Finding lead

[IDbasser]

Do any of you have difficulty finding lead for pouring in your molds?  I have gone to some tire shops for old lead weights and they tell me that they either recycle them, or ship back to corporate for recycle.  Where do you guys get your lead?

[nick76]

you might want to try a dental office that does not use digital x-rays.  The old film packets have a lead liner in them.  Most offices get little or no money for the stuff and might be willing to part with it.

[Jig Man]

Remodelers are a good source for soft lead.  Old shower stalls have a 40# lead sheet in the floor.

Hospitals are also a good source.  I once got a 4'X8' sheet of dry wall covered with lead from an X-ray room.

Hospitals also get radio active meds in lead containers.  I have several of them out in the shop awaiting melting and casting.

Don't forget recycle centers and salvage yards.  I have bought lead at them for as little as $0.25 per pound.

I know of some guys who have recycled lead from berms at shooting ranges.

[IDbasser]

thanks for the suggestions guys.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I've got tons of it. and more every day if I want it.

[J Francho]

Sail boats use lead in the keel.  I know that some have gotten huge amounts from shipyards and boat repair outfits.

[IDbasser]

I went to a locally owned tire store (not a chain) and the owner sold me tire weights for $0.10 per lb.  I also talked to the head of the radiology dept at the hospital where I work and she is going to save me any lead that needs "disposed of."

[burleytog]

Buy it from Bass Pro.  $21 for 5 lbs.   ;D ;D ;D

[fats69]

I've never had a problem getting lead and HAVE NEVER paid for any!!  Just plain lucky I guess.  

If you can get the tire weights great but look out for the tin and zinc ones (they'll be the ones that float and don't want to melt, don't turn up the heat just take them out).

Make sure you melt in a very well ventilated space especially if you get any of the stick on weights (usually they're pure lead).

Salvage yards are good but most of them want to charge higher prices.  Hospitals and boat yards are great!!!!!!!  When my local hospital re-did their xray lab they pulled the old lead panels and luckily my bro in law works there and I got three of them (my blazer still hates me)!!

I've also gotten a 1/3 of a keel weight from an old sailboat a guy was tearing apart, just happened to be driving by at the time and he had it cut up and when I asked he said Cool I'll help you load it up.  (the other two parts were already gone!! darn it!!)

I get most of my tire weights from two independent repair shops as they don't want the hassle of re-cycling it.  I usually stop in once every two weeks and pick it up.

Lead is out there for free if you look around, but if you have to 15 to 25 cents doesn't seem too bad.  Anyone getting berm lead from the shooting ranges make sure to melt it outside or have one hell of a good venting system it can really stink, no sense ticking off the lady of the house!!!!!!!!!

Even if my state bans lead in all fishing lures and sinkers I can still sell it to buy different materials but I'll using it now.

Fatman

[Munkin]

There are 6 or 7 plummers in my fishing club that gave me enough to last several years.

Allen

[Captain Obvious]

Hey IDbasser did you here about geting lead from tire shops on another talk forum?

[IDbasser]

Hey IDbasser did you here about geting lead from tire shops on another talk forum?

I have read here and other places about people getting it from tire stores, but the problem I was having was the tire stores I was going to wouldn't give up any.  I finally found a store that would.

[Captain Obvious]

Ok just wondering, I told guy name LOZbasser on another talk fourm about getting it from a tire shop, Just wondering if your the same guy

[IDbasser]

I am IDbasser on the other forums too.

[silvercliff_46]

I don't know about this for sure as I have never tried it.  How about busting up old batteries and salvaging the lead plates.

If I'm wrong I bet my butt someone will correct me in a nanosecond.

nanosecond defined= The time it takes for the guy behind you to blow his horn when the light turns green.

[Jig Man]

I don't know about this for sure as I have never tried it. How about busting up old batteries and salvaging the lead plates.

If I'm wrong I bet my butt someone will correct me in a nanosecond.

nanosecond defined= The time it takes for the guy behind you to blow his horn when the light turns green.

I did it one time and one time only.  It wasn't worth the mess and trouble for what I got.

[Siebert Outdoors]

if you get hard up you can also look in stores that carry reloading products and buy a 25lb bag of lead shot or maybe lead for casting bullets.  I'm finding lead shot for about 27-30 dollars a bag.  

[HB]

Sometimes you can find scrap lead @ garage sales.  Last summer I scored a 34 lb slab for 5 bucks.

[Stevie b]

I have poured/painted/sold probably over 10,000 jigs in the last 2 or 3 years.  My buddy and I do it together as a hobby that pays for itself.

Anyway, we get 90% of our lead from the local Walmart tire shop.  Cheaper for them to "give" it to us then to have it picked up by the recycler.  We melt the tire wieghts down in an old cast iron frying pan, we welded on a extra hanlde on the opposite side, so two guys can lift it and pour into our molds.  We always, always, always wear respirators, thick gloves, saftey glasses, and old grubby clothes to do this work.  And we always do it out in the open in a back yard or drive way.

In my past experience DO NOT USE old batteries for lead.  Just way to much mess and it can be very dangerous.  On a couple occasions we have had the termials cause "explosions" in the lead pot.  Probably due to an air pocket or maybe some sort of chemical reaction from left over residue of some sort.  You better off sticking to pure lead or tire weights.  Plus I prefer tire weights because the lead used for tire weights is harder than pure lead.  Which is nice if your boucing jigs off rocks, gravel etc.

[HB]

Yep, wheel weights are harder than pure lead and they are not as heavy.  My 1/4 oz jigs weigh 6.5 grams instead of 7. 

BTW if you cast your own handgun bullets for target shooting, the lead from wheel weights works GREAT.   8-)

[Nitro 882]

I just started making crankbaits. For ballast, Ive been using some XPS finesse weights that I have for dropshotting. They are cylindrical and I have 1/16oz to 1/2oz weights. Not sure if they come bigger or smaller. I'm not understanding why anyone would go to the trouble and expose themselves to the hazards that exist in dealing with molten lead.

What am I missing? Like I said, this is new to me.

[fourbizz]

If you have any buddies who are roofers/contractors see if they have any old lead flashing.  I got about 75lbs from a friend of mine last year.

[RandySBreth]

I'm not understanding why anyone would go to the trouble and expose themselves to the hazards that exist in dealing with molten lead.

What am I missing? Like I said, this is new to me.

The only part that is really dangerous is the hot lead itself. You just have to be careful. Lead exposure isn't an issue if you don't smoke or eat after (or during :) casting, and have plenty of ventilation.

I mostly cast bullets but I do pour some jigs, and why do I do it? It's fun, economical, and like lot's of other things I do, simply because I can.

The most dangerous thing most people do every day is drive their cars. Pouring jigs? Meh.

[IDbasser]

I pour a lot my own stuff because it is easier to get what I need that way.

[piscivorous Pike]

I don't know about this for sure as I have never tried it. How about busting up old batteries and salvaging the lead plates.

If I'm wrong I bet my butt someone will correct me in a nanosecond.

nanosecond defined= The time it takes for the guy behind you to blow his horn when the light turns green.

I have done that, very difficult and not worth the effort.

Be very careful with this one.  Be sure you are well ventilated and not near anything or anyone, smelting these down releases some very hazardous fumes because of the electrolyte residues, besides lead fumes. Cadnium and arsenic are abundant in these and are very dangerous.

Please look it up, google it.  Here is one result of the dangers

http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewtopic.php?t=2482&sid=807c1522a8eb28215192e5c31c0ec535

You can also purchase lead from firearm stores that sell it for reloading supplies.