My First Lead Score

[Cowboy]

I've been looking around for scrap lead everywhere with not much success. Then my brother inlaw told me that he thought he seen some in the attic of my father inlaws old house. We went up there and and found 3 big pieces of lead that looks like they were used for collars that a metal shaft fit through. Each piece of lead weighs approximately 13 pounds each. They are definately pure lead. The outer surfaces of them are pretty dirty with old dust that is caked on them. I want to clean them up pretty good before I put them into my electric melting pot and melt them down to make ingots. So I guess my question is, would it be alright to use some Dawn dish washing soap and scrub each piece down with that or can anyone give me some advice on how to remove the old dirt and grime off them? I know that this is probably a silly question to ask but it just shows how much I really don't know, but I am willing to learn. So how do you all clean scrap lead before you melt it down into ingots? Im just trying to remove any extra dirt and grime from my lead so I can keep my melting pot in good shape and make it easyier to remove the dross when I melt it down and make ingots. Any information or advice would be greatly appreciated and welcomed. Everyone on this forum has always steered me in the right direction in my muzzleloading journey, no matter how silly my questions may seem. One of my high points in each day is to get to visit this forum and read and learn something new. Thankyou you all for that! Respectfully, cowboys1062.

 

[bubba.50]

you need to flux it anyway to remove impurities & any dirt will be removed then so, in my humble opinion it'd be a waste of time & dawn dish soap to scrub it.

 

[nit wit]

I agree!
NW

 

[jfaldo]

Nearly 40lbs of pure lead for free. Well can't beat the price :applause:. Like the others said just melt it down and flux it scrape anything that comes to the surface after a good stirring and it's cleaned.

 

[jamesthomas]

I would get a cast iron pot, a lead ladle, and a cast iron corn bread mold. Use these to melt down your old lead and to make ingots. A lead ladle is easy to find just Google it. I would get one that holds at least a pound of lead. Also a gas fish fryer makes things go a lot faster when you have a bunch of lead to melt down.

 

[necchi]

I So how do you all clean scrap lead before you melt it down into ingots?,,

,,,,so I can keep my melting pot in good shape

I don't,, I just break it into chunks and skim the dross. the "junk and grim" won't hurt your pot at all.
Wet lead,, even a single tiny drop hid in a crevasse, can cause a major explosion if added to a molten pot.

If you wash that stuff, you better be ready to store it someplace dry for a month or two and in that time the lead will oxidize/rust again.

9-10yrs ago Some guy's at a local shop where casting outside,, and a rookie to casting dropped a piece of lead pipe in the pot. The explosion spattered molten lead against the concrete blocks and to this day it's there 8 feet high on the blocks.

Find an old tables spoon, attach a wood handle to it and dross the stuff off. I usually find a cardboard box to toss the junk in and then just toss the box in the garbage.

 

[Grenadier1758]

Don't wash it! You are taking a big risk that some water will still be on a piece of the lead when you put it in the molten lead. The water will explode with catastrophic results.

If the dust bothers you then take a dry, stiff brush and knock off as much dust as you can. Then break your lead pieces up into chunks that fit in your lead pot. Skim off the junk that floats to the top and you are good to go.

You can make a perfectly useable ingot mold from a scrap piece of 2x4 or 2x6 or whatever. gouge out a channel that gives you good thick edges around the gouge and pour your molten lead in the gouge. The wood should hold up for most of your casting and the scrap wood can easily be replaced.

 

[Cowboy]

I thankyou all for the great advice that I always receive here. You have set me straight and back on path again. I will not wash off my lead with water. I will just melt it and skim off the dross, and then pour my ingots. What was I thinking about using water! I guess it is my inexperience showing through as usual. That is why if I have one of these bright ideas I always run it by you folks before I act on it. It's kinda like you all are my safety net that keeps me from getting myself in trouble. I guess this is why I ask these silly questions. Thankyou for saving me alot of future headaches. Respectfully, cowboys1062.

 

[Billnpatti]

If it's just dust that has collected over the years, just use a stiff brush to knock it off before you melt it. If it is dirt that is stuck on it such as mud, etc. just hose it off with a water hose. Be sure it is thoroughly dry before you start melting. Give it a day or so in the summer sun to completely dry. All you need to do is get the heavy stuff off of it, the rest will float to the top when you melt and flux it. When it comes to the top, just skim it off and start casting ingots. Just be sure to do it in a place with good ventillation. You don't want to be breathing the lead fumes or any other fumes for that matter.

 

[Cowboy]

I will use your idea of using a stiff brush to knock off the heavy dirt/dust first. I will then melt it down and skim off the rest. Thankyou. Respectfully, cowboys1062.

 

[necchi]

Best wash yer hands real well after handling the dirty stuff,
That white powder stuff is a nasty and spreads easily

 

[Cowboy]

No white stuff but they sure are dirty. They have serial numbers stamped in them. I can't figure out what they were used for.

 

[mooman76]

If you wash it and you think it's dry, it is also a good idea to put it in the pot before you heat it up so while the pot heats, the moisture will evaporate. That saying there is no where in the lead that moisture can be trapped.

 

[bpd303]

We went up there and and found 3 big pieces of lead that looks like they were used for collars that a metal shaft fit through. Each piece of lead weighs approximately 13 pounds each. They are definately pure lead.

From your description it sounds like you may have line shaft bearings. These were usually made from Babbitt which is an alloy. Babbitt is soft and I have made round balls from it to be used with a patch, but found it's too hard for revolvers. If you can post a photo of them. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babbitt_(metal)

 

[Idaho Ron]

That was my thought. I am betting that it is babbit. I can scratch babbit with a fingernail. Try dropping them on cement. If it rings it is hard. If it thuds it is soft.

 

[Cowboy]

I took a hacksaw and cut into it and also cut a piece off. It is definitely pure lead. I also took your idea about dropping them on a concrete slab that we have in front of our wooden deck at home. They didn't make a metalic hollow clang noise. They just went thud! They were also dented in where they made contact with the concrete. There is nice shiny lead underneath the old surfaces. I am truly convinced they are made of pure lead. Respectfully, cowboys1062.

 

[smo]

Great find

 

[robinsroost]

Brush them with a wire brush, then go head and melt them down........Robin :wink:

 

[Idaho Ron]

I took a hacksaw and cut into it and also cut a piece off. It is definitely pure lead. I also took your idea about dropping them on a concrete slab that we have in front of our wooden deck at home. They didn't make a metalic hollow clang noise. They just went thud! They were also dented in where they made contact with the concrete. There is nice shiny lead underneath the old surfaces. I am truly convinced they are made of pure lead. Respectfully, cowboys1062.

Cutting with a hack saw won't tell you hardness but the dropping on cement does. If it thudded then it is soft good find. Ron

 

[nhmoose]

Don't use you electric pot until smelted clean or you may make it drip.

Gt a small cast iron pan and melt the lead dirt and all scoop dirt off and flux.

Good sight to learn is castboolits..com