Lead

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sambo
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Lead

Post by sambo »

I have acquired 10kg, maybe more, of lead. I have been offered much more if I wish. What should I do with it - I have musings of casting my own media.....

Any suggestions.
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biffo
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Re: Lead

Post by biffo »

Go for it Sam fishing weight molds I believe people use.B
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Lead

Post by Pyro-Gear »

Casting your own media would be a good option, depending on the type of lead you have it can be hardened, code 4 roofing lead is very good on its own however code 2 can be great with a little addition of lead-free solder, I can advise on this subject Sam.
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Lloyd
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Re: Lead

Post by Lloyd »

A 50-calibre to 75-calibre musket ball mold works better.

The only other faster, less-expensive, and 'expedient' way to do it (without buying a commercial mold) is to follow my instructions to cast lead rods of your chosen diameter, then cut them up (with nippers, not a saw) into 'square cylinders' (as high as their diameter).

They rapidly pound 'roundish' and are slightly more efficient at milling than are spheres.

The method is described in "Ball Milling Theory and Practice for the Amateur Pyrotechnician", which I hope you will buy, rather than 'pirate', since it's still under copyright. It's still being sold commercially by a number of pyro book vendors. There's a lot of good information in it about optimizing your mill, and full plans to build one from scratch-parts.

Lloyd
"Pyro for Fun and Profit for More Than Sixty Years"
sambo
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Re: Lead

Post by sambo »

Lloyd wrote: The method is described in "Ball Milling Theory and Practice for the Amateur Pyrotechnician", which I hope you will buy, rather than 'pirate', since it's still under copyright. It's still being sold commercially by a number of pyro book vendors. There's a lot of good information in it about optimizing your mill, and full plans to build one from scratch-parts.

Lloyd
I have indeed and already own it, it's a great book ! Pirating would be theft... Clearly there is quite a bit to this - Ken, how would I know what type of roofing lead I have ? Is there a clever way to find out?
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Lloyd
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Re: Lead

Post by Lloyd »

Sam,
First, thank you!

Second,
If you can acquire some Lin-O-Type metal, it serves well to harden lead a LOT, with fairly small additions.

I'm not an expert in this, and don't know the proportions -- but almost all the fellows selling "hardened lead" media are using it to some degree.

Lloyd
"Pyro for Fun and Profit for More Than Sixty Years"
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Lead

Post by Pyro-Gear »

Sam depending on how your lead was given to you it would be difficult to say as to what you have, if it is in sheet form there is a good chance it is code 4, if it is old gas pipe then best harden it.
Linotype Alloy is normally (4%-Tin, 12%-Antimony, and 84%-Lead) I have it if you need some
sambo
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Re: Lead

Post by sambo »

ok,

it was folded sheet. If I post a picture do you think you would have an idea ? Would I need a lot of the Linotype alloy and presumably that's quite heavy to send ?
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Pyro-Gear
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Re: Lead

Post by Pyro-Gear »

If it was folded I suspect it was code 4 roofing lead pretty good on its own, as Lloyd said you only need a small quantity of Lin-O-Type 500 grams would treat 20 kilos of code 4 with ease.
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