casting for the first time

[blazein]

I got a couple of buckets of wheel weights and I am going to start fluxing and making ingots. My question is there are the traditional clip on weights and also quite a few stick on weights is there a difference? I am also a fisher fool so if I cant use the stick ons for boolets is it ok to use them for sinkers?

 

[Daezee]

When I was casting, the stick on ones were much softer, so I kept them separated for use in muzzleloaders.

 

[brasshog]

Try out castboolits.com for casting info.

 

[NWFLYJ]

A 50/50 mix of clip on wheel weights and stick on is great for cast boolits. 100% clip on weights are fine also. Check the clip on ones with a pair of side cutters to make sure they are lead, they will feel soft.

 

[blazein]

So what do you guys do with the steel and zinc weights I love doing everything I can frm scratch

 

[NWFLYJ]

I collected ww (wheel weights) for a long time and did a mass melt. That was about 5 years ago. I threw away the zinc and steel ones. I used 100% ww and held onto the sickons. I started reading alot on the cast boolits site and concluded that I could get twice the mileage out of my lead stash by blending in 50% full soft lead.

I am nearing the end of my stash and will soon go on the hunt for ww. I will save you steel and zinc if ya want them.

 

[shootnstarz]

You can also look for linotype, a metal mainly used in the printing business. Mixing this stuff with lead gives it considerable hardness.

Also quenching your boolits in water right out of the mold helps to harden them.

Rick

 

[dead-bird]

An interesting discussion on hardness testing.
I have the old LBT tester.
Had never heard of the pencil method.
You could just use a 5/32” ball bearing, drill press and bathroom scale. Then use the Lee chart.

http://www.texas-mac.com/Evaluations_and_Recommendations_for_Lead-Alloy_Hardness_Testers.html

 

[Idoono]

Stick on wheel weights are pure lead and hence very soft. The work well for sinkers or for bullets (if you water quench them or mix with w/w's). Another good source for pure lead is sheathing on cable. Check at your area scrap yards.

Idoono