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#2233982 - 06/02/08 08:31 AM

Melting bulk wheel weights?

Burleyboy
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Registered: 11/18/04
Posts: 735
Loc: Idaho

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I just getting into casting and was wondering if anyone has a good method for melting bulk wheel weights. I was thinking of using a dutch oven, outside, on some sort of single burner. I'll have to set it up to hold the weight.

Would there be any problem melting lead in a cast iron dutch oven. I'm wondering whether the seasoning of the cast iron would effect the melt or if I should buy an unseasoned one and melt it in that. I would be sure to not cook food in it after that.

Also, If I get a thermometer to watch temps could I keep it hot enough to melt the lead yet low enough so the zinc ones can be taken out before they melt.

I'm thinking of doing about 500 pounds of WW's and making ingots out of them for future use.

Bb

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#2234381 - 06/02/08 11:20 AM

Re: Melting bulk wheel weights? [Re: Burleyboy]

Stillwater
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Registered: 05/24/05
Posts: 258
Loc: In the far West

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I have a propane powered plumbers lead pot, that I bought just for doing large batches of wheel weights and other scrap lead I had accumulated.

I realize that the plumbers pot may be a little bit over kill to some posters here, however, I have processed over 2000 pounds of lead through it... I wouldn't ever do without it again...!

The plumbers pot really works well, with the forty pound lead pot that came with it.

Bill

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#2234534 - 06/02/08 12:30 PM

Re: Melting bulk wheel weights? [Re: Stillwater]

Red44spl
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Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 217
Loc: Tyrone, NM

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I use an unseasoned cast iron bread mold for ingots so I see no problem using cast iron.

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#2234617 - 06/02/08 01:04 PM

Re: Melting bulk wheel weights? [Re: Red44spl]

340mag
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Registered: 11/12/03
Posts: 1222

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http://www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

http://www.lasc.us/FryxellCommentsCBAlloys.htm

http://www.surplusrifle.com/shooting/alloyhardness/index.asp

http://www.recguns.com/Sources/VIIB5.html

http://www.civilwarguns.com/9803.html

http://www.sixguns.com/crew/sskbullets.htm

http://www.jouster.com/cgi-bin/castbullets/index.pl?noframes

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/lbt/bullet_styles.htm

http://www.sixguns.com/crew/obturation.htm

http://www.sixguns.com/crew/castbullet.htm

http://www.rserv.com/Alloy.html

FIRST GET THIS BOOK

http://www.amazon.com/Lyman-Cast-Bullet-...03020823&sr=1-3

wheel weights, plus 4%-5% pure tin added by weight, and casting at a temp so the bullets look slightly frosted, when recovered from the water,you use to catch them in, when having them fall into a 7 gallon bucket of cold water as you open the mould produces a decent and accurate slug without the need to heat treat in most cases, Ive used that formula for years with my 358,375,44,and 45 caliber rifles.
bullets will be quite hard and youll want a mould design having a wide melplat but they tend too rivet rather than fracture on game
I generally sort the bullets after I finish casting and throw the first dozen or so while the mould reaches a stabile temp dirrectly back into the pot, but once the moulds up to temp you should easily cast a couple hundered before you quit and the culls get thrown in a differant scrap melter where they get turned into INGOTS over a propane fire heating a large cast iron melt pot, all the moisture gets evaporated well before the lead actually melts and I only add INGOTS to the bullet melt durring production.
INGOTS are made by pouring a ladle full of moulten lead into cast STEEL muffin pans

http://www.castironcabin.com/pd_11.cfm

I sit at my casting bench which is a high work bench next to open garage door with lots of ventilation in a high swivel chair I drop the mould contents into a 7 gallon bucket full of cold water with a towel in the bottom to cushion bullet falls its a good 6 feet away from the pot and I swivel between the casting pot and emptying the mould, Ive done that for 35 years and never go water near moulten lead

the lead INGOT melter I use is simply this pot

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44705

on this furnace (A TURKEY DEEP FRYIER)

you can buy decent ones for $40-$70

its also great for melting wheel weights

CASTING POT

http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=000152800067

http://www.neihandtools.com/catalog.html

http://www.mountainmolds.com/

http://www.hochmoulds.com/

http://lbtmoulds.com/moulds.shtml

http://www.ranchdogmolds.com/

http://www.pauljonesmoulds.com/

http://www.lymanproducts.com/lymanproducts/casting.htm

http://www.ballisti-cast.com/Bullet%20Designs.htm

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/catalog/bullmol1.html

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,306.html

http://www.huntingtons.com/bulletmoulds.html

http://www.magmaengineering.com/bulletmolds.php

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,60.html

heres a few of many sources

once you get into hunting with cast bullets youll find that theres far better mould and bullet designs than most guys are aware exist

Edited by 340mag (06/02/08 01:05 PM)

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#2234644 - 06/02/08 01:27 PM

Re: Melting bulk wheel weights? [Re: 340mag]

jpb
Campfire Regular

Registered: 06/30/01
Posts: 1201
Loc: Umeå, Sweden

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We should have 340mag's post as a sticky!

Moderators?

This post was a lot of work, and a goldmine of information!

John (longtime caster, but I've already learned a few things from some of those links!).

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#2236168 - 06/03/08 08:58 AM

Re: Melting bulk wheel weights? [Re: 340mag]

Burleyboy
Campfire Regular

Registered: 11/18/04
Posts: 735
Loc: Idaho

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Wow 340, thanks for all the info. I like the turkey fryer idea and that cast iron pot looks just like the one I bought. Those links should keep me busy for a while. This all started because I found a deal on a 475 linebaugh. I'm thinking a 400grain wide flat nose would be nice in it.

Bb

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#2238919 - 06/04/08 05:33 PM

Re: Melting bulk wheel weights? [Re: Burleyboy]

458 Lott
Campfire Tracker

Registered: 01/29/01
Posts: 6322
Loc: Conundrum, Alaska

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I only cast straight wheelweights. I use a thrift store pot over a coleman stove, and get about 30#'s of ww's melted, put in some wax to flux and scoop off the dross, then cast into 1# ingots. Try to put the time in to cast at least 50# if not 100# at a time, then you'll be suplied for casting from your casting furnace.

I've shot 1000's of cast bullets from my 480, and the 400's are great. While not 475L levels, 21 gr of H-110 or Lil-gun drives them right at 1200 fps, and makes scary small groups. Lee's 400 gr mold is a good one, that bullet shoots just as accurately as one's I've cast from lbt, mountain molds and ballisticast molds, SWC, LFN, WFN and the lee which is midway between an LFN and WFN shapes all work well.

_________________________
I'm not a gunwriter, that's 458 win. I'm just a gun-nut in Alaska.

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