making little ones out of big ones

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  • Last Post 03 March 2020
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max503 posted this 06 September 2019

What would be the best way to render this slab of lead into pieces small enough to fit into my Lee lead pot?  It will be slow going if I use the hammer and chisel.  I'd rather not saw it because of the shavings but I guess I could.  

BTW it is either pure bullet core metal or 22 rf metal. Pretty sure it came from Winchester.  I'm going to harden it with some lino and make 9mm and 357's out of it.

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 06 September 2019

Find an old LARGE cookie sheet - steel - that can be supported at an angle.

Arrange it so that the molten alloy/metal will flow from it into your ingot molds or at least a smaller cast iron pot.

Melt the slab with a weed burner.  It goes fast.

(I have a 6" wide x 2' long piece of channel iron that has a bracket I welded on.)

 

 

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max503 posted this 10 November 2019

Sorry.  I never followed up with what I did.  I went to Harbor Freight and bought a weed burner.  Already had propane for cooking purposes.  Told my wife I could use the weed burner to get rid of weeds between those bricks instead of using Roundup, so that got her onboard. 

Then I went to the Dollar Store and got a cheap pan.  I put coat hanger wire through that hole in the slab.  I melted edges and let it spread.  When enough melted I'd pull out the unmelted part and let the thin piece harden.  Then it was easy to cut up the thin pancakes with a bolt cutter.  

I've got a couple more big chunks of this alloy and a couple of old dive weights.  They'll get the weed burner treatment as well.

Thanks for the help.  I never would have thought of this on my own.

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Brodie posted this 14 November 2019

I use an oxy/acetylene torch for such problems.  Just lay the lead down on a slant with the bottom edge up high enough to get an ingot mould underneath and begin heating on the edge.  The lead will start to run and make its own channel to funnel the molten lead into the ingot mould.  Works like a charm.

B.E.Brickey

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labop posted this 29 February 2020

I use a log splitter. Spray the wedge with WD40 or something similar and it slides right through.

labop

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Ross Smith posted this 06 September 2019

Send it to me, I'll take care of it.

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JimmyDee posted this 07 September 2019

Curious.  Bolt holes for securing it?  Conduit holes?  Any idea what it's purpose was?  I'd guess it's some sort of shielding but it seems thicker than necessary for that.

Back to the topic: you have the stump -- use an axe.

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John Carlson posted this 08 September 2019

Acetylene torch.

John Carlson. CBA Director of Military Competition.

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Qc Pistolero posted this 09 September 2019

I'd use a reciprocating saw with a large plastic underneath to collect the ''saw dust''.

This way nothing will get lost and less effort doing it.

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Brodie posted this 09 September 2019

The hunk of lead plate may have been part of a counter weight system for a tractor or fork lift.

B.E.Brickey

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max503 posted this 09 September 2019

It came from a bullet making facility. That's all I know.

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Brodie posted this 13 September 2019

 Probably a counter weight on a fork lift.

B.E.Brickey

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Mouldknocker posted this 20 September 2019

A Saws All and several blades is best. Put some plywood under it to catch the shavings

Use a cotton mask as well.   wink

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sudden thunder posted this 10 November 2019

Maybe freeze it with liquid CO2, then snap off chunks with the sledge hammer?

Shoot for the moon! Getting older may be inevitable, but acting your age appears to be optional ....

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delmarskid posted this 10 November 2019

I've used an electric chain saw. I saved the chips.

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sudden thunder posted this 12 November 2019

I would've let some dry ice dance around on it for a while, and then smacked it with a big sledge hammer! But then again I've always had a knack for breaking things, some things just come naturally.

Shoot for the moon! Getting older may be inevitable, but acting your age appears to be optional ....

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max503 posted this 13 November 2019

I like burnin' stuff.

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sudden thunder posted this 13 November 2019

I like your positive attitude - and your method looks like it works pretty well. Good job!

Shoot for the moon! Getting older may be inevitable, but acting your age appears to be optional ....

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TRKakaCatWhisperer posted this 14 November 2019

I started to use that process (weed burner) with a 4" or 6" channel iron at 45 degrees that would flow into a 6 qt pot -- used it to render wheel weights.  Most all the crud was left on the channel iron.  Then I could further clean the stuff in the pot on my turkey fryer.

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sudden thunder posted this 03 March 2020

Well, if you've got one to use that sure would work.

Shoot for the moon! Getting older may be inevitable, but acting your age appears to be optional ....

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