On the shelves of specialized stores, there is a wide range of different weights and shots. Nevertheless, judging by the numerous reviews, most avid fishermen and hunters prefer to use products not factory-made, but of their own manufacture. Due to the fact that the shot is a consumable material, and the sinkers are often lost, the hunter and fisherman have a constant need for this raw material.
It is this category of consumers who are interested in where to get lead for casting? According to experts, there are several effective ways mining of lead. You will find information on where to get lead for sinkers and shot in this article.
Acquaintance with the material
Lead is and has excellent anti-corrosion properties, thanks to which this chemical element is used in the manufacture of protective coatings in shipbuilding.
Lead is immune to X-ray and radioactive radiation. For this reason, special protective sheets are made from this metal, the task of which is to protect a person from intense radiation.
After the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, reactive substances during transportation by helicopters were contained in containers surrounded by lead blanks.
The most common uses for this metal are considered to be fishing and hunting. Due to the fact that lead is inexpensive and melts easily, it is easy to make a projectile for a firearm or a sinker for fishing tackle from it.
Due to the softness of lead, such a weight is easily compressed and it will be easy to attach it to the line without additional devices. If difficulties with melting usually do not arise, then the question of where you can get lead is very relevant. The following are some of the popular methods for mining lead.
From battery
For those who are wondering where to get lead, experienced anglers and hunters recommend paying attention to the battery. Finding it will not be difficult. Enough to go to the scrap metal collection point. In this case, you will have to spend a little. Those wishing to save money can be advised to look for it in a landfill. Old batteries often collect dust in the garages of motorists. If you know some car enthusiasts, you're in luck. The owner will be only too happy to get rid of such junk. Judging by numerous reviews, it is the batteries that are considered the most common source for the extraction of lead, which is presented in the form of special plates. Non-ferrous metal is easy to melt.
How to extract?
Having obtained a battery, beginners often ask the question of what to do next. Experts recommend performing complete disassembly... Only in this case will it be possible to remove the lead plates. Since they are in acid, they must dry before melting. Judging by the reviews, disassembly will take at least six hours. The plates dry within 24 hours. Remelting will take one hour. In general, it will take at least a day and a half over one battery. As a result, after melting the plates, up to two kilograms of lead can be mined. Whether it is worth spending time on this, everyone decides for himself.
From fishing weights
If there are no familiar car enthusiasts, and not a single battery was found at the scrap metal point and the person does not know where to get lead, experienced craftsmen recommend purchasing this non-ferrous metal in the fishing department. However, this method is less effective, since you will have to first buy lead weights, and only then melt them. 1 kg of lead costs about 200-250 rubles. Nevertheless, already with the necessary raw materials, a handicraft method can be used to make a good shot for ammunition.
Of car wheels
Another option where to get lead is a car service. Since the car wheel is equipped with special balancing weights, if necessary, they can be dismantled and used for other purposes.
According to experts, one such weight weighs 50-60 g. Judging by numerous reviews, 1 kg will cost no more than 50 rubles. For beginners and those who have no idea where to get lead, experts recommend using car weights.
But today, lead is not used in its pure form as a material for their manufacture. Often it is zinc with babbitt impurities - fusible. Antimony and tin can be included in the composition. In addition to wheel weights, lead is also mined from plain bearings, less often from sealing gaskets.
From the counter
This method is suitable for those who have acquaintances who work in the water utility and power grid. Employees of these services often have to deal with meters, put or break seals. They are made of lead and in dismantled form are no longer valuable, so you can agree on regular deliveries of this non-ferrous metal.
Where can I get a lot of lead?
According to experts, a lead-sheathed communication cable can be used. For the manufacture of the coating, lead is used, which, judging by the reviews, is very soft and can be easily removed with an ordinary knife. Depending on the brand of the cable, the thickness of its protective layer can vary from 1 to 2 mm. Due to the fact that bitumen is applied on top of the lead coating, and the product itself is wrapped in steel tape, those wishing to extract low-melting non-ferrous metal will have to tinker a lot.
