How to melt Lead?

malibu73 03-12-2007, 7:59 PM

So I have about 100 pounds of lead from tires shops now and am looking to get some more. My question is, what is the best way to melt it down? What kind of furnace have you used, what kind of pot to melt it in? I was planing on pouring in bread pans or something. If I was to take it somewhere how much would it cost?

mendo247 03-12-2007, 8:09 PM

heres the way i do it! read that thread! BE CAREFUL... keep water away from your pot, and that includes sweat dripping of your forehead..

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/317499.html

alanp 03-12-2007, 8:19 PM

my buddy uses a propane turkey cooker and his wifes pie pans.

malibu73 03-12-2007, 8:32 PM

So I could basicly use a camping stove as a furnace, what kind of pot should I use?

(Message edited by malibu73 on March 12, 2007)

(Message edited by malibu73 on March 12, 2007)

(joe_crawley) · (joe_crawley) **Join Date: Jan 2007** 03-12-2007, 8:59 PM

be sure to breathe those fumes in good and deep

(zo1) · (zo1) **Join Date: Aug 2002** 03-12-2007, 9:25 PM

This topic always comes up. A Camping stove will work fine or a turkey fryer but those put off so many BTU's that it could be hard to control the temp.

My Grandfather has been making his own fishing weights for 80 years now and he is in great health. Exception maybe so but I don't think that melting some lead once will be all that bad for you.

(mikeski) · (mikeski) **Join Date: Aug 2003** 03-12-2007, 9:36 PM

I did about 500lbs worth in 60lb bricks, they were pretty difficult to work with when finished. It's not so fun to have a 60lb brick roll on your toe. You may want to consider putting them in waterproof bags as is so they are a little easier to handle.

(beastmaster) · (beastmaster) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 03-12-2007, 10:19 PM

It may sound crazy, but my dad and I would pour lead into wooden forms for my old race car. We could make really tight fitting bricks in any shape. Keep the weight as low as we could was very important.

(mobv) · (mobv) **Join Date: Jun 2002** 03-13-2007, 6:01 AM

I've made several lead blocks, tried the coleman stove and found it to be very slow melting large quantities. Went with the turkey fryer and had much better results. Using a small bread pan each block weighs about 40 pounds. I also started adding a handle to make moving around much easier. Upload

malibu73 03-13-2007, 6:29 AM

i was thinking about pouring it into a deep dish pan. It would be only a couple of inches high and maybe 8 - 12 inches wide.

malibu73 03-13-2007, 7:00 AM

Oh yeah, what kind of melting pot should I be looking for?

mendo247 03-13-2007, 7:24 AM

i just used an old pot right out of the kitchen.. it needs to be heavy duty though a pot of lead weighs a ton.. please do some research before tackling this project or find someone with some experience before jumping into it..

malibu73 03-13-2007, 8:00 AM

Don't worry Im an envirnmental science major....

(mobv) · (mobv) **Join Date: Jun 2002** 03-13-2007, 9:22 AM

I use an old cast iron skillet to melt in. You have to either make multiple melts or use a really big melting pot and have a ladle to transfer to the mold. Each of my blocks is made of 3 melting cycles in a 10 inch dia by 2 1/2 inch deep skillet. You can use any steel ladle to transfer. It's also good to have a spoon with holes to skim the "crud" off the top of the melted lead.

malibu73 03-13-2007, 9:46 AM

Do any of you guys sell your lead blocks at reasonable prices. I have found out through eBay that USPS has a $9 flat rate box weighting up to 60 pounds.

(peter_c) · (peter_c) **Join Date: Sep 2001** 03-13-2007, 10:04 AM

"Don't worry Im an envirnmental science major...." Were not worried. Darwin works in strange ways.

I speed up the melting process by using my rose bud torch

My pot came from Target and cost around $10.00. This time around, I was only doing small quantities making wedge weights for mine and few of my buddies backplates.
Upload

(morgs) · (morgs) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 03-13-2007, 2:21 PM

Hey Richard,

Did you ever manage to work out a way to coat the lead bricks with some sort of rubber compound?

Many thanks for posting up some info if so.

mendo247 03-13-2007, 2:47 PM

yeah ive been using Wurth SKS ~ kinda like ruberized undercoating.. its held up really well

(26lacefield) · (26lacefield) **Join Date: Aug 2006** 03-13-2007, 4:13 PM

i was thinking about melting my tire weights that i got but got lazy and put then in smaller gym bags that would hold about 200 pounds in each. i just put 2 of the 200 pound bags under the center bow pad and don't move them around.

(kogswell21) · (kogswell21) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 03-13-2007, 6:57 PM

I used bread pans and coated them with epoxy coating..About 40#s each.

vanski 03-13-2007, 10:45 PM

Chad, I hope you melt lead with more care than you put into your spelling...unless that is how you spell Environmental and I'm. BTW, lead is extremeley poisonous once it reaches a certain temperature and gas begins to emit. Make sure you use the proper protection for your lungs, or pay the price. Do a search. A good thread spelled out the dangers of tackling this project with no experience. And just because you feel fine today, doesn't mean you'll be fine years down the road. Be careful... Just shell out the cash for some pop bags.

malibu73 03-14-2007, 7:29 AM

I was hoping by my Environmental Science major you could tell I was being sarcastic. I have read on several post and sites how dangerous lead is and will be taking all the necessary precautions.

Next time you want to critique someone’s spelling, don't miss spell something in your own posts. (extremeley?) Typos happen dude get over it.

malibu73 03-15-2007, 6:24 AM

Ok so hears my idea tell me what you think.

Upload

I have got several barbell weights like this one. If I could get about 150 pounds of lead. Melt it down and pour the lead into both sides of the indentions on the weight. Paint with some sort of rubber compound and then wrap with gray carpet. I'm just working with what I have, I know its not great, but I don't think I can find 400 pounds of lead.

This just came to the top of my head so don't be too harsh. I'm not sure how much lead the barbell will hold either.