stick-on weights are pure lead?

maillemaker · July 15, 2011, 01:21 PM

So I was melting wheel weights last week, and in the bucket were a bunch of "stick-on" wheel weights. Supposedly these are pure lead, and should be weeded out of wheel weight alloy as it dillutes your alloy. I did not care that much since I don't know what the alloy is and did not trust that it was pure lead anyway, so I threw them in the pot. I cut into them with my pocket knife and they cut easily and revealed shiny metal, so I was sure these were lead.

But in the melting pot, even though the rest of the wheel weights had melted, these did not, so I pulled them from the melt with the dross.

Any idea what these are?

Steve

hornady · July 15, 2011, 02:13 PM

They may be zinc, but I would bet if you re-check the stick on that did not melt are steel.
Most all the stick on WW I have tested that were Lead were real close to pure lead, but I have been seeing a lot of zinc and steel ones lately.

maillemaker · July 15, 2011, 02:18 PM

I'm almost certain they are not steel. They did not float on the top of the lead like steel, and I could cut them with a pocket knife almost like cheese.

Some of them eventually melted; I was afraid I was contaminating my alloy so I started fishing them out if they did not melt after all the WWs were melted.

Is it possible that pure lead has a higher melting temperature than WW alloy?

Steve

Geezerbiker · July 15, 2011, 05:15 PM

I've seen some stick ons that were plated. The plating didn't melt but the lead did. As I recall the plating came out with the dross...

Tony

Stick_man · July 15, 2011, 10:30 PM

Not only is it possible that pure lead has a higher melting point than WW alloy, but it definitely does. Pure lead melts at approx. 620 degrees. WW alloy melts at about 560 degrees. The higher the tin content (in common percentages), the lower the melting point. Pure tin melts at 450 degrees.

Check out the following link for more exact melting points (but keep in mind elevation differences)
http://www.weights-and-measures.com/xcommetalsalt.html

chris in va · July 16, 2011, 02:08 AM

Yeah, they're pure lead. I have to get the pot *really* hot before they finally melt. PITA.

hornetguy · July 16, 2011, 04:02 PM

Pure lead should melt at about 620 degrees, and it has a bhn hardness of 5.
Stick-on ww are almost pure lead, with a bhn hardness of 6.

Clip on ww should melt at around 600 degrees... slightly cooler than pure lead.

maillemaker · July 17, 2011, 04:07 PM

Well, that explains it then. Too bad, I threw out probably 5 pounds or so of stick-ons then that I fished out with the dross, for fear they were something else.

Oh well. I netted 140 pounds of ingots .

Steve

458winshooter · September 28, 2011, 12:31 AM

I think so to I just bought a new Lee R.E.A.L. mould for my muzzleloader and just had to try it out.So I found a few stick ons and melted them down.The results were very good and the bullets are so soft that I can deform them with my fingernail easily.I am thinking about checking them for hardness with my Lee tester to make sure.

Rifleman1776 · September 28, 2011, 09:03 AM

If you throw out those pure lead stick ons, please throw them my way.

TXGunNut · September 28, 2011, 11:27 PM

Keep them separate but don't toss them. Some rifle boolit casters think a 50/50 mix of stick-on/clip-on WW's is ideal for some cartridges. Never know when you'll get tired of buying cast or swaged round balls for your muzzleloader or c&b revolver. More lead, more heat. PITA but can be worth it.

hornetguy · September 29, 2011, 06:27 PM

You really should invest in a casting thermometer... about 35 bucks... well worth the investment. It can, by itself, help prevent you from contaminating your smelt with zinc. (if you pay attention to it, that is..

)

PawPaw · September 29, 2011, 07:22 PM

I've seen them that were pure zinc. They'd float with the clips until way long after the lead alloy had melted. Normally, I'm the kind of guy who'll make bullets out of anything plumbous, but I try to avoid those. If they don't melt with the lead, they don't go in the alloy.

dahermit · October 1, 2011, 09:47 AM

If they bend without breaking, they are lead, not zinc.

