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scrap lead price

14K views 17 replies 16 participants last post by  Chass 
#1 ·
about how much is scrap lead going for right now? I've looked online and can't seem to find it. I was hoping someone knew off hand...
 
#10 ·
Need lead? Simply dismantle a couple old car batteries. Easily cleaned with simple tap water. Flush out the battery and take acid if there is any to the waste station. Cut top off battery and remove lead core flush clean and melt. Where protective glasses of course. Been doing it for years for various lead needs. Cheapest lead going $5 to $10 dollars buys a 40 to 50lb or bigger car battery.
 
#11 ·
Done this many times so I'll add melt outdoors with a breeze at your back & let the plates dry completely before melting unless you enjoy wearing molten lead .:twocents:
 
#12 ·
You can call several metal recyclers in your area and they will all have a little bit different price for soft lead and hard lead, I myself like a mix of both for a good pour.

A place in Clackamas has a good price but you have to call daily to see if they have it because guys who make a lot of weights will wipe them out...:whistle:
But check dex or something for metal recyclers and call for price, they will be different from each other.

FD
 
#13 ·
Scrap lead has come down quite a bit recently. My last buy was at $0.65 from $0.75 a week earlier. I was buying clean soft lead.

I would doubt anywhere would be seller clean lead at $0.50. Keep in mind you can lose up to 40% of your weight melting down wheel weights so I think that would be right for wheel weights.

PS - I would not mess around with batteries. elemental lead is hard for the body to absorb...organic lead, lead salts, and other lead compounds are far more easily absorb. Lead salts apperently dissolve in sweat and can be absorbed through the skin. Not really worth it in my opinion.

And just to set the stage, I have cast over 1000lbs this year (backyard busienss I have run for 7 years) so I am always looking for cheap lead and in terms of the second to last paragraph, my dad has a masters in organic chem so I'll take his word for it...he knows better than I ;)
 
#14 ·
Some friends of mine have a cabin we visit. His neighbors have decorated their place with a few blue glass wine bottle empties. I told them about the Mississippi Voodoo witch belief of blue glass keeping away the evil spirits and that I'd give them a really big, unusual, tall triangular blue glass bottle for their hoodoo collection. He found out I cast lead fishing weights. Last weekend I brought the bottle. He'd left me 300 lbs. of lead. Good trade? I think so!

It is in big sheets about 3/8" thick. Some is braided copper wire wrapped in a thick lead coating in long ropes also about 3/8" diameter.

The "wire" I can cut with tin snips and melt away, or possibly just drill a hole in one end of for sinkers, cut to various lengths.

What about the sheets? How to reduce it to fit into my pipe-end pot? I was thinking my sawzall with a wrecking blade would work (regular hacksaw blad?). Cut over newspaper to catch the "dust" and particles also for remelt? C.W.
 
#15 ·
You know you dont even half to burn. I know a guy in salem who has over 100 kinds of sinkers/ jigs. he will trade raw for finished sinkers. If you get it cheap or free thats the way to go. scale it dump it fill you'r bucket. No lead poison.:applause: he has thousands of pounds finished.
 
#18 ·
Go to your nearest tire center like les schwab or discount tires. they will either give them to you for free or its very cheap. I bought 80lb for $20. Only draw back is you will get 10 to 20% in steal weights.

tom
Highly unlikely that you will find a tire place that will still sell or give it away. The EPA is outlawing lead tire weights the tire places are holding on to them now. At least my local ones are. They laughed when I asked if I could buy the old weights.

To the OP, I use my torch with a rosebud on it. I melt the plates or chunks into the pot while holding onto it with a large pair of pliers.

Chass
ct
 
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