Where to find lead

[Kapow]

Your thread got me mobilised to find some lead to stockpile. Found some roof flashing rolls at a local recycler/scrap metal merchant for $2/kg. Happy days.

 

[pargent]

:thumbsup: way to go

 

[jamesthomas]

Your thread got me mobilised to find some lead to stockpile. Found some roof flashing rolls at a local recycler/scrap metal merchant for $2/kg. Happy days.

I would grab as much as you can while you can. The local recycler by me doesn't or can't resell his lead. I'm kinda lucky as I have a new place to get those Glue-on wheel weights. I give them a twenty dollar bill and go through their buckets of discarded weights, good for around 20 to 30lbs. last 2 times I've been.

 

[Kapow]

Went to the scrap dealer today and picked up 23kg of pure roofing lead. He not only sold it to me for 80 cents/lb but also said that he would keep any new rolled up lead as it comes in for me to pick up in a month or so for the same price! Sometimes you get lucky!

 

[dikman]

That's a good price. If you see any lead-lighting stuff grab that too, it's generally pretty clean so won't need re-melting and fluxing.

 

[Dean2]

I phoned every recycle dealer in the area and this is a good size city so there are a lot of them. None of the recyclers here in Canada will resell scrap lead. They are concerned about liability if the lead is old batteries or something else toxic.

Found one metal supply store that would sell new lead ingots, $5 a pound, which is rediculously high and makes factory Hornady cheaper to buy than to make your own. Never seen roofing lead here but am going to check at Home Depot. Also, lead was never used much in plumbing here for some reason. Wheel weights at large tire shops would be about the only local choice and I have never tried to see if they will sell them.

Best CHEAP lead supply I found is the evil empire "E-Bay". There is literally tons of it for sale and shipping, interestingly enough, is pretty cheap.

 

[Woodyrock]

Old sailboats are a good source of lead, and there are so many derelict boats on the market, you can often get one free. I am cutting a 25 footer up right now. Has 2300 pounds of lead in ballast. That should last me for a while.
Woody

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

Inside bends or eddies of most any river.

Particularly if they are near areas that have been site to a lot of shooting.

I have found a lot of lead while mineral prospecting.

Get a sluice or dredge, and then a gold pan and sluff off the mud until you get down to black sand which is iron and somewhat heavy.

Once down to that level you have a good chance of finding old lead in the black sand.

I live in California and you would think they would want us to remove lead from riverways and natural waters, but many prohibitions have been placed on this activity for us in this state as well. So that is proof enough for me that it is not really about getting the lead out.

You might be surprised how much useful lead can be gathered in this manner.

 

[Grullaguy]

Are there any rifle or pistol ranges nearby? Wild spots where people go to shoot?

The lead in jacketed bullets is fairly soft. However, if you are shooting cap and ball revolvers, the balls cast from these balls would still best be loaded with the aid of a stand for loading your cylinder outside of the revolver.

Saves wear and tear on your loading lever.

 

[jamesthomas]

To all, Garry R. is in fine shape, I sent him 30lbs. of dead soft lead. with a few samples of those stick-on glue-on wheel weights so he knows what to look for at his local tire shops. :thumbsup: . He says he shoots a cap an ball revolver so he has enough to last until he finds a source.

 

[Joel/Calgary]

Glass shops that do the stained glass windows. Not pure but very soft.

THIS! If you're lucky, you may find some that will be happy to give you the "kame" (channel) scraps to avoid hauling them to a scrap dealer and/or paying hazmat disposal fees (depending on jurisdiction). Most kames are pure or close to it, although some may be alloyed for greater strength, and solder joints will be alloyed with at least tin. I tried thumbnail testing the first batch that I got but gave up sorting them - there were bazillions of little pieces with very few harder ones or solder joints. I just melted them all together and the batches were still very soft. I haven't done this a lot because I've been lucky locating soft scrap in larger quantities from construction/demolition sources.

Good luck,
Joel

 

[Ken Cormier]

I fell lucky as I spent 35yrs as a flat roofer and
brought home every piece of scrap lead flashing I could get my paws on. There are 8 people shooting out of that pile. Me the wife our 4kids and 2 son in laws. Don't seem to having much impact on it. I am thank full for it.

 

[nhmoose]

http://www.rotometals.com/Bullet-Casting-Alloys-s/5.htm

 

[yardhunter]

Old sailboats are a good source of lead, and there are so many derelict boats on the market, you can often get one free. I am cutting a 25 footer up right now. Has 2300 pounds of lead in ballast. That should last me for a while.
Woody

This is a great idea.
Have any pictures of the demolition?
I'd love to see it”¦”¦”¦..see ya yard hunter