Lead

[Derrick Pugh]

I've just started casting my own minnie balls and have produced good ones that I've shot with my 61 Springfield. The only thing is I've run out of lead and I'm having a hard time finding more, any ideas?

 

[Roy]

I got over 500 lbs. at a junkyard. they used to use lead sheeting in bathrooms. It takes a bit of clean up, but I probably will never have to buy lead again.

 

[jbg]

Try your local dentists office. The little things they stick in your mouth to take an x-ray has a thin lead foil that the dentist has to discard. They usually have boxes of the stuff, waiting to get enough on hand to take to the landfill. And they melt up real nice too. I have also gotten lead from our local hospital, as they occasionally dispose of that from the x-ray rooms. And I have had no problems because the lead was exposed to radiation. Check local landfills. Occasionally you may find lead pipe.

 

[Bob Riegl]

:grin: Another source for lead is to look for builders who specialize in Dentist's offices---as they use a nice sheet lead---which you can get lots of scrap pieces. I found a guy who was re-doing my Dentist's office---and I got about 150# of pure lead---sheet scraps---all for the asking and they even helped to carry the buckets to the car. :hatsoff:

 

[gmww]

Check your local metal recycle yard. I paid about .35 a lbs. When you melt it, the crud comes to the surface and you skim it off. A little bees wax will clean up the molten lead.

 

[Derrick Pugh]

I appreciate all your help.

 

[bpollock_sr]

I get pure clean lead from my local plumbing supply house. It costs a little more but it saves a bunch of work and I always know what I have.

 

[Hamourkiller]

Many tanks in refineries are linned with pure lead. Check with any contractor that rework them. You might get some for free. Bring an axe with a flat side and a heavy hammer. You can chop it into manageble sizes.

 

[harryo]

Check your local metal recycle yard. I paid about .35 a lbs. When you melt it, the crud comes to the surface and you skim it off. A little bees wax will clean up the molten lead.

That's where I get mine, too. Last I got was .24 a lb but that was about a year ago.

 

[Ridge]

I used to buy lead shot and melt it down for balls.

Now I buy from a plumbing supply house....It's about $2.50/lb though!!

 

[nate c]

I'm in the same boat - just about to start casting and looking for lead. The plumbers supply here has 5lb ingots for $9.

Haven't tried dentists yet, but that's on my list now...

Nate

 

[riarcher]

Roofing contractors. The sheithing around chimneys is pure enough, and if used it's free.
Can be bought new in most hardware / contracting outlets.
E-bay is anouther source. Prices can vary. Some include shipping and shouldbe figured in.
Boat yards - often have old balast made of lead they can't wait to get rid of.
Old abandoned mills - lead pipe drains.
Just a few other ideas worth investigating. :thumbsup:
Lead is still prety darn cheap stuff. It's the shipping and HazMats that the Gov't deems necessary that adds up quick.

 

[Rebel]

Stained glass window places sometimes have scrap lead laying around. Alos hospital X-ray labs.

 

Talking to two or three Dentist's is a gold (er) :haha: Lead mine. Lead that they have to dispose of costs them a hasmet fee for disposal, so they'll gladly give it away for free. It's not hasmet if it's recycled according to the EPA. I get about three to five pounds a month from just two dentists here in town, and it's pure, and clean. They even put them up in one pound ziplock bags for me. Bill

 

[riarcher]

Hmmm,
At 12 balls to the pound, 40-50 balls per week, how many dentist do I need? :hmm: