Re: [PSUBS-MAILIST] Molding lead

[Bob Duncan <katsurencho@yahoo.com>]

Howdy,

  I cast lead, and started out a long time ago using charcoal. Charcoal is dirty, and you really got to keep the ashes cleaned out. It also helps if you can pump some air in under the coals, they burn better or hotter.

  Make sure you are in an open area, not an enclosure. The lead needs to be about 1000 deg. F before you pour it, or it can cause laps. Or the lead starts forming before you are finished pouring it, and is in layers.

  I use a dutch oven (and make sure it doesn't get used for food !!!). Skim the crud off the top (wich will include some tin), any thing that is not lead will float to the top (well...maybe not gold or hot meatals!!!). If it starts raining, any moisture hitting the molten lead will cause a nice little thermal reaction, and probably send splatters out to give you nice burns.

  Keep in mind that lead gets heavy fast. So, when you go to pour the molten lead you are prepared for the heat and the weight.

  I now have a cooker, it has several rows of burners. When i first started melting lead with charcoal i was making about 300 lbs of dive wts. a day (12 hr day). I had to clean up the lead also, was getting it free from a small arms range. Later on i started cooking with gas !!! It is far, by far, cleaner, and nicer. I can make a 1000 lbs of diving wts in a day, and stay a lot cleaner.

  Make sure the mold is dry, or it will blow the lead back out at you....no fun !!! It definately helps to keep the molds warm. I use PAM for mold release (the stuff you get in the grocery store to keep food from sticking to a skillit or pan). It only takes a light mist of the PAM. When i poured the first lead in to the mold after wisking the pam acoss it. It blistered and i had to remelt that lead, but the next 3 or 4 castings in those molds were great. Then had to apply another wisp of PAM. It's way cheaper than commercial mold release and works great.

  I also melt zinc, you can get zinc anodes from boats that are half or more gone, and melt them down and make new ones.

  For brass, you can use the same system, but will have to build up some fire brick, or something to help retain heat, around the fire and pot.

 

   I'm afraid i haven't checked out the working with lead website yet. I saw your first few lines and started writing. I'll look at the website.

 

  Bob

DJACKSON99@aol.com wrote:

Howdy Pierre

 

Yep, most gas BBQ's will work just fine.  Wheel weights contain 3% antimony and not just lead.   Antimony is almost as heavy, but it melts around 1150 so expect to see that collect on the surface.   Be sure to use a steel container, and not aluminum.   And you will find that you likely only have 380 pounds of lead.  The rest is steel clips and dirt.  See my site www.submarineboat.com under "Wroking with Lead" for more details and good examples of things not to do :) 

 

Have fun

Doug J

 

 

 

In a message dated 4/14/2005 5:43:11 PM Central Daylight Time, poulin.carrier@videotron.ca writes:

Hi guys!

I am now the proud owner of about 600 pounds of tire weight (lead) that
can't wait to be reshaped into bars for my -weight.

Does any of you have a hint on how to easyly melt the lead? I was thinking
to use an old BBQ oven. The melting point of lead is 635F. The BBQ
oven might not be high enough...

I'm open to any suggestions!

Thanks,

Pierre Poulin
Québec Canada.

 

They are ill discoverers that think there is no land, when they can see nothing but sea.
- -- Francis Bacon (1561-1626) English philosopher, lawyer and politician

---

Do you Yahoo!?
 
Make Yahoo! your home page