Where to buy lead?

[slabslayer]

Where is the best place to buy lead for jig making? something like a brick of it. I have been having trouble finding it in a large quantity

[hays47]

One source for free lead was where I used to work. Electrical generation plant . Turbines have to be maintained and inspected on a regular basis. There is a lead seal that is removed. I forget how often they are replaced but just one would keep you in lead for a long time. It is 100% pure lead also.

It is used as a safety seal and has to melt at a certain temperature. The turbines where I worked were old 115 megawatt , small by todays standards. I can only imagine how much lead is in one of the bigger ones.

I was assigned to maint. dept during one of these outages and seen 5 gallon buckets of lead. Upon inquiry about it I was told to take as much of it as I wanted. Cheaper than having someone haul it away. As I muzzleloaded and cast jigs and sinkers at the time I took all I would ever need.

[PBUG2009]

has anyone tried using the lead out of old car batteries???

[ShilohRed]

has anyone tried using the lead out of old car batteries???

Not worth the effort and not good for your health.
I tried that a few years back, never will do it again.
Pete

[GCD]

Where is the best place to buy lead for jig making? something like a brick of it. I have been having trouble finding it in a large quantity

I buy mine online:

Casting Bullet Alloys from Rotometals

They have free shipping if you buy enough, but shipping isn't that bad on smaller quantities... it saves a lot of time and gas money running around town looking for it

I started out using the pure lead, but my jigs weren't durable enough so I switched to the Hardball mix... good stuff!

has anyone tried using the lead out of old car batteries???

I wouldn't do that, I'm pretty sure melting would give off some noxious fumes.

[Illinoisgiller]

I think most all plumbing suppliers will have ingots for sale.
If you think you may want a larger amount, stop by a large junk yard. They will have ,or will save, some soft stuff for you at slightly over market price.
Do not use battery lead. That should be done only in a recycling business.
Illinoisgiller

[poppop]

Go to a salvage yard...they have a lead bin....and you can pretty much pick out what you want. I bought about 300 pounds of pure lead at one for $100, it came off a roof of a building.

[PBUG2009]

ive just heard some old timers talking about it

[tntjigman]

Go to a tire shop. I purchased three 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights some years ago for $15. Works great, but you have to scoop out the clips with a spoon. Just discard in a beer can, I mean Pepsi can!

[gabulldog]

if ya know a roofer they can get lead sheeting faily cheap and its 100% pure plumers lead isnt pure and cost a good bit i think last i looked was 50 for 25 lb ebay isnt bad place to look ether