My Lee Precision melt pot arrived yesterday.With help from Matt (Insanity) I was able to order 60 lbs of lead from RotoMetals. For some reason I could not complete the transaction on my Desk top no matter how many times I tried. He suggested using my phone... BADA BING - BADA BOOM!12 ingots 5lbs each got me free shipping.
Quote from: Hoosier Daddy on January 08, 2023, 07:09:42 AMMy Lee Precision melt pot arrived yesterday.With help from Matt (Insanity) I was able to order 60 lbs of lead from RotoMetals. For some reason I could not complete the transaction on my Desk top no matter how many times I tried. He suggested using my phone... BADA BING - BADA BOOM!12 ingots 5lbs each got me free shipping.Are you going to trap your slugs and recast? How many times can you recast?
I have been saving pellets from my indoor pellet traps for years. problem is... most are cover with Duct Seal so I don't know what that will do.Decades ago, when I was an Automotive Tech, there was a 55g drum next to the tire balancer that was always FULL of lead wheel weights. I plan on hitting up the 3 local shops and inquiring... but I bet the EPA has stepped in and they aren't lead anymore.
Some will also say that reclaimed pellet lead will not cast the same as pure. It is alloy on antamony and some times tin. I don't chase such presission right now but if ever I do I would just buy pure lead and keep it separate from my pure lead and pellet lead mix of ingots.
I think we need to send Scott over to the Casting Gate Do not want our casting secrets shared public
Wheel weights are to hard for air gun use, plus you run the risk of zinc contamination as well and will wreck a barrel in a hurry. Range lead from gun ranges is not good either, again to hard. As for the spent pellets in duct seal, get an old cast iron dutch oven and separate propane burner to put the pot on, not on the grill either. Don't melt in the new pot, it will contaminate it. Melt the pellets in that pot away from food, people, and pets. This definitely an outside project. Pour into ingot molds or aluminum muffin pans. This way your lead clean, ready to use, and you are still alive.
Quote from: Hoosier Daddy on January 08, 2023, 08:51:25 AMI have been saving pellets from my indoor pellet traps for years. problem is... most are cover with Duct Seal so I don't know what that will do.Decades ago, when I was an Automotive Tech, there was a 55g drum next to the tire balancer that was always FULL of lead wheel weights. I plan on hitting up the 3 local shops and inquiring... but I bet the EPA has stepped in and they aren't lead anymore. Wheel weights are to hard for air gun use, plus you run the risk of zinc contamination as well and will wreck a barrel in a hurry. Range lead from gun ranges is not good either, again to hard. As for the spent pellets in duct seal, get an old cast iron dutch oven and separate propane burner to put the pot on, not on the grill either. Don't melt in the new pot, it will contaminate it. Melt the pellets in that pot away from food, people, and pets. This definitely an outside project. Pour into ingot molds or aluminum muffin pans. This way your lead clean, ready to use, and you are still alive.
I've been casting for muzzle loaders for twenty five years. Never used wheel weights but I have used range lead. Only saved unjacketed lead. Add a bit of borax and skim the dross. All I have for equipment is an old cast iron pot, ladle, and a coleman stove. I'm interested in casting pellets for my .25's but the process is obviously a bit fussier than running ball for a .69 cal smoothbore.I think I'll hold off a little longer on investing in a lot of gear and see how ya'll do.
I've never cast pellets but now that I think about it I remember my dad casting lead fishings sinker using a Coleman stove and a cast iron pot. He had various size 5 drop molds. I can't remember where he got the lead but it was more like hunks rather than ingots. I suspect he got it from work because he worked in a forge plant. Sinkers are very much less quality critical as pellets would be. I remember using a rat tail file to them so they wouldn't cut the fishing line.
Quote from: avator on January 08, 2023, 12:47:46 PMI've never cast pellets but now that I think about it I remember my dad casting lead fishings sinker using a Coleman stove and a cast iron pot. He had various size 5 drop molds. I can't remember where he got the lead but it was more like hunks rather than ingots. I suspect he got it from work because he worked in a forge plant. Sinkers are very much less quality critical as pellets would be. I remember using a rat tail file to them so they wouldn't cut the fishing line.I did the same with my Dad. He got the lead from old batteries after saving the acid.We'd cast split-shots and those bomb looking ones.Still have those molds at Dad's place.
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