RE:Sourcing Wheelweights...Do you think this will work?

[easyrider604]

RE:Sourcing Wheelweights...Do you think this will work?

I want to throw this idea out to you gentlemen because I am frustrated about not finding WW in my part of Vancouver, BC. It seems either other hobby casters, commercial casters, battery makers or scrapyards have contracts or beat me to them. Some scrap yards will sell 20 tons of unknown alloy lead, minimum. I know much of the lead goes overseas to China.

I suppose even us CGN casters compete with each other as well. I am in the Tri-Cities.

We can help each other if we organize, cooperate and join forces so at least we can have some WW. Individually we can scrounge, but that's all we'll ever be, scavengers. What do you think?

 

[brnolvr]

I live in the LML too.

Here's what I do, I have a local small one man operation scrap guy that I deal with, I ask him to find me wheelwieghts, Tell him how many pails I need. I pay him about 40 to 45 bucks a full 5 Gal pail depending how clean they are.

Don't ask where he got it or how much he pays for the lead, It's his source not your's. He make's a few bucks and you don't waste time or gas going out trying to find the stuff.

Usually within 10 days he has my order filled and a option to buy more, not only that he delivers it to me at no extra cost.

 

[riderrick]

as a tire store owner i give mine away to my customers....i mean loyal customers not joe blow that spends $20 on a flat repair. i have shooters and anglers that take my lead. these are long time customers and i dole it out so everyone gets some....5 gal at a time. so become a loyal customer and get some lead...

 

[TwoTone]

I do all of my tire business at one shop and have a great relationship with them.

When I got into casting last year I asked one of the owners about getting free wheelweights and he said "sure, how much do want?" I said I'd take as much as he would give me.

He then told me that what normally happens is that they allow the shop guys to sell them to whoever and the cash goes into a pot for staff get togethers, etc., but that I could still have a few pails for free. I decided to pay the boys for it instead.

The guys in the shop have been taking good care of me for years so instead of stealing their lead I pay them cash for it. I don't mind. And I certainly don't need anyone who works on my vehicles to have a hate-on for me....

Usually $30 per pail. They just put them in the back of my truck when I'm in there.

They have other people buying them too.

I think it's a nice business policy to let the staff sell off the lead too.

 

[easyrider604]

Thanks for the ideas gentlemen.

I will try them.

 

[smellie]

Try a tire-shop that sells tires for semis. I have seen wheelweights hit the scrap bin at two POUNDS apiece.

MUCH nicer than melting down those %$#*&^@$% little half-ounce ones!

Most important: have fun!

 

[burnt_servo]

I live in the LML too.

Here's what I do, I have a local small one man operation scrap guy that I deal with, I ask him to find me wheelwieghts, Tell him how many pails I need. I pay him about 40 to 45 bucks a full 5 Gal pail depending how clean they are.

Don't ask where he got it or how much he pays for the lead, It's his source not your's. He make's a few bucks and you don't waste time or gas going out trying to find the stuff.

Usually within 10 days he has my order filled and a option to buy more, not only that he delivers it to me at no extra cost.

+1 ........



lead is worth a fair amount of money right now , and alot of shops are starting to realise this .

you may be even able to trade grunt work at a metal scrap yard for the lead your looking for . alot of what they do is fairly simple work , but it can be time consuming .

also if you go the scrap metal yard route , there is a very good chance you will just get lead , not the other metals that can be mixed in at a tire shop .

 

[sahara]

Out tire shop lets the guys on the floor sell it to whoever walks in. I was quoted "a bottle (26oz.)" per pail. I don't drink so I just pay $20.00 per full 5 gallon pail. I bought 5 pails but they have tons of it just sitting there.