Wheel weights

[ChestnutLouie]

I see buckets of wheel weights on facebook marketplace and I am wondering how much usable casting lead you get after you pick out zinc and other trash plus the clips and slag when melted. Some guy says he has 100 lbs for sale; on average what will be usefull?

Thanks
Chaestnt

 

[Brad]

That is a very tough question to answer. Could be 80%, could be 25%.
I wouldn’t pay more than 15 bucks for a bucket like that. Even that could be too much.

 

[freebullet]

Around here they are at least 30% zinc, loose for the clips to, & ya get the added benefit,,, cost as if they are rare. Given up on them, luckily we have other sources.

 

[462]

The only wheel weights I ever paid for was a completely full 5-gallon bucket of stick-ons -- $15.

Given that steel and zinc weights have become more common, putting a number on the amount of lead weights is impossible. Sorting through some buckets maybe the thing to do, and make an offer according to what you think they are worth, and not the asking price.

 

[Ian]

At a certain point, buying reclaimed, non-graphited birdshot, lead pigs from a foundry, and a sawzall start to make a lot of sense.

 

[Intheshop]

There's several 5g buckets of old WW's down in the woods..... and once upon a time that was about all I even considered shooting. And can NOT complain about the results on either paper or live tissue but now...... pretty durn easy letting others smelt. Not above it,cause..... get your ducks in a row and it's easy enough. Just sayin,as of late.... it's been mighty convenient buying cleaned and sorted(alloy) ready to cast metal.

Towards the OP,from the last cpl hundred #'s of new WW's(given to me 3,4, years ago) would be happy with a 75% return.

 

[JonB]

I'll make a guess at your Facebook marketplace wheel weights:
If you are in a State, like MN, that has essentially banned the use of new Lead WW by tire shops for about 4 or 5 years now.
Then, if these WW came from a urban or suburban tire/repair shop, they are likely only about 25% lead.
If these WW originated from a automotive junk yard in a rural area, then they could be close to 70% lead.

 

[fiver]

that is a tough question.
if they are some older buckets [one bucket actually] he has had sitting around i'd say 99% useful.
minus the clips, which end up being about 20% of the volume.

if new stuff you'd maybe get 30lbs of useable lead.

 

[Uncle Grinch]

I’ve given up on wheelweights. My last wheelbarrow load got me less than 20 pound of confirmed lead clip-on weights and probably another 20 of stick-on weights. That’s a lot of work for the gain. I’m too old for that.

 

[Ben]

You're are REAL LUCKY now if you can get 45 - 50% usable alloy out of a bucket of WW's now.

 

[ChestnutLouie]

Thanks ... they are asking $75, not likely yo be a good deal

 

[KHornet]

once in awhile you can find a dean on eBay, on range lead for
about a buck and a half a pound or a bit more of range lead.
I have had good luck with this, and it is clean. Most runs about
Bn 10-12.

Paul

 

[creosote]

I end up with about 50% they can get very mesmerizing to separate. So I give every one a knotch with the dikes. Even with gloves I get blisters. Add in breathing all the dust, hiding heavy bags of clips, & waist at the dump and it's hardly worth it.

 

[Bret4207]

I used to get 5 gallon buckets of good WW for free. Haven't seen any in over 10 years. I'm still working on my stash of the "good ones". One good thing about not doing much casting due to too much other stuff going on is that your supplies last a lot longer!

 

[Ole_270]

I've shifted to range lead. I'm lucky in that the local public range is a rural area that doesn't get alot of off season use. It was at one time an old Naval Air Base and the berm yields pretty well. I even find the occasional steel jacket 50 cal. Lots of 9mm, enough 45s to help fill up a can, and at times some cast bullet 44s and 45s. Found a pocket of 500 gr 45-70s a few weeks ago. Takes me about an hour to fill up a 30 oz coffee can. I'm up to about 600 lbs of smelted lead now that's averaging 0.2% Sn, 1.5% Sb on the samples I've sent BNE.
Wife is happy since it keeps me out of her hair since I retired, When the weather cools off a bit more I'll start digging again.