Lead from dental x-ray backing

[bioprof]

Has anyone melted down the foil backing from dental x-rays? I obtained a whole bucket full from my dentist, but am not sure if it is pure lead. Anyone with experience with this?

 

[necchi]

It's pure lead.
My source dried up when old doc retired and closed shop, now EVERY dentist in town is calling it Bio-Hazard and has to be disposed of properly!
Heck, sterilizing everything at 700 degrees ain't proper? :cursing:
They won't even give ya yer own pulled teeth for a necklace!!

 

[RonT]

Shhhhhh. They don't know that yet in Ohia....got another ~20# a couple weeks ago.
R

 

[nchawkeye]

I've been shooting and killing with dental lead for over 20 years, good source...

 

[ohio ramrod]

X rays are Simular to radioactive rays. I will remove the danger from you if you send the lead to me for safe disposal. (melting down and casting into roundballs) Seriously it is completely safe to use and is about as pure as you are going to get.

 

[bwhoffman]

I get about 20 pounds a year from my dentist. Told him what I was doing and he was fine with that!
It is about as pure as you can get, melts fast and has minimal scuz.
I shoot it exclusively in my small bore guns. such a waste in the 50's and bigger. The smooth bore see's nothing put wheel weights.

Be kind to your dentist and see him at least twice a year!

 

[RADeO]

I've melted and used lots of dental lead over the years, but the stuff available in my area at least is NOT pure lead. Almost, but not quite. It scratches easily with the thumbnail test, but sometime try the same test between an ingot of dental lead and one of known pure lead. There is a definite difference! Not to say using dental lead isn't a good thing. It can work very well. It is just that, for me, pure lead loads more easily.

One thing to consider about free dental lead though, it's cheap at even twice the price! :grin:

 

[gooddw]

The stuff I got from my dentist neighbor, just a few months ago, was pure crap. It was definitely not pure lead and was very dirty. I could not seat it in my revolver because it was to hard.

I guess it depends on the source.

 

[hockeyref]

It's pure lead.
My source dried up when old doc retired and closed shop, now EVERY dentist in town is calling it Bio-Hazard and has to be disposed of properly!
Heck, sterilizing everything at 700 degrees ain't proper? :cursing:
They won't even give ya yer own pulled teeth for a necklace!!

Two dentists that I am personal friends with (my sister works as an assistant for one of them) have both told me the same thing.... Simply cannot find any around me willing to give it up.... It's considered "bio-hazard medical waste" so they really cannot legally give it to ya...

 

[GreyWhiskers]

My experience with local dentist is that he pays to get rid of it. Was happy to let me have it. I brought a couple cast r/balls and conicals back to the office for him to see just what I was doing with it.

The stuff I've been getting is clean but not pure lead. It's a bit harder and lighter.

GW

 

[Idaho Ron]

I have a bunch of dental lead. It is HARD!!!!
We have went over this what, about 100 times now. I have a Cabin tree tester. I can say for a fact that the lead I get is 12.5 BHN soft lead is 5 BHN. Forget finger nail scratch test. I can scratch lead that is 22 BHN. If you have a ingot that is dental lead drop it on concreat. It will ring. Dental lead is HARD!
Ron

 

[necchi]

Oh,,well, that's the lead you git.

 

[bioprof]

What the heck, I can always use it for target practice. I was just worried that there might be plastic or something else added that might give off toxic fumes. Thanks for the information. It sounds like it can be put to use anyway.

 

[tmdreb]

I got a bunch from my in-laws who are redoing their house after a flood. This stuff apparently came from a shower pan.

 

[bwhoffman]

Shower pans are good!