Wheel weights - for all you chicken littles

Batteries are made of mostly lead but have a host of all sorts of nastier chemicals and heavy metals mixed in. Yah it can be done but what are you doing with all the environmentally nasties left over from the process.

Zinc is not as big an issue as some people make of it. 2-3% is a non issue and actually adds hardness. Too much zinc and lead will become a porridge.
 
yomomma said:
Batteries are made of mostly lead but have a host of all sorts of nastier chemicals and heavy metals mixed in. Yah it can be done but what are you doing with all the environmentally nasties left over from the process.

Zinc is not as big an issue as some people make of it. 2-3% is a non issue and actually adds hardness. Too much zinc and lead will become a porridge.
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excellent info, thanks
 
Didn't have much luck with the last pail of W/W I got from a smaller tire shop 50% steel 30 % zinc and the rest lead. Price was coffee and doughnuts for the guys in the shop. I can get sorted lead W/W from a scrap yard @ .40/ lb , almost seems less of a hassle.
 
G_Alan said:
Didn't have much luck with the last pail of W/W I got from a smaller tire shop 50% steel 30 % zinc and the rest lead. Price was coffee and doughnuts for the guys in the shop. I can get sorted lead W/W from a scrap yard @ .40/ lb , almost seems less of a hassle.
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Can I ask what one? I've contacted a few and I've only had one willing to sell to me but they had a 250 Kg minimum.
 
yomomma said:
Batteries are made of mostly lead but have a host of all sorts of nastier chemicals and heavy metals mixed in. Yah it can be done but what are you doing with all the environmentally nasties left over from the process.

Zinc is not as big an issue as some people make of it. 2-3% is a non issue and actually adds hardness. Too much zinc and lead will become a porridge.
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Yes, this is exactly right. I actually like to have that 2% zinc.....but like you say, any more can be a major problem.
 
Today I stopped by my local Blaskin & Lane and asked if they had any take-off lead wheel weights I could have or take away for a modest price.

The guy looked down at his shoes and rolled his head side to side a couple times then without looking me in the eye said Hmmmm No...

Not sure what to make of that reaction?

M
 
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gnmontey said:
Today I stopped by my local Blaskin & Lane and asked if they had any take-off lead wheel weights I could have or take away for a modest price.

The guy looked down at his shoes and rolled his head side to side a couple times then without looking me in the eye said Hmmmm No...

Not sure what to make of that reaction?

M
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Maybe grandpa was in the afrika korps? or you just got beatin to the punch? I get alot of that, haven't scored any form tire shops around PG
 
gnmontey said:
Today I stopped by my local Blaskin & Lane and asked if they had any take-off lead wheel weights I could have or take away for a modest price.

The guy looked down at his shoes and rolled his head side to side a couple times then without looking me in the eye said Hmmmm No...

Not sure what to make of that reaction?

M
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I have said this before. Sometimes they look like deer caught in the headlights. Sometimes they look like they just got caught steeling gramma's dirty underware.
 
I picked up 2/3 of a bucket from my local shop this morning. By the weight it should sort out very well for lead. I was disappointed to just get that amount at this time of the year with all the snow tires coming off. I guess another gunny got there recently. Spread the wealth.
 
If you go scrounging for free stuff, make sure you have containers with you. Scores can vanish with in minutes.

Back in the mid 80s I stopped at a local wreckers and inquired. The young kid behind the counter pointed to a 2' high white bucket that was over flowing with what was probably all lead wheel weights (being the 80s) and said "help yourself".
My mind screamed holy crap the Mother Load!
Physically there was no way on earth I was going to just pick that sucker up and walk away with it.
So, I told the kid, I'll be right back and beat it home to collect every pail and container I could find.

When I returned with buckets in hand, the owner intercepted me with an ice cream pail in hand.

"Sorry" he said, "My helper was in error, you can't have it all, but you can fill this if you want".

Who knows how much I could have absconded with had I been armed with containers from the get go.

M
 
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W/W shenanigans!

Thanks to a good friend I harvested my first batch of WW and assorted lead. Learned a lot, had fun and no one got hurt.... well except my wife's feelings. Boy did I ever have a hunny-doodoo list once I came in. Well that will learn me for having so much fun spending 5 hours making clean ingots where my loving wife can see me :rolleyes:.

262PPGP9vOmN2SME9hYNJoTs0p_83bPgttcKHgnN6zIJFgKhXwxLYvJMQGmv


QDFd2Q0qFemVrSOlP9drzg-euGyyxXauv-SGHRO8NjUOK7X6rIDWPhaqnqNb
 
Saafire said:
Thanks to a good friend I harvested my first batch of WW and assorted lead. Learned a lot, had fun and no one got hurt.... well except my wife's feelings. Boy did I ever have a hunny-doodoo list once I came in. Well that will learn me for having so much fun spending 5 hours making clean ingots where my loving wife can see me :rolleyes:.
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Nice harvest! I'm jealous.

What kind of mold make those cone shaped ingots? Never seen that before.

M
 
gnmontey: under the aluminum muffin tins are 2, 6 cavity(cone) cast iron molds with handles. Used to be used in metals analysis, and not very efficient for lead storage; but when pouring up to 50 lbs, all available ingot molds which are fast cooling and easily dumped are utilized. My favorite yard sale molds are heavy aluminum muffin pans(with a cookie sheet underneath to catch spills and carry the pan to cooling-marking area)
 
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