Lead Question

[RogerWYO]

I have about 40# of lead from old stained glass windows. It is quite soft and marks easily with a finger nail. Do any of you folks know if this is pure lead or something else made just for windows? Also, it has a lot of glass still in it. Will it be easy to separate when I melt it?

 

[coloradoclyde]

I do believe that stained glass window makers used pure lead....Anything harder would have made contouring difficult...but don't quote me. :grin:
I think it will be fine.....

The glass will float to the top once melted and can be skimmed off with the rest of the dross. Just do it in a separate pot first and make ingots, don't put it directly into a production pot with a pour spout.

 

[RogerWYO]

Thank You Colorado Clyde. See you at Pelton Creek.

 

[ZUG]

The lead channel that holds the glass is pure lead but the joints where the channel is connected to each other is solder - most likely 60% lead and 40% tin.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Hadn't thought about the solder... :thumbsup:

 

[RogerWYO]

So it might not be a good find after all

 

[Katahdin]

Shoot it,,the little bit of solder won't make a difference, I do stain glass,Cameing/channel, is very soft.

 

[coloradoclyde]

Agreed...shoot it...
I made some balls out of 95/5 tin antimony solder once and they worked ok....

I would have no qualms about using lead framing.

 

[mooman76]

I got a bunch myself a few years back. It is not pure but very close. Probably like 1- 1/2% tin to make it flow better when casting. that small amount wouldn't even be noticeable. I use it allot and it works very well.

 

[eggwelder]

careful with the glass, old stained glass can have air bubbles in it, even new stuff does. not sure if it would pop if your lead got too hot, but use discretion. the lead makes excellent round ball and minie balls by the way. save the solder joints for harder boolits for your CF rifles

 

[fleener]

I melted down and used 75 lbs a year or so ago. No issues.

Fleener

 

[RogerWYO]

Good to hear. Thanks guys I'll give it a try.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Just clip off those pieces.

 

[RogerWYO]

I'll do just that

 

[Katahdin]

There won't be enough "bad" lead in the mix to bother with,melt it, pour it, shoot it,

 

[Billnpatti]

The lead used in making stained glass windows is called "came"...yes, with an "m", not an "n" and it is pure lead. The glass fragments and other stuff will float to the top when the lead is melted and fluxed and will be easily skimmed off. It is good stuff and you are lucky to have it. Melt it, clean it and use it. :thumbsup:

 

[TNGhost]

Should be fine with that amount of tin. Tin, in a small amount like that, does not add a great deal of hardness to a melt, but will help you fill out your molds, makes the lead "run" better.
If it was just the solder, yep, would be harder.

Don't throw away the pieces you clip out, should be good trade fodder with a "modern" caster as they value it to improve their melt qualities. :wink:

 

[nkbj]

Round ball rifles don't need soft. They just need smart. We make do with what we got!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Round ball rifles don't need soft. They just need smart. We make do with what we got!

Disagree. Soft is far and away the best for ml rifle. But, if other 'stuff' works for you, go fer it.

 

[hanshi]

As far as soft lead goes, I always use it in my big game rifles. In the squirrel shooters, softness is not needed; expansion isn't called for. But since I've a good stash of soft, lead ball that's what I shoot in the little rifles, anyway. WW alloy ball is my prefered projectile in the smoothbore. It's pretty hard stuff but shoots very well.