Where do you get wheel weights?

A-zone said:
No problem. It's a common mistake. Oddly enough there was a fellow in Edmonton a few years back (a guy who used to sell his cast bullets in a couple of the local gun stores) who was either convicted of or pleaded guilty to "smelting" without the proper licence after his unattended melting pot generated too much smoke. Someone thought his casting shed was on fire and called the fire department. Buddy got charged for "smelting" without the proper permits.

So, it's not a big deal, but the fact that the guy in question didn't know the difference got himself nailed for an offence that he wasn't actually doing.

We complain when the media get our sport's terminology wrong. It wouldn't hurt if we kept our own usage of terms correct.
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The wording of the particular stuff he ran afoul of was "secondary processing", IIRC. I know the fellow in this one.

It's a long story of what can happen if a well meaning person calls 911 and reports a fire, then the fire guys start calling hazmat guys, etc.

Things got out of hand from there.

Cheers
Trev
 
577/450 said:
the zinc ones donot melt anyway. they also just float to the top
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That's if you get them before the lead gets too hot. Zinc melts just above the melting temperature of lead. If you skim them off just after the lead melts, you're fine. If you do manage to get the lead a little too hot and melt them, they mix with the lead and then......well......I wish you all the luck in the world trying to get them to fill out a mould cavity without wrinkles and pock marks in the bullets.

Also, there is NO way that your average person can separate a lead/zinc alloy mix. Once it's in there, you're sunk.
 
I walk into a tire shop and ask for: "A small bag of wheelweights for making fishing lures". The small bag turns into a big one, if you show up with Timbits.
 
Chise... it all depends on where you live. Here in the big city, the major chains have to recycle them. The small garages usually re-use them and the small to medium sized tire shops all have plenty of other guys lined up for the lead.

Zinc can be identified with a "Z" usually. If not, or if it's worn out, then they look a little difrerent and have a different "feel" to them. Just be careful and if in doubt... garbage.

While casting can be done inside with ventilation, always smelt outside. Its a dirty job and lots of impurities go up in smoke. Don't want to be breathing those with just a fan and window to clear them away.

Horney Tim's usually works. Small shops... a 6-pack Friday close to quitting time, too. Food is always good. But some places that still won't get you to the front of the line with the bucket. :(

Be careful with range lead, too. Outdoor ranges, make sure the lead is completely dry. Moisture can still be between the jacket and the core. Also the lead may be too soft for some handgun and some rifle bullets. If your range members shoot a lot of lead bullets, then it's better and harder than just jacketed cores.
 
With an hours work driving to all of the local tire shops, I returned home with two 20litre pails at no charge.

I separate the stick on wheel weights for use in casting mini bullets for blackpowder as they have fewer impurities. I add arsenic and berilium - both sourced from shotgun pellets and quench in cold water to increase hardness for pistol bullets. Works well in reducing leading when pushing velocities, although the bullets do become brittle.
 
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