I have a STRANGE need

Hello All,

I have a strange need, i need scrap wheel weights the lead type, no they arnt for tatting, ive built a short drop shot maker and find it only works well with wheel weights ( something to do with surface tension ). So if any of you good people have a few lbs of them id be glad to buy them off you at the going rate for scrap. Cheers Tom

try your local tyre centre / garage !.......

doodle bug said:

try your local tyre centre / garage !.......

Click to expand...

Exactly what I was going to say, I know my local tyre dealer has a bin of the stuff & just weighs them in once it gets full, be no skin of their nose if you buy em for going rate, will save him a trip.

Cogswell&Harrison said:

Hello All,

I have a strange need, i need scrap wheel weights the lead type, no they arnt for tatting, ive built a short drop shot maker and find it only works well with wheel weights ( something to do with surface tension ). So if any of you good people have a few lbs of them id be glad to buy them off you at the going rate for scrap. Cheers Tom

Click to expand...

Whats that ?

I do tyres at work.

Gotta be honest I can't remember that last time I saw lead weight. Working on the basis that most tyres have been changed in the last 3 years or so, anyway whatever, theyre all zinc now mate.

If I do spot any ill keep them aside, but I just bin the olduns cos they're usually zinc and quite often steel anorl.

Cheers

u can use lead weight but u cant buy those. something to do with EU or something "think green...."

the surface tension thingy is quite simple really its i dont full understand it as in numbers n such but its something to do with the age and state of the lead

to find verry similar stuff what you need is something called low alpha lead wich its not purpously made its just verry old like 60 yrs or more the only other way to make lead go like that would be the punnishment of being attatched to a wheel taking the onslaught of crappy weather and road salt

id go to the scrappys and try a bit of old lead gas pipe as that is normally low alpha stuff and worth more than just lead roof sheeting ( this is why the scrappys seperate the two )

Cheers Lads, I need the wheel weights to alloy with pure lead, it hardens it enough not the deform too much when being rammed through a choked barrel,,, Purpose made shot has arsnic and anttomany( cant spell) added to harden it, both of which are like rocking horse pooh. As for the surface tension, this is more to do with controling the flow rate ( to get the right size shot ) and its rate of cooling to form round shot not tear drops as happens with pure lead,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, oooops im waffling on too much right sorry

Have you tried the shooting stores online ? a lot of home reload suppliers offer the stuff according to the forums

Yes Doc, but the cost is at such a level its not worth loading your own if you buy the shot ready made the real saving is to make your own

Not sure if it helps - I cast bullets for black powder and find the straight lead from a scrappy melted and mixed with some standard solder (the thick bar stuff) gives me a combination that is both strong enough not to strip in the barrel and soft enough to to grip the riffling. I tried to get lead wheel weights but found supply way to small.
I would say just try different mixes.

Hi Fergusv, thats very true, I used to cast for .38 ans 9mm, i use to add linotype and body loading lead, but its getting as bad to get hold of... in my cap and ball days i used to use pure lead for my 3 band enfield cast in the minni ball shape i found the hollow base would expand into the rifling very well, sized them to .576" and lubedwith beeswax and tallo.

quick ps, As your lead consumption will be a lot lower than mine maybe shotgun lead maybe an easy option for you, its a good alloy made with the right stuff

We make wheel balance weights at work, and yes you cant sell new lead weights apart from ones for motorcycle wheels or trucks, and as most trucks now use a balance powder made from scrap plastic in the uk, but some still use lead,so, how much do you want and how often, cos obviously we still make certain sizes for export and a deal might be reached.

Hello Trax, Firstly having read post " Please dont put yourself at risk" i think you know what i mean, how much and how often,,, i would guess a one off load of say 40/50 lbs would keep me going till i get my wooden overcoat ,,,, i alloy it with pure lead at about 15%........... Distance is the controling factor,,, a 200 mile run in the P38 is a fair lump of diesel plus cost of weights...... But havig said that im greteful for any help i can get... Cheers Tom

you can't get anything with lead in now due this RoHS malarky.

I can get hold of leaded solder at work, but its only for circuit boards, definately not for plumbing! Heavy metal poisioning and not of the muscial kind!

Not sure why that would extend to wheel wieghts though, unless casting them causes health hazards?

Well the greatest health hazzard is to woodpigeons that come within 40yds "They dont like it upum Capt Mainwaring"

you can get basic lead, but if you've ever worked under the lead regs you'll find anything else first, I used to work at a bullion smelter refining silver, we used lead in the process, what a pain!!
as for removing from balance weights - best move made!, gives me a living making alloy and steel weights.