Lead solder for casting?

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Dave L.

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Formerly Toronto, now Durham. Yes, that was no imp
I found a half brick of soft lead solder in the back of the store, and my boss will probably give me a good price on it. Truthfully, I don't know if it's just lead or actual solder. I just found it in the solder area.

It's dark and soft, soft enough for me to dent and scratch with my fingernails, quite easily in fact. I presume it's been there for a long time, considering how much dust it was covered in when I found it.

Do you think it'd be a good idea to melt it down to cast into bullets? I don't think anyone's going to buy it and I'd hate to see good shop wares go to waste... should I buy it?

- Dave.
 
Buy it! May end up keeping it and moving it many times but eventually you will find a use for it - even if its not casting more bullets to load more ammo to have more fun;)
 
If it is soft it is probably lead. You might be better off picking up wheel weights from a local garage.

Solder is shiny, not dull. Solder typically has a high percentage of tin.
 
You called it a half brick, any writing on it? If it has XX/YY the x is tin percentage, the y is lead %. If it is a long narrow bar, it's likely solder. Bricks usually have some writing, Pb is symbol for lead usually fairly pure. Old pure lead will be very dull coloured or oxidized white. Solder usually stays bright because of tin content. Lead blocks go "thud" and deform when struck, tin and antimony alloys ring like a bell. All are useful.
 
Somewhere it should say the % of tin, if it does get it, use those figures to see how much to add to your melt for say 10-1 or 20-1,etc.....If it doesn't say and it feels real soft it may be str. lead which is okay too, just not as valuable.
 
do them a favor were you work.........tell them its a health hazard...and being the company man you are;) ...you will dispose of it the best way you can...
once you have it. for free...:) give me a pm.......we will melt it down and try out my new fangdangled lead melter/loading table/brass turning table......aka..muzzle bullet making machine....
once you shoot the m/l off....you will search the EE for your own;)
 
Alrighty, I'll take some pictures next time I find it. uh.. well, if I find it. There is writing on it, but some of it has been nicked and scuffed and since half of it's missing I'm not really sure what to make of it.

Yeah, it is very dark and doesn't reflect stuff at all, but if I scrape away a little bit it's shiny underneath, well, sorta. Still quite dark, but hasn't oxidized yet.

- Dave.
 
Re solder

Solder is a combination of Tin and Lead, and sometimes Silver and Antimony. The most common solders a few years ago were 40/60, 50/50, 60/40, and 95/5. the first number being Tin content and the second being Lead content. New solders are lead free (health hazards)
 
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