Question re lead

fireguy

fireguy

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Was helping a buddy renovate a shower over the weekend, and pulled a lead pan from the underneath the floor tiles. Not sure if this lead would be usable for casting bullets, but thought I'd get a knowledgable answer here.

The bottom surface of the pan was red oxided. It would certainly take a bit of cleaning up :).

Thanks for any assistance!
 
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No its no good and dangerous if you melt it, I will take it!

Yes looks like roofing lead to me, which is usually pure lead. Good for black powder or mix to make an alloy.
 
fingers284 said:
I wouldn't spend a lot of time cleaning it up. Just melt it and the impurities will float to the top, skim them off and you will be left with a pure lead melt.
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This.
Don't try to clean it, at all.
After it is melted and at pouring heat, flux it, stir and skim the impurities off of the top.
You could buy a jar of blackish powder, called flux and made for fluxing lead alloy.
Or you could use part of a teaspoon full of bees wax, or beef tallow (fat) or some such thing.
Just be extremely careful that no water, or moisture, is in any material you use for fluxing.
 
H4831 said:
This.
Don't try to clean it, at all.
After it is melted and at pouring heat, flux it, stir and skim the impurities off of the top.
You could buy a jar of blackish powder, called flux and made for fluxing lead alloy.
Or you could use part of a teaspoon full of bees wax, or beef tallow (fat) or some such thing.
Just be extremely careful that no water, or moisture, is in any material you use for fluxing.
Click to expand...

and just to add: also that there is no chance of rain since you will certainly be doing this outside!!
 
Excellent info, gentlemen - thank you very much. I had kind of thought that cleaning wouldn't be required, that the melting would either burn up or float off the impurities. Very interesting to see the expertise here (I'm a knowledge junkie :) )

Now, that fact is that I do not cast my own bullets, and likely will not be doing so (the condo corp probablly wouldn't be thrilled with me doing that on my balcony! :) ). The next question I have now that I know it's not worthless, is what is it worth? (Thanks, Spawn for your generous offer to take it off my hands :) ).

Again, really appreciate you guys taking the time to reply (and so quickly as well!).
 
fireguy said:
Excellent info, gentlemen - thank you very much. I had kind of thought that cleaning wouldn't be required, that the melting would either burn up or float off the impurities. Very interesting to see the expertise here (I'm a knowledge junkie :) )

Now, that fact is that I do not cast my own bullets, and likely will not be doing so (the condo corp probablly wouldn't be thrilled with me doing that on my balcony! :) ). The next question I have now that I know it's not worthless, is what is it worth? (Thanks, Spawn for your generous offer to take it off my hands :) ).

It is not worth a great deal of money.
If you know some shooter who could use it, or some shooter who will use it and is willing to come and take it off your hands, I would suggest that you just give it to them.
Bruce
Click to expand...
 
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