Storeing unprocessed wheel weights.

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  • tyler318

    Plinker
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    Apr 22, 2017
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    Washington
    I was wondering if storeing wheel weights outside in rain and snow will effect them overtime. I know they will have too b dry before I melt them down. I'm new too this
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
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    Jan 19, 2009
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    I've stored unrendered lead outside for years. No issues. Remember to check your temperature these days to keep the zinc weights from melting into your lead.
     

    steif

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    Feb 8, 2009
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    I never had a problem, but I always melted outside with a large furnace and poured it into pucks in a muffin tin..
    It will oxidize over time and the white powder that is the oxidation is lead oxide and it is hazardous, but I never thought about it when I started so many years ago.. and now I read that it is very hazardous.. lol.
    I found in melting oxidized lead I would just add some more flux and eveything worked out good. I don't know if I would melt oxidized lead inside though.

    So, outside is ok if you dont mind the oxidation. If you put everything in 5 gallon buckets with a tight fitting lid, they might not oxidize, I never tried that.
     

    NKBJ

    at the ark
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    Apr 21, 2010
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    There's not gonna be any appreciable effects on the metal except the clips are going to get rusty (and who cares about that!).

    But (huge big word almost as big as "if") you'd better make sure that you bring them up to temperature without explosively spattering yourself with molten lead. It really hurts when that happens. What happens is that water seeps in around the steel clips down inside the pieces of lead. And about the time that water turns to steam it's done been covered up with liquid lead and tries to behave like it belongs in Yellowstone. In a split second you're a casualty.
     

    tyler318

    Plinker
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    Apr 22, 2017
    50
    8
    Washington
    Thanks guys

    I was wondering if storeing wheel weights outside in rain and snow will effect them overtime. I know they will have too b dry before I melt them down. I'm new too this

    Yeah I figured they would oxidize. Outside is the only place I can store them and figure they might b in standing water at times till summer comes.I appreciate all your comments guys. Wont have too worry about it anymore
     

    JeepHammer

    SHOOTER
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    0   0   0
    Aug 2, 2018
    1,904
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    SW Indiana
    I never had a problem, but I always melted outside with a large furnace and poured it into pucks in a muffin tin..
    It will oxidize over time and the white powder that is the oxidation is lead oxide and it is hazardous, but I never thought about it when I started so many years ago.. and now I read that it is very hazardous.. lol.
    I found in melting oxidized lead I would just add some more flux and eveything worked out good. I don't know if I would melt oxidized lead inside though.

    So, outside is ok if you dont mind the oxidation. If you put everything in 5 gallon buckets with a tight fitting lid, they might not oxidize, I never tried that.

    I melt outside, with a fan blowing vapor away from me.

    The above post is mostly on target, and addresses the oxidation issue.
    Wheel weights have more surface area, that's more surface to corrode.
    Larger ingots have less surface area, less oxidation, less lead loss over time.

    The disadvantage is more oxidation/dross to clean off your lead, more lead losses to oxidation.
    The advantage is you aren't melting it twice, once melted, you simply cast bullets.

    When I buy lead bearing material (machine shop) it's sometimes decades old, and it was covered with hard wax presenting little to no oxidation.
    It used to be common to have beatings made of poured lead (lead babbit bearings) and I still pour a few when rebuilding equipment.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
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    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,693
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    .
    There's not gonna be any appreciable effects on the metal except the clips are going to get rusty (and who cares about that!).

    But (huge big word almost as big as "if") you'd better make sure that you bring them up to temperature without explosively spattering yourself with molten lead. It really hurts when that happens. What happens is that water seeps in around the steel clips down inside the pieces of lead. And about the time that water turns to steam it's done been covered up with liquid lead and tries to behave like it belongs in Yellowstone. In a split second you're a casualty.

    This is real good advice. I only run one kettle at a time, never adding anything.
     

    red_zr24x4

    UA#190
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    Mar 14, 2009
    28,794
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    Walkerton
    I had a 55gal drum of wheel weights that sat outside for so long the drum rusted in half. No issues with any of the lead. All of it has been casted into bullets for years now, there might be some of them in ammo cans in the basement. But I think they were shot a long time ago
     

    steif

    Sharpshooter
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    Feb 8, 2009
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    I was just being cautious... I did a lot of stuff that is viewed as dangerous now.. lol
    I still have a pile of lead outside, anything from old pipes to lead flooring sheets rolled up. I'm like most guys that pick up lead whenever they see it in whatever form it's in.
     
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