compelled to remove all traces of it. Seems like too much work unless I was desperate for bullet metal.
Thank God I still have a huge portion of the 500 pounds of linotype from the old newspaper.....
Re: stick-on wheel weights
A lot of the new stuff is Zinc Alloy too, probably useless for casting.
A lot of the new stuff is Zinc Alloy too, probably useless for casting.
Re: stick-on wheel weights
Definitely DO NOT through the stick on WW away. You have struck Gold there.
Stick on WW is normally pure lead. While clipped WW is an alloy mixture, and is harder than the stick on WW.
When I get my WW I sort out the stick on weights and when I get so much I clean it up for pure lead to shoot through my MZ. Or to use to mix with linotype to make some Lyman #2.
You will also run into some zinc and steel WW. But this is no big deal. Don't waste your time sorting it out. Just melt all your clip on WW together and then just skim off everrything that has not melted into solution. The steel and zinc WW will raise to the surface. I use a slotted cast iron spoon to skim all the clips, zinc, and steel WW off the top of the solution. But IMO you should definitely sort out the stick on WW.
But certainly do not throw away the stick on weight. That is the good stuff!!
Below is a picture of my casting table with about 1200# of WW that needs to be melted and put into ingots. I hope to get 100# or more of stick on WW from these buckets. Tom.
Definitely DO NOT through the stick on WW away. You have struck Gold there.
Stick on WW is normally pure lead. While clipped WW is an alloy mixture, and is harder than the stick on WW.
When I get my WW I sort out the stick on weights and when I get so much I clean it up for pure lead to shoot through my MZ. Or to use to mix with linotype to make some Lyman #2.
You will also run into some zinc and steel WW. But this is no big deal. Don't waste your time sorting it out. Just melt all your clip on WW together and then just skim off everrything that has not melted into solution. The steel and zinc WW will raise to the surface. I use a slotted cast iron spoon to skim all the clips, zinc, and steel WW off the top of the solution. But IMO you should definitely sort out the stick on WW.
But certainly do not throw away the stick on weight. That is the good stuff!!
Below is a picture of my casting table with about 1200# of WW that needs to be melted and put into ingots. I hope to get 100# or more of stick on WW from these buckets. Tom.
Re: stick-on wheel weights
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Powder Burns</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A lot of the new stuff is Zinc Alloy too, probably useless for casting. </div></div>
Didn't know that.....
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Powder Burns</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A lot of the new stuff is Zinc Alloy too, probably useless for casting. </div></div>
Didn't know that.....
Re: stick-on wheel weights
Another california initiative, because you know those wheel weights that fall off the cars and trucks on the highway end up turning into magic lead dust particles that somehow get ingested by fish and then the rare and mystical condor eats the fish, ingesting the lead dust and subsequently dies of lead poisoning. The low cost practical solution is to ban lead wheel weights and make everyone ride on zinc alloy.
Another california initiative, because you know those wheel weights that fall off the cars and trucks on the highway end up turning into magic lead dust particles that somehow get ingested by fish and then the rare and mystical condor eats the fish, ingesting the lead dust and subsequently dies of lead poisoning. The low cost practical solution is to ban lead wheel weights and make everyone ride on zinc alloy.
Re: stick-on wheel weights
If you keep your melt in the 650* to 700* range the zinc alloy will not melt into solution. The lead WW will melt into solution. So all you need to do is skim the top of the solution and you will not have any of the Zinc or steel WW in your alloy.
The zinc needs to get into the 770* range or so before it will melt into your alloy. A thermometer is your friend when casting. And constant temp. when casting is a very good habit to get into. Tom.
If you keep your melt in the 650* to 700* range the zinc alloy will not melt into solution. The lead WW will melt into solution. So all you need to do is skim the top of the solution and you will not have any of the Zinc or steel WW in your alloy.
The zinc needs to get into the 770* range or so before it will melt into your alloy. A thermometer is your friend when casting. And constant temp. when casting is a very good habit to get into. Tom.
Re: stick-on wheel weights
The stick ons are great for weighting up a rifle...say in the hollow but of and AR or a forearm. Glue em or two sided adhesive.
The stick ons are great for weighting up a rifle...say in the hollow but of and AR or a forearm. Glue em or two sided adhesive.
Re: stick-on wheel weights
Need to be especially careful of the newer weights, like mopst everyone has pointed out about the zinc alloy now being used. Nasty stuff if you over temp your melt, fumes anyway. Makes VERY brittle boolits also.
Check this site for more info and theres a lot of it!
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/
FYI, for an almost an unlimited lead supply check with your gun club/range and see if they allow "mining" of the berms. I do and have gleaned several buckets now in a short period of time. Hardness runs, after smelting, around 12-15 on the Brinell scale. Sharps likes 'em that way, no leading, pushing around 1650 fps, 505 grain 45 cal
Need to be especially careful of the newer weights, like mopst everyone has pointed out about the zinc alloy now being used. Nasty stuff if you over temp your melt, fumes anyway. Makes VERY brittle boolits also.
Check this site for more info and theres a lot of it!
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/
FYI, for an almost an unlimited lead supply check with your gun club/range and see if they allow "mining" of the berms. I do and have gleaned several buckets now in a short period of time. Hardness runs, after smelting, around 12-15 on the Brinell scale. Sharps likes 'em that way, no leading, pushing around 1650 fps, 505 grain 45 cal
