cutting lead

[John Hender]

I recently bought a lead ingot from a local plumber supplies shop. It is marked 99.99% pure it weighs 25Kilgrams (abt 55lbs) it is 18 inches long and abt 3 inches square. The plan is to cut off a few inches when I need more lead. It loads and shoots fine. Now here's the problem, I have tried hacksawing and using a meat saw but it seems to clog up the teeth, then I tried an angle grinder and the cutting wheel seems to melt and clog the lead and take forever. My last resort has been to cut it with an axe. Messy with lead chips flying everywhere but this seems to be the only way I can cut it . Is there a special secret way to cut slabs off a lead ingots???

 

[Bill Hall]

I don't know what kind of pot you're using, but I'll bet you can just hold the ingot in the pot, very steadily and with gloves, say straight up and down, until enough melts off to get the amount in the pot you want. I do it all the time with some really odd shaped pieces. I guess it won't work if your pot can't handle that much weight at one time. You can also let the end of the ingot hang over a sturdy table or bench, and use a propane torch to melt the end and let it drip into the pot.

I've heard a sawzall (hand held recipricating saw) with a course blade works well also. I wouldn't do any kind of grinding on it, since the fine lead dust may get into your lungs, mouth, and nose. Bill

 

[CaptainKirk]

I've used a camp axe in a pinch. A few chops and you're through.
SawzAll sounds good, too. Just be sure to wear a mask.

 

[Fishhog]

Old wood mitre saw,rub beeswax on the teeth and blade sides..Ray

 

[jaw69]

A saw with wood teeth. Remember lead is softer that some hard woods and will have the added benafit of larger saw dust so clean up is easy.

 

[mykeal]

Patience. Lots of it. Work slowly. The slower you draw the saw the better it will cut. Also, the coarser the teeth the better; a fine tooth blade will clog up in no time. Sawsall is the best power tool for this if you must use one.

 

[necchi]

Try useing the axe or hatchet as a splitting wedge, Don't "swing" the axe, put it on the pig and strike the back with a mall.( I don't think a carpenter hammer will work well) Rotate the pig and wedge cut around the perimeter. :idunno:

 

[matt denison]

I've used a sawsall with a course blade many many times. Have also used my band saw with an old blade but it makes a mess in the shop so I moved on to the sawsall.

Lube the blade with an old candle or WD40 to keep the lead from "welding" to the teeth.

Large pieces like he described won't melt in a pot as it is its own heat sink. I have suspended forklift weights of 24 lb and heated from the bottom with a torch to get it to drip into an old fry pan. A friend once built a bonfire and tossed one of these weights into the middle, waited 'till the next day and found a large 1/2" thick puddle looking piece that was easy to simply break pieces off. Depends on your resource at the time I guess.

 

[JMinnerath]

I generally don't cut lead, but I have used my sawz-all with a coarse blade at low speed.
Usually I get the ingot or chunk on something and just melt parts of it off with a torch.

 

[Tumblernotch]

A band saw with fairly coarse teeth will cut it and you can grip your piece very easily in the vise. The teeth will still clog some but you can clean them out by either putting a piece of wood in the vise or using a wire brush on them.

If you have access to an acetylene torch you can position the bar over a pot and cut off what you need. Don't use the the cutting orifice. (In other words, don't push the trigger, just use the preheat). Start on the edge just like you would if cutting steel. I had to use a torch on some very large chunks years ago. It was tough but I got it done. Your piece should be easy. But be careful of spatter. Actually, I found that once I had gotten almost through, I could push the trigger and use the oxygen to cut through. But if it's still too thick the oxygen will simply cool it down and not cut and maybe even blow some molten lead at you. Best to just use the preheat until you get used to it.

I've also used a large cold chisel on thick bars when neither of the above were available. If you use a big enough hammer it won't take you long. If you have access to a hot set (blacksmith's hot cutting chisel) use it. It's even faster.

 

[BrownBear]

I came up with several ingots that sound similar. Easiest way I found was a trip to the woodshed. I got pretty good at whacking 5 pound chunks off the ends. A couple of whacks with an ax is all it takes.... If your aim is better than mine! :rotf:

 

[gearheart]

Mount the axe head in a vise, sharp side facing up. place the lead on the axe where you want it cut. Strike the lead with a heavy hammer until it is almost cut through(don't want to harm the axe). Finish the cut with a block of wood over the lead or just pry it apart.

 

[Zonie]

The easiest way to reduce the bar of lead IMO is to melt it.

By placing one end over an aluminum or steel pie pan take a propane torch and direct the flame towards one end of the bar. It will melt and dribble down into the pan.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

I use a gas powered wood splitter :blah:

 

[Haleh]

I've tried most of the methods mentioned and found a circular saw to work the best for me. Wear a face shield-lots of chips a flying.

H.Hale

 

[paulvallandigham]

A splitting Wedge, and Sledge hammer will get the job done. Just cut around the circumference of the mass, rather than trying to cut through from one side. So will a power hack saw, with a coarse blade. A Sawsall is the closest rental tool you can find around here to do that job.

Power Bandsaws, again, with blades intended to cut wood, rather than metal- with a wider "kerf" to give greater clearance-- seems to work the fastest, with the least amount of effort. Just set the saw for the lowest speed the machine allows. And oil the blade frequently, to keep it from overheating.

I have also melted lead off of large bars with a propane torch- its a slow process. Finding some way to hold that heavy weight up on something so you can melt off a portion of it can be taxing.

Burning a huge piece of lead in a wood fire works. We had an accidental fire set to our backstop at my club, and the Railroad ties( Pine filled with creosote) burned to ash. All the lead RBs and bullets in those ties melted down into globs, that were easily pulled apart, or chopped into manageable pieces. A couple of hundred pounds of lead were retrieved by some of our members.

 

[410-er]

Train Track! :rotf:

 

[Bill Hall]

Sounds like the "lemons into lemonade" thing. You lost your backstop, but gained all that lead.

OH MY GOD! I just had an epiphany! A real "light bulb" moment! If I install some kind of backstop, say a steel plate with a cup at the bottom, on the back of all the stop signs, yield signs, and no passing signs in my county, I could collect a lifetime's supply of .22 lead. And if I installed another sign that says "Don't shoot this sign", I could maybe double my daily "catch" of lead.

Ok, my idea! Nobody else touch it! I'm off to the drawing board. Bill

 

[Darkgael]

AXE. The axe in a vise idea is good. I generally do what Paul mentioned - or similar - put the lead on a chopping block, put the axe blade on it and then hammer with a maul.
Pete

 

[Stumpkiller]

Stanley plane will work.