July 15, 2011, 01:21 PM	#1
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 564	stick-on weights are pure lead? So I was melting wheel weights last week, and in the bucket were a bunch of "stick-on" wheel weights. Supposedly these are pure lead, and should be weeded out of wheel weight alloy as it dillutes your alloy. I did not care that much since I don't know what the alloy is and did not trust that it was pure lead anyway, so I threw them in the pot. I cut into them with my pocket knife and they cut easily and revealed shiny metal, so I was sure these were lead. But in the melting pot, even though the rest of the wheel weights had melted, these did not, so I pulled them from the melt with the dross. Any idea what these are? Steve

September 28, 2011, 12:31 AM	#9
458winshooter Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2008 Location: Louisville,Tn Posts: 379	pure lead I think so to I just bought a new Lee R.E.A.L. mould for my muzzleloader and just had to try it out.So I found a few stick ons and melted them down.The results were very good and the bullets are so soft that I can deform them with my fingernail easily.I am thinking about checking them for hardness with my Lee tester to make sure.

September 28, 2011, 11:27 PM	#11
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,797	Keep them separate but don't toss them. Some rifle boolit casters think a 50/50 mix of stick-on/clip-on WW's is ideal for some cartridges. Never know when you'll get tired of buying cast or swaged round balls for your muzzleloader or c&b revolver. More lead, more heat. PITA but can be worth it. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

September 29, 2011, 07:22 PM	#13
PawPaw Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Central Louisiana Posts: 2,633	I've seen them that were pure zinc. They'd float with the clips until way long after the lead alloy had melted. Normally, I'm the kind of guy who'll make bullets out of anything plumbous, but I try to avoid those. If they don't melt with the lead, they don't go in the alloy. __________________ Dennis Dezendorf http://pawpawshouse.blogspot.com

July 15, 2011, 02:13 PM	#2
hornady Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2009 Location: SWPA Posts: 428	They may be zinc, but I would bet if you re-check the stick on that did not melt are steel. Most all the stick on WW I have tested that were Lead were real close to pure lead, but I have been seeing a lot of zinc and steel ones lately.

July 15, 2011, 02:18 PM	#3
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 564	I'm almost certain they are not steel. They did not float on the top of the lead like steel, and I could cut them with a pocket knife almost like cheese. Some of them eventually melted; I was afraid I was contaminating my alloy so I started fishing them out if they did not melt after all the WWs were melted. Is it possible that pure lead has a higher melting temperature than WW alloy? Steve

July 15, 2011, 05:15 PM	#4
Geezerbiker Senior Member Join Date: March 20, 2011 Location: Willamina, OR Posts: 364	I've seen some stick ons that were plated. The plating didn't melt but the lead did. As I recall the plating came out with the dross... Tony

July 15, 2011, 10:30 PM	#5
Stick_man Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2008 Location: Salt Lake City, Utah Posts: 238	Not only is it possible that pure lead has a higher melting point than WW alloy, but it definitely does. Pure lead melts at approx. 620 degrees. WW alloy melts at about 560 degrees. The higher the tin content (in common percentages), the lower the melting point. Pure tin melts at 450 degrees. Check out the following link for more exact melting points (but keep in mind elevation differences) http://www.weights-and-measures.com/xcommetalsalt.html

July 16, 2011, 02:08 AM	#6
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 11,718	Yeah, they're pure lead. I have to get the pot really hot before they finally melt. PITA.

July 16, 2011, 04:02 PM	#7
hornetguy Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2011 Location: on the north side of DFW Posts: 706	Pure lead should melt at about 620 degrees, and it has a bhn hardness of 5. Stick-on ww are almost pure lead, with a bhn hardness of 6. Clip on ww should melt at around 600 degrees... slightly cooler than pure lead.

July 17, 2011, 04:07 PM	#8
maillemaker Senior Member Join Date: August 30, 2010 Posts: 564	Well, that explains it then. Too bad, I threw out probably 5 pounds or so of stick-ons then that I fished out with the dross, for fear they were something else. Oh well. I netted 140 pounds of ingots . Steve

September 28, 2011, 09:03 AM	#10
Rifleman1776 Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2010 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	If you throw out those pure lead stick ons, please throw them my way.

September 29, 2011, 06:27 PM	#12
hornetguy Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2011 Location: on the north side of DFW Posts: 706	You really should invest in a casting thermometer... about 35 bucks... well worth the investment. It can, by itself, help prevent you from contaminating your smelt with zinc. (if you pay attention to it, that is.. )

October 1, 2011, 09:47 AM	#14
dahermit Senior Member Join Date: October 28, 2006 Location: South Central Michigan...near Ohio, Indiana. Posts: 2,618	If they bend without breaking, they are lead, not zinc.