Automotive Battery Lead

Justified · April 8, 2013, 02:34 PM

Any thoughts on using the lead in Automotive batteries for casting?
Good? Bad? Stupid, don't try it?

Justified

wogpotter · April 8, 2013, 02:48 PM

Bad, cuz it's not pure lead.
Don't try melting it because it has things in it that are hazardous when they get hot. I don't mean "50 Lbs of it will kill a laboratory mouse in California" bad but "it'll mess you up if you breathe that stuff" bad.

Beagle333 · April 8, 2013, 06:20 PM

This was brought up over in the casting section recently.... here's a link to how it went.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=506657

Justified · April 8, 2013, 06:28 PM

WOW!
Thanks for the info guys! I won't be doing that! I will kill myself slowly with red meat instead.

Justified

Rigmarol · April 9, 2013, 10:26 AM

Common sense says not to do it. But then, common sense isn't for everyone.

Maybe if I had a large piece of property and could toss batteries into a pit and burn it all day without having to stand over it, and then dig up the lead later after it all cleared... maybe... but probably not for me.

Try this site, they will deliver:
http://www.rotometals.com/Lead-Products-s/20.htm

Hellgate · April 9, 2013, 12:22 PM

When I was a budding bullet caster in high school or college I remember reading that you could get the lead out of a car battery by pouring out the acid, filling it with water, putting it into the fereezer for a few days then smash it on the driveway where all the plastic, tar and ice will seperate and leave the screens of lead for the melting. Well, I did that and it didn't shatter that well. I needed a sledge hammer to bash it up and eventually got some lead like metal screens from the mess in the driveway. Once melted (outside) I got something I could cast but the round balls were grainy and would actually crack when struck by a hammer rather than just flatten. It was lousy, hard, mealy "lead". It might make OK slingshot ammo but I eventually melted it into a big batch of pistol bullet lead and got rid of it by casting it up & shooting it. I only got a few ounces of "lead" from the battery. It's too labor intensive for poor casting sort of "lead". Don't waste your time with it. Take it to a scrapper and get real lead with the cash or trade.

Captainkirk · April 9, 2013, 10:52 PM

I recently had an experience melting down the lead plugs I got from aircraft battery vent plugs. The lead melted fine after soaking in baking soda solution and cast a fine lot of bullets, but afterwards, I kept finding the guns rusting every time I checked. Finally figured out it must have been left over sulfuric acid in the lead, despite my soaking and fluxing the lead. I will never use it as a lead source again.

April 8, 2013, 02:34 PM	#1
Justified Member Join Date: January 14, 2013 Location: Midland Michigan Posts: 21	Automotive Battery Lead Any thoughts on using the lead in Automotive batteries for casting? Good? Bad? Stupid, don't try it? Justified

April 8, 2013, 02:48 PM	#2
wogpotter Senior Member Join Date: September 27, 2004 Posts: 4,811	Bad, cuz it's not pure lead. Don't try melting it because it has things in it that are hazardous when they get hot. I don't mean "50 Lbs of it will kill a laboratory mouse in California" bad but "it'll mess you up if you breathe that stuff" bad. __________________ Allan Quatermain: “Automatic rifles. Who in God's name has automatic rifles”? Elderly Hunter: “That's dashed unsporting. Probably Belgium.”

April 8, 2013, 06:20 PM	#3
Beagle333 Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2012 Location: Auburn, AL. Posts: 2,332	This was brought up over in the casting section recently.... here's a link to how it went. http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=506657 __________________ . . . Have a Colt and a smile.

April 9, 2013, 12:22 PM	#6
Hellgate Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2010 Location: Orygun Posts: 869	When I was a budding bullet caster in high school or college I remember reading that you could get the lead out of a car battery by pouring out the acid, filling it with water, putting it into the fereezer for a few days then smash it on the driveway where all the plastic, tar and ice will seperate and leave the screens of lead for the melting. Well, I did that and it didn't shatter that well. I needed a sledge hammer to bash it up and eventually got some lead like metal screens from the mess in the driveway. Once melted (outside) I got something I could cast but the round balls were grainy and would actually crack when struck by a hammer rather than just flatten. It was lousy, hard, mealy "lead". It might make OK slingshot ammo but I eventually melted it into a big batch of pistol bullet lead and got rid of it by casting it up & shooting it. I only got a few ounces of "lead" from the battery. It's too labor intensive for poor casting sort of "lead". Don't waste your time with it. Take it to a scrapper and get real lead with the cash or trade. __________________ With over 15 perCUSSIN' revolvers, I've been called the Imelda Marcos of cap & ball. SASS#3302 (Life), SASS Regulator, NRA (Life), Dirty Gamey Bastards #129 Wolverton Mtn. Peacekeepers (WA), former Orygun Cowboy (Ranger, Posse from Hell)

April 9, 2013, 10:52 PM	#7
Captainkirk Senior Member Join Date: September 21, 2012 Posts: 144	I recently had an experience melting down the lead plugs I got from aircraft battery vent plugs. The lead melted fine after soaking in baking soda solution and cast a fine lot of bullets, but afterwards, I kept finding the guns rusting every time I checked. Finally figured out it must have been left over sulfuric acid in the lead, despite my soaking and fluxing the lead. I will never use it as a lead source again. __________________ "You gonna pull those pistols, or whistle Dixie?"

April 8, 2013, 06:28 PM	#4
Justified Member Join Date: January 14, 2013 Location: Midland Michigan Posts: 21	WOW! Thanks for the info guys! I won't be doing that! I will kill myself slowly with red meat instead. Justified

April 9, 2013, 10:26 AM	#5
Rigmarol Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 344	Common sense says not to do it. But then, common sense isn't for everyone. Maybe if I had a large piece of property and could toss batteries into a pit and burn it all day without having to stand over it, and then dig up the lead later after it all cleared... maybe... but probably not for me. Try this site, they will deliver: http://www.rotometals.com/Lead-Products-s/20.htm