Scrappers Guide to Lead

Originally Posted by alloy2

The guy giving the knowledge video is clueless, the use of lead for bullets, fishing and wheel weights has been banned for years. These banned metals have been subtituted with alternative enviromentally friendly metals.

The majority of fishing weights now made with tin a more exspenive metal at $15.00 a pound.

There is no doubt that commercial manufacturers are bound by very strict guidelines, but the do it your self individuals are not bound by these standards. As Diesel1 points out, lead is a highly prized commodity in certain parts of the country. I for one can trade lead for finished fishing weights and bullets of different calipers.

I commend SMR scrap for taking the time to create the video's and explain his perspective. I have watched all of his video's and found a few things that are different to the yards in this area. From this forum I have learned that we do not all play by the same rules and must filter the information we receive to apply it to our situation. For the most part he has presented a simplified breakdown of different types of scrap that will help many new scrappers get their feet wet. It is nice to have the view of a yard owner added to the vast experiences of other members of the forum.

WOW! So much misinformation.

First: The use of lead for wheel weights, shooting and fishing have NOT been universally banned. There are 10 states that prohibit using lead for wheel weights. The rest of the states do not ban lead wheel weights. Even in California lead has not been completely banned from hunting let alone bullets in general. California is heading to a total ban on lead hunting ammo, but phase 3 doesn't go into effect until 1 July 2019. Even then lead bullets are not banned for target shooting. As far as fishing equipment goes the FY 2016 Interior and Environment Appropriations Bill that includes a provision that blocks the EPA from regulating lead in ammunition and fishing tackle. It was passed and signed by Pres Obama 18 Dec 2015. Some states have passed bans, but the majority have not. So the general statement "the use of lead for bullets, fishing and wheel weights has been banned for years" (Alloy2) is clearly incorrect.

Second: "Antimony is used to alloy lead, making it harder and undesirable for bullet making." (Alloy2) Actually, with the exception of muzzle loaders, antimony is very desirable for bullet casting. Muzzle loaders need a very soft, near pure, lead so they deform in the barrel. For cartridge bullets up to 2% antimony is desired because it hardens the lead and allows for higher muzzle velocities. Probably the most used lead for casting bullets is old wheel weights.

Third: "Gadd how would you feel if your young child chewed on a toy painted with paint containing lead" (Alloy2) Firstly lead in paint in the US has been banned since 1978. The only lead painted toys found now were manufactured outside the US and imported illegally. Buy American! Secondly this video was about recycling lead and nobody recycles paint for the lead.

Forth: About the video, there are no factual errors, but a lot was left out. Wheel weights come as lead, steel, zinc, and various composites. Your yard may not care that everything is mixed, but it may also pay you next to nothing steel prices. Sorting them is a pain, sometimes literally. In buckets of wheel weights I have bought from tire stores I have found razor blades, knives other sharp objects as well as trash, tools, and tobacco spit. If you are going to do a video you ought to mention the hazards as well. If you are going to melt lead to make clean ingots to sell to casters instead of scrap yards you need to keep track of what you are melting. Bullet casters are very particular about their lead. Range lead is not the same as clip-on wheel weights which are not the same as the sticky wheel weights which are not the same as other sources. And absolutely, positively, never, ever melt zinc wheel weights in with the lead. Zinc makes the lead uncastable for bullets. How to tell the difference between the lead and zinc wheel weights is important information that could have been included in the video.

I will now go climb back under my mushroom.

Starbits