Experienced masters recommend that beginners perform this procedure at sub-zero temperatures. In this case, the bitumen is much easier to separate. Bituminous substances melt well. It is enough just to hold the cable over the fire for a while. The bitumen will flare up and be much easier to remove. According to experts, it is the lead sheaths that provide the largest amount of the required metal. Compared to the lead extracted from the battery, the cable is much cleaner.
In addition, during the melting of the battery plates, a lot of debris is left, which is often more than the non-ferrous metal itself. For this reason, before proceeding to melting, the plates are carefully tapped. The main purpose of these steps is to get rid of the filler. Otherwise, there will be a lot of unnecessary slag in the container with molten lead.
Can be ordered from the supplier
Those who have already tried all the methods and no longer know where to get lead can be advised to order non-ferrous metal from the manufacturer. Judging by numerous reviews, in this case, about 170 rubles will have to be paid for 1 kg of a low-melting substance. It is much cheaper, about three times, to purchase lead at a non-ferrous metal collection point.
Finally
Whichever method the lead was mined, working with it, you should definitely adhere to safety precautions. Lead is very toxic and must be melted in a well ventilated or well ventilated room. Many home craftsmen prefer to work with him on fresh air... If this recommendation is neglected, then the released electrolyte vapors can cause irreparable harm to human health. In addition, to avoid getting burned, you should be extremely careful with molten lead.
The article discusses where to get lead for shot, manufacture of sinkers and more. There are several options, everyone can choose something for themselves.
Instructions
Preheat the container to be melted. Place a container securely over the gas burner. Light a fire. Adjust the gas supply so that the flame is low. Wait for the container to warm up. Heating is necessary to evaporate moisture from the surface of the container, burn out organic substances and prevent the destruction of ceramic dishes due to rapid uneven thermal expansion.
Smelt the lead. Place a few pieces of lead in a container. Use forceps or a spatula to avoid scalding. Wait for them to completely melt. Add portions of lead to the melt until the required amount of liquid metal is obtained. The gradual addition of lead to the melt speeds up the melting process, as the solid fragments come into contact with the liquid fraction, which increases the contact area and improves heat transfer.
note
The lead melt is very hot. Avoid contact with skin, clothing and flammable objects. Work outdoors or in a very well ventilated area as lead fumes are toxic.
You can even melt lead in a tin can by placing it firmly over a gas burner.
Lead is immediately recognized by outward signs, it is flexible enough, does not break, easily melts under a hammer, has a dark gray color. It belongs to low-melting metals, as it melts at 327 degrees. In the event that it is in an alloy with another metal, the melting point can significantly decrease or increase. Lead is quite suitable for domestic foundry work
Instructions
It is not at all difficult to get lead, it is possible in organizations involved in the disposal of raw materials. It is advisable to purchase a purer lead. Before you start smelting lead, prepare a mold in which you will pour it. Take a cast iron saucepan, put it on fire, put the pieces of lead in a saucepan and keep over the heat until the lead looks like a shiny liquid. Make sure that there are no small pieces left. If the temperature required to melt lead is exceeded, it will begin to take on a reddish tint.
While the lead is on the fire, prepare the casting mold by warming it up a little to avoid partial or uneven casting. After that, clamp the form in a vice attached to the table. For these purposes, there are also special clamps and molds with welded handles.
Once the lead has melted, scrape off any debris from the surface with a knife or spoon. Then scoop up a small amount of lead with a large spoon and pour it carefully into the mold, placing it near the pot beforehand, as it can spill and leave serious burns on your hands. People who constantly work with lead prefer to pour it into a mold with a special spoon with a small notch on the side.
The finally finished product will cool down in at least an hour. All costs due to uneven fit of parts of the form can be cut with a knife.
Lead can also be obtained from a regular battery. To do this, disassemble the battery by draining the acid first and leaving it upside down for one day. After that, break off the sides of the battery and take out the lead plates that are in the rubber bags. Melt them as described above. Charcoal can help prevent surface oxidation during smelting - just sprinkle it over the lead while smelting.
note
Despite the fact that lead melts easily, it fills the mold worse than other low-melting metals.
