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DATE FIRM, May 22nd . . . 2010 Spring Cast Bullet Workshop - Shirley Rod and Gun Club
- Thread starter DukeInFlorida
- Start date
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
Like Bob said, try some of the smaller mom and pop type places. The small out of the way, repair garages that do tires. When I walk in, I always smile, and offer to BUY their wheel weights. I never ask for free wheel weights any more. By offering to buy, you set them at ease. I usually throw a price per bucket at them, and $10-15 isn't too low, but usually end up with paying about $20 a bucket. You need to be flexable. Then, I bring out my 6 gallon buckets (they were expecting small ones). . . I usually score 250 pounds per bucket, which is about all this old guy can lift these days. Lead, in the London Metals Market is about 13 cents a pound right now. So, when you factor in the steel clips, tire stems, etc.... be friendly, and even offer to bring donuts or lunch on your next trip. That will usually open the door to future opportunity.
The local place I get most of mine is the same place where I get my tires when I need them. I have been smoozing the owner for years, starting with small amounts that he gave me for free. Like small boxes. I moved up to bigger quantities, usually for $5. My previous time there was six months ago, and I got a six gallon bucket for $20. Last week, I scored his WHOLE BARREL out back for $100! Some 2,000 pounds of wheel weights. Pay Day!
If you set up a string of small garages, and get 50 pounds (which is a mere drop in the bucket, as they say) from each.... ten of those is 500 pounds in a lead run! Do that every month, and you never run out of lead.
Maine joined the get the lead out of the environment (Thanks, California!) movement two years ago, so lead wheel weights are slowly going away, and only exist on older cars where they get new tires.
The local place I get most of mine is the same place where I get my tires when I need them. I have been smoozing the owner for years, starting with small amounts that he gave me for free. Like small boxes. I moved up to bigger quantities, usually for $5. My previous time there was six months ago, and I got a six gallon bucket for $20. Last week, I scored his WHOLE BARREL out back for $100! Some 2,000 pounds of wheel weights. Pay Day!
If you set up a string of small garages, and get 50 pounds (which is a mere drop in the bucket, as they say) from each.... ten of those is 500 pounds in a lead run! Do that every month, and you never run out of lead.
Maine joined the get the lead out of the environment (Thanks, California!) movement two years ago, so lead wheel weights are slowly going away, and only exist on older cars where they get new tires.
I'm IN.
My 20lb contribution will be in raw WW.
I can bring a Lee Slug Mold for 1oz 12ga slugs if anyone is interested in that?
I can also volunteer food...if the Shirley range has an oven in their kitchen I can bring 2 trays of homemade chicken parm and rolls?
My 20lb contribution will be in raw WW.
I can bring a Lee Slug Mold for 1oz 12ga slugs if anyone is interested in that?
I can also volunteer food...if the Shirley range has an oven in their kitchen I can bring 2 trays of homemade chicken parm and rolls?
Food! We haven't gotten to food yet, but that's a great idea!
EC, any ovens???
EC, any ovens???
namedpipes
NES Member
I'd LOVE to suggest fondue, but I'm not sure you'd all know I was kidding....
Eeeeuuuuuuwwwwww
Fondue in a smelting pot????
Disgusting (won't the lead hurt the flavor?)
Fondue in a smelting pot????
Disgusting (won't the lead hurt the flavor?)
namedpipes
NES Member
Yeah, we probably better stick to burgers, dogs and what was that food offer? Chicken Parm?
Patriot
NES Member
If you get turned down, bring it anyways and I would love to take it off your hands and let you know just how great it is!!
![[smile]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/001.gif "Smile [smile]")
![[laugh2]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/014.gif "Laugh at above [laugh2]")
Maybe Bob_J or Marcus can hook up with you, and bring it to the event.
Duke: i can probably get a "few" pounds of raw range scrap for ya
dont know how it's gonna get there. May 22nd is the first League Match @ Reading, and i wanna try to shoot all 7 this year.
Bring it. I'll get us in the kitchen.
I'm in.
Great - count me down for bringing the chicken parm then!
namedpipes
NES Member
I think I have a source for weights. Have to call back tomorrow.
Unrelated source - I have a couple of dead car batteries kicking around. One split open long ago, the others probably still have acid in them. How bad an idea is that?
Unrelated source - I have a couple of dead car batteries kicking around. One split open long ago, the others probably still have acid in them. How bad an idea is that?
