Scored!

MadDog · Soul Rider Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 465 City: Upstate NY

Man I am getting excited. I scored 200 pounds of lead weights on my way home today from a tire place. I stopped at a few, and most wanted $.20 a ound, and they really didn't have much, so I didn't go for it, but the last place told me to take as much as I wanted, and come back anytime. I cleaned them out, all for $0.00. Now all I need is to have my lake thaw, and get my boat out of storage and I'll be ready to ride. Damn this weather!

seven20 · Posted: Apr 18, 2003 12:53 pm Post subject:

Thats awesome dude. What kind of weights are they, old tire weights or lead from brake lathes?

RYDOG · Outlaw Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 163 City: NOR CAL

sweet

MadDog · Soul Rider Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 465 City: Upstate NY

seven20, they are old tier weights, I think for now I am just going to fill up some 1 gallon tubs with them, and keep them covered. Maybe if I feel ambitious later in the summer I will melt them down into bricks and plasticoat them.

hOUston boarder · Criminal Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 79 City: TX

MadDog,
Great News. Down here in Texas the tire shops are now required to recycle these. I had a buddy go to several stores and no luck.

MadDog · Soul Rider Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 465 City: Upstate NY

Most of the stores I went to said they had a recycling guy that came around and paid them for theirs. They also usually said if I matched his price I could have them ($.20 / lb). I think I just lucked out with this one shop. I have to go back in a month or 2 to see if I can snag some more for free.

Jay Dutton · Posted: Apr 23, 2003 10:56 am Post subject:

I just melted about 200 lbs of lead yesterday. One of my buddies works at a car dealership and he brought them home for me.

If you melt them down it will be much more compact. Also the tire clips take up a lot of space. For each bread tin of lead I had about two times that amount in clips that I fished out w/a fork.

MadDog · Soul Rider Joined: 13 Jan 2003 Posts: 465 City: Upstate NY

Jay, good point, I didn't even think about the tire clips, I may have to get some pans and start melting. I can see now the looks on my neighbors faces when I am sitting in my driveway melting lead into bread pans.

Zach M · Posted: Apr 23, 2003 1:52 pm Post subject:

What's the best way to melt the lead? What precautions do you need to take when doing this?

Sean_Brinston · Posted: Apr 23, 2003 2:43 pm Post subject:

What do they use the lead for at those places?

ohsix · Posted: Apr 23, 2003 3:48 pm Post subject:

im assuming you're asking about tire shops? if so they use them as wheel weights. if you go outside and look closely at the outer rim of the wheel on a car you will see them. they use them to balance tires so they dont make vibrations driving down the road.

CheerokeeWake · Criminal Joined: 27 Feb 2003 Posts: 69 City: Nashville

what do u guys use for molds for the molten lead?

Jay Dutton · Posted: Apr 24, 2003 6:57 am Post subject:

The lead weights are from tires.

I used a bread pan it's about 4" by 6-7" and 4" deep. I did it in my house, it was a rainy day and didn't have anything to do. I just opened up all the windows and got some fans going. I put the pan right on the stove and put a little bit of lead in at a time, stirring it and fishing out the clips. It took about 45 minutes or so to do a brick. I then took it out side to cool and dumped the pan over, the brick just fell right out. I didn't weigh the bricks but I'm assuming each one weighs 40-50 lbs. One note, don't put it on your counter top our else you will burn it. Shocked

boehnkew · Outlaw Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 112 City: Kennewick, WA

You lead-pouring guys rock. Maybe I'll make some custom shaped forms to fit lead in those hard to reach spots.

One other thing to consider, don't use pans you are going to use for cooking. I think it's safe to say that once used for lead melting it should not be used for cooking. No-brainer I guess, but just in case.

RanMan · Outlaw Joined: 14 Apr 2003 Posts: 186 City: Pittsburgh

Watch boiling it too. Once airborne, you can inhale it. Big problems then. Kills off more brain cells than a bale of California Sensimillion. Among other nasty things...Better off doing it on an open grill outside with low heat. Buy one of those pots with a strainer liner and you can get all the clips in one shot. That way you don't have to fiddle over a pot of molten lead while your brain slowly dies.
Cool