Lead should not be poured into a cold mold, as it can splash on contact with a cold surface.
Sources:
- melting point of lead in 2018
Tip 3: How to protect figurines from oxidation after lead smelting
Lead has been known since ancient times. Archaeologists quite often find figures of deities and ornaments from this material. Lead is also popular in our time - for example, lead weights are made from it fishing tackle... This metal melts quite easily, therefore figurines, beads and bracelets are cast from it. However, lead has a rather significant drawback: it very quickly becomes covered with an oxide film and loses its luster.
What is needed for this?
An oxide film from lead appears rather quickly after smelting. It is completely useless to clean it mechanically - it is a rather laborious process. In addition, the cleaned surface will also quickly begin to oxidize. The following substances can be used to protect sinkers, beads or electrical connectors:- ;
- ;
- varnish.
Also prepare a pack of paper towels, and for working with acid - chemical dishes, gloves and a respirator.
Home and industrial methods
There is literally a homemade way to protect a lead surface from corrosion. There is always sunflower oil on the farm. Pour it into a bowl and dip the newly melted figurine into it. Let it sit for about five minutes, take it out, put it on a layer of napkins and let it dry.In production, it is usually used to protect lead parts in a word, where industrial oil is sold. You can also order graphite grease through the online store. The lead product will retain its shine for a long time.
If the product is large, you can simply wipe it with a cotton swab dipped in vegetable oil.
Fishing varnishes
You can cover a lead figurine and metal varnish. In a shop that sells goods for anglers, there is often a special "fishing" varnish designed for just such purposes. Colors come in a wide variety of colors, but if you want to retain the metallic sheen, colorless is more suitable for you. The industry also produces fluorescent "fishing" varnishes.Get rid of oxide
If there is already an oxide film on the surface, it can be removed with concentrated acid. Remember that it is better to use chemical glassware for chemical experiments. A regular glass jar may not be strong enough, and it is completely undesirable to use metal or plastic objects. Do not forget about the safety precautions - you need to work with caustic acids with gloves. A protective mask is also desirable. Dip the object in acid, wait until the oxide film disappears. Drain off acid carefully. Let the product dry, then grease it with oil, graphite grease or varnish. When working with lead, remember that this material is toxic.Lead has been known since ancient times. This metal is indispensable in many industries due to its physical and chemical properties. To use lead, you need to know its melting point, which will allow you to make the necessary materials and parts from it. It is easy to forge, very ductile, and such a metal is also inert to acids at normal temperatures.
Applications of lead
One of the most common uses is the manufacture of bullets, shot and other projectiles for firearms... And the opportunity for hunters to make homemade bullets was created due to the cheapness of the metal and its low melting point.
Fishing sinkers are also made from lead. Due to the fact that the metal is soft enough, it can be fixed to the line without using special devices, by simple crimping.
Lead also has anti-corrosion properties, so it is used to apply a protective layer to iron products and to manufacture protective sheaths for cables. Also, this feature of lead allows it to be used in the manufacture of paints and varnishes.
As the main component of the ship, or iron, red lead, which is used to paint the underwater part of the ship, a pigment is used, which includes lead.
This metal is often used in the form of alloys. Lead-doped sheets, for example, are capable of shielding from X-rays and radioactive radiation. During the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, accompanied by intense radiation, bags of pigs and lead shot were used to stop dangerous processes in the reactor. Lead sheets were used to protect the people who were on the helicopters delivering this cargo. The unique features of this metal turned out to be irreplaceable in this case.
Melting point of lead
The melting point of pure lead, in which there are no impurities, is 328 ° C. Melting improves the casting quality of the already ductile lead. This allows hunters to cast projectiles for weapons.
Lead can be melted even at home or over a fire.
However, for casting into molds, it is necessary to bring the metal to a fluid state. To this extent, lead is possible at a temperature of about 100-200 ° C above its melting point. The boiling point of this metal varies within 1749 ° C.
In molten form, it has a noticeable volatility, which increases with. Lead vapors, as well as its dust, can cause acute poisoning in humans. For severe intoxication, a concentration of 0.3 g of lead or its components in the body is sufficient.
