Who has too much lead?

[bigcrappiemax]

As a crappie fisherman, I don't go through lead. Don't need it. BUT I have spent this summer catfishing with my pop, and catfishing is tough on lead! We had some scrapped, and I poured around 70ish 3oz weights. That will last for awhile, but it won't last as long as some might think.

Now, which one of you folks has too much lead laying around? In California, they say it ain't good for you, and you know that Californians are always right! Better get rid of it now before it causes irreparable damage to you or your loved ones.

My preferred price is...FREE, but I'm not opposed to paying a fair price. How much do I need? Well, I'm not opposed to a whole stinking lot, but I'll take pretty much anything I can get.

[Rees Guide]

Lead is pretty high, specially good clean lead. Good luck with your search.

[ScottV]

I found some stick-on wheel weights at a local scrap yard around Meridian. I paid $1 per pound for it and then I had to melt it down, skim it, flux it and pour it into ingot molds. Lots of stinky work but I'm in good shape now.

[Knot2Bad]

Years ago My father in-law use to have a sinker business in Redding CA. Good O' Larry . Sure do miss him. Best fisherman I ever knew. Anyway he always got his lead at tire shops around town you might want to ask some of them. I would guess these days everything is recycled so you might need to pay them. Give that a try.

[Wannabe...]

If u go the scrap route, be careful of any moisture in it when you are melting it down. Can cause a surprising "explosion" with just a small amount of water trapped in...say..a wheel weight tossed into a melting pot of lead.

Wannabe...

[canebreaker]

The tire shop I use will sell a 5 gallon bucket for $40. If he has 1 or more I'll buy them if I need them or not. While the bucket is sitting in the truck I'll have 4 buckets on the driveway. One for trash, stick ons, lead based wheel weights and zinc with scrap metals. When I do a melt down, the clips go in with the scrap metals.

Good point Wannabe.
Start with a cold pot full of wheel weights or other lead pieces. The heat will cook out any moisture. Never add new stock to a hot pot.

[ScottV]

I also use an old cast iron pot with a lid to melt my lead. I'll leave the lid on until its melted to protect from any moisture explosions. Like canebreaker said, don't add more scrap lead to an already hot pot. Wear safety glasses.
I have a friend who was given a large, one pound, lead weight that had been used on a trot line. He added it to a hot melting pot and was severely burned when it exploded. The weight was hollow and filled with water.

[Redge]

Check for black powder shooting clubs in your area. You should be able to buy good clean lead for a buck a pound. At least that's the going rate in Oklahoma.

[Shine Runner]

This guy is some times hard to listen to, but has some good advice and videos on melting lead.

https://www.youtube.com/user/FortuneCookie45LC

[canebreaker]

Wheel weight test.
We have a lead alloy, steel, zinc (ZN) and plastic coated wheel weight on the market now. Both in clip on and stick on. Plastic ones are easy to spot because of their form and lighter weight for their size. Steel will have rivets or a clamp fitting, they go clink when dropped on concrete. Zinc will have a clink sound but not as sharp as the steel. Lead alloy will have a thud sound when dropped. Lead stick ons have a medium to dark gray color where the others a shiny. I triple check mine before a melt down.
I fill my pot with wheel weights and start the burner. As the lead is melting I turn the burner down. When I start dipping out the clips I turn the burner down more. Scrape the sides and bottom to get all of the trash out. Let it set at low temp for a few minutes. If some zinc got in there it will fluff to the top. I add a cup or more of wax, spent media to the pot. Let it burn off, scrape the pot again, remove the trash. Then cast my ingots. All of this trash is a metal of some form and is sent to the recycle center.
Pure zinc or mixed sinkers are ok. Zinc can mess up an aluminum mold. Zinc can mess up the rifling of your gun. Zinc is not good for bottom drip pots.