Patriot
NES Member
Don't do it. Everything I have ever seen posted says this is a bad thing to do, except for the terminal posts. No personal experience, but I don't need lead that bad to take the risk associated with using it. Plus it seems like a lot of work for not too much return.
I would NOT want battery acid lead in my gun. Don't bother with any of that.
namedpipes
NES Member
I expect to be "In" w/ WW tomorrow. I'll see if I can turn in the batteries towards more WW.
namedpipes
NES Member
Is this correct? I'm not familiar with pricing scrap metal. The site http://www.lme.com/lead.asp seems to say lead is $2,238/ton or very roughly $1/lbs. http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/metals/pb/pb.asp has it at $1.03/lbs if I'm reading THAT right.
I imagine that is for lead ingots, not scrap wheel weights...
Bob J
NES Member
My understanding is that this is the spot price for pure lead..... When I smelt WW I usually end up losing approximately 25% of the weight due to the steel clips as well as WW which are not lead (Zn, Al etc). Consider scrap yard prices are a better indicator for the types of lead we are typically working with (scrap).... Most that I have checked with seem to be buying scrap lead up to around $.20/lb and selling $.50 to $.80/lb..... As long as you can reasonably beat the scrap yard prices ($.20/lb or so) you should be ok with most sources since the scrap yards will be your biggest competitor....
.... Which is why I normally don't even discuss weight, per se. It's so much per five gallon bucket, in my usual case, I offer $20. Works out about right.
Not sure where I posted it, but it;s good to develop a relationship with the shops. Kind of like the guys who go around picking up the deep fry oil for making bio-diesel. Start off small with the request, a small box of wheel weights. They might even give you that free. Hit several places with that request, and you would be surprised how fast you have a hundred pounds of wheel weights. Next time, increase the requested amount, and make the same rounds. Stop in every week, and make your face known. Offers of coffees, donuts, and occasionally sandwiches for the crew, helps cement a relationship, and often get you free wheel weights.
Some guys keep samples of their bullets in a pocket, and when they ask you what you are using the lead for, pull out the bullets. Most shops would rather see bullets than have you tell them fishing weights. Not sure why that works so well, but since I have started my swaging process, I'm bringing samples of those around also. I'm getting lots of ooohs and ahhhs from the wrench monkeys, who seem to all appreciate the skill of precision casting.
Some of my sources won't even sell/give any weights to anyone else, holding onto them for me, That Bullet Guy... hahaha sweet!
Not sure where I posted it, but it;s good to develop a relationship with the shops. Kind of like the guys who go around picking up the deep fry oil for making bio-diesel. Start off small with the request, a small box of wheel weights. They might even give you that free. Hit several places with that request, and you would be surprised how fast you have a hundred pounds of wheel weights. Next time, increase the requested amount, and make the same rounds. Stop in every week, and make your face known. Offers of coffees, donuts, and occasionally sandwiches for the crew, helps cement a relationship, and often get you free wheel weights.
Some guys keep samples of their bullets in a pocket, and when they ask you what you are using the lead for, pull out the bullets. Most shops would rather see bullets than have you tell them fishing weights. Not sure why that works so well, but since I have started my swaging process, I'm bringing samples of those around also. I'm getting lots of ooohs and ahhhs from the wrench monkeys, who seem to all appreciate the skill of precision casting.
Some of my sources won't even sell/give any weights to anyone else, holding onto them for me, That Bullet Guy... hahaha sweet!
Bob J
NES Member
John, I doubt we would be able to show you much given how much casting experience you already have.... If it's ok with Duke would love to have you share some of your experience.....
I'd love to have as many experienced hands on board as possible. However, I don't want to start adding co-hosts to the mix.
John we have LOTS of new tricks to show all!
John we have LOTS of new tricks to show all!
Fixxah
NES Member
I want to watch the proceedings and have a bite to eat perhaps. My experience is beginner compared to 90% of those here that cast their own. Besides, I have stage fright and don't want to picture you people naked.
One has to learn something daily or life is ho- hum.
One has to learn something daily or life is ho- hum.
Well, your 20# of lead is still your admission, even if you only stand in the background visualizing EC naked..... eeeuuuuuuuwwwwwwwwwwww
namedpipes
NES Member
In for 20#
Looking forward to this!
Looking forward to this!