In old car batteries. The electrolyte is drained, and the lead plates melt quite easily. I also met lead plates in hardware stores like Samodelkin.
If you need a little lead, you can purchase fishing weights at a sports or hunting store.
I can tell where can you get lead, and for ridiculous money. You need to contact the mail. They use disposable lead seals, which then do not know what to do with. You cannot throw it away - you can damage the environment, and the collection of seals is usually not organized. Therefore, you can agree on an acceptance for disposal.
Well, in childhood, we hunted for old batteries for the sake of lead, grinded, pulled out the lead plates, cleaned them off, broke them and into a container for fire until it melted, and then into a pre-prepared form.
1) The easiest way is to buy lead sinkers for fishermen. There is a large assortment of sinkers for the most different sizes and shapes, as well as different in weight - from 0.5 g to 230 g. For example, I give one option: Lead Sinkers Salmo Faceted With a Ring And Swivel 100G - 185 r.
2) Lead cable (tape), has a weight of 11 kg with a tape width of 8 cm and a thickness of 1.5-2 mm at a price of 100 / kg. while 1 m of tape weighs 2 kg. such lead will cost significantly less than ready-made sinkers.
3) The next option is hunting lead shot, it can also be different, for example, this one at a price of 99 rubles / kg (RTG MetPromStar, LLC, Moscow).
So choose what suits you best. If you look carefully, you can still find lead.
There is a lot of lead in batteries, although it will take a long time to get out of there, and the used batteries themselves still need to be found. Usually, there are a lot of them near the garages, since some drivers simply put them out, not wanting to bother with them themselves. You can also purchase lead from fishing and hunting stores.
Lead can be purchased at a fishing store where it is sold as lead weights. Further, lead can be extracted from old used batteries, this method was used by my grandfather, who was an avid fisherman, and in those days it was probably much more difficult to get lead than it is now. I remember how he melted lead grids from batteries in the backyard, and all the dirt floated to the surface, and liquid lead remained below.
I also completely agree that many high voltage cables have a lead sheath, which are laid either in the ground or along some metal structures. But now there are no orphan cables left, so this method is not widely available. And finally, the easiest way to get lead is to contact the security guards of some base with sliding gates, which are sealed with lead seals every evening, and these seals are torn off and thrown away every morning. Often they just lie on the gate and you just need to pick them up.
If for fishing, then in the store, but for other purposes it is better not to get involved with lead at all. It is the most dangerous and insidious metal, it does not noticeably penetrate the human body and begins its dirty work, after which the process of replacing calcium with lead is irreversible.
In addition to all the listed options, I will add one more. The sheaths of the communication cables have a lead coating, which is easy to cut even with a knife, but a heavier knife is desirable. This shell is quite thick 1-2 mm, it is not easy to remelt and cast into the desired shape. True, it was coated with bitumen on top, and a steel tape was wound on top of bitumen in two layers, so a little bit of tinkering is necessary. Bitumen is easily separated in frost, but you can melt lead directly with bitumen, it then flares up, making the melting process much faster.
By the way, the lead sheath of the cables is more lead with less hassle and it is cleaner, and the lead from the battery plates is much more difficult to melt and the output is minuscule, plus a lot of garbage. Before remelting, the plates must be tapped somehow so that as little filler as possible remains, otherwise you will get one slag in the molten container. Yes, not the purest lead in batteries, they say with impurities, in addition, much more harm to health is obtained when removing lead from the plates of batteries, here and electrolyte vapors there will be vapors of the lead itself, the muck is still that.
Therefore, when remelting lead, you need good ventilation or even better an exhaust hood, or in the open air with a breeze. And in no case should you melt more volume indoors, this is extremely hazardous to health. Be extremely careful with liquid lead as well.
Lead is sold in fishing service shops. Ingots, for self-made loaded.
Lead can be smelted from battery plates, but there is very little of it, a lot more waste. The lead sheath of the cable will give it much more and it will be cleaner. Smelting lead requires a well-ventilated area. If you need a small amount of lead, you can buy fishing weights from the store.