And yes, there ARE stupid questions. Don't believe me? Watch a YouTube video of Rumsfeld briefing the newshawks during the main offensive of the 2nd Iraq War.

Anyhow, I've kinda been wondering. I figure there ought to be a couple of old batteries around in older junk yards. Assuming I had a good water source, how practical would it be to melt down the plates in old lead-acid batteries?

Don't do it. The melting lead from car batteries gives off a poisonous gas. Sorry, I don't know the chemistry of it, but every source of knowledge I have asked that same question of over the years has repeated that warning.

I wouldn't even mess with batteries, too much risk.

I did it many years ago when I was young and more stupid than I am now. I managed to get away with it. The lead I recover wasn’t worth the time and trouble. I didn’t know about the dangers to my health back then but I sure wouldn’t mess with them now.

Thanks, all. Guess I better look at stocking up on lead for after SHTF/TEOTWAWKI.

Maybe you could convince the 'newshawks' that there's a story to be learned if they were to melt the battery lead down in a closed garage.

Jim

[quote=arkypete]Maybe you could convince the 'newshawks' that there's a story to be learned if they were to melt the battery lead down in a closed garage.[/quote]
Do you have any idea how long they'd have to stay in that room for anyone to see the result in their writing? Or how many old batteries they'd have to melt down?

If you use battery lead you might get the polarity wrong. If you use positive in a counterclockwise twist barrel as I'm sure you know that is a big problem. If the polarity is such that you increase RPM you might exceed the rpm threshold and if you do this with a negative charge--watch out. Bottom line you can glean a little lead from a battery but it aint worth it.

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
If you use battery lead you might get the polarity wrong. If you use positive in a counterclockwise twist barrel as I'm sure you know that is a big problem. If the polarity is such that you increase RPM you might exceed the rpm threshold and if you do this with a negative charge--watch out. Bottom line you can glean a little lead from a battery but it aint worth it.

Ray,

It's important too that if your firearm was made before the early 50's that you use lead from a six volt battery rather then a twelve volt. Equally important some early firearms were positive grounded instead of negative grounded.

carpetman1 & SmokinJ,
Can I have some o' what you guys are smokin'? Looks like primo shit!

Yes voltage is critical. I don't have definitive conformation of this and it's certainly not documented, but I heard on a very windy day that SmokinJoe once used 12v lead in a 6v gun and actually shot a two hole group. If there is any truth to that you would know it is an issue to not overlook.

quote:

Originally posted by B Mullins:
carpetman1 & SmokinJ,
Can I have some o' what you guys are smokin'? Looks like primo shit!

Aw shucks, we were just having some good old fun. In all seriousness though, it's not worth the hassle and dangers to melt the lead out of old batteries.

The NRA Cast Bullet books talks about. They mentioned, for example, if you skim the dross off molten battery lead and toss it in a metal trash can that has water or moisture on the bottom that the hot dross mixes with the water and forms stibine gas. Read about how toxic it is here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stibine

On the Chemestry side, Most lead from car batteries contains 4% antimony. This makes the lead hard, and brittle. Of course there are ways you can adjust your mix to compensate for this, or use it to your advantage, but my casting skills still have a long way to go.

Practical cells are usually not made with pure lead but have small amounts of antimony, tin, calcium or selenium alloyed in the plate material to add strength and simplify manufacture. The alloying element has a great effect on the life of the batteries, with calcium-alloyed plates preferred over antimony for longer life and less water consumption on each charge/discharge cycle.

quote:

Originally posted by SmokinJ:

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
If you use battery lead you might get the polarity wrong. If you use positive in a counterclockwise twist barrel as I'm sure you know that is a big problem. If the polarity is such that you increase RPM you might exceed the rpm threshold and if you do this with a negative charge--watch out. Bottom line you can glean a little lead from a battery but it aint worth it.

Ray,

It's important too that if your firearm was made before the early 50's that you use lead from a six volt battery rather then a twelve volt. Equally important some early firearms were positive grounded instead of negative grounded.

That's why they call it DOPE!!!!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by carpetman1:
Yes voltage is critical. I don't have definitive conformation of this and it's certainly not documented, but I heard on a very windy day that SmokinJoe once used 12v lead in a 6v gun and actually shot a two hole group. If there is any truth to that you would know it is an issue to not overlook.

THEY ARE TOO ONE HOLE GROUPS!!!!!!!!!!! AND AT VELOCITY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Modern automotive batteries also contain CADMIUM.

I forget what it does to you or how it does it but it ain't good.

No melting down car batteries!

None of you gents are on to it,yet..In extreme NE Tennessee,lead from 12v Batteries allows one hole groups. and ,it should be obvious,using lead from 6v batteries, groups will be SMALLER.. NOW you KNOW.. idabull

quote:

Originally posted by idabull:
None of you gents are on to it,yet..In extreme NE Tennessee,lead from 12v Batteries allows one hole groups. and ,it should be obvious,using lead from 6v batteries, groups will be SMALLER.. NOW you KNOW.. idabull

Hey Bill, sorry to hear about your prostrate cancer. Equally bad news to hear about wheelers cirrhosis of the liver. Tell him your little posts aren't going to work.

Hey you think maybe that cancer you got came from melting too many batteries down?

quote:

Bottom line you can glean a little lead from a battery but it aint worth it.

I'd agree the PITA isn't with the lead, after all you can melt the plates down out of doors in a covered "lean to".

The PITA is then having to dispose of all the rest of the battery carcass and etc., etc.

Now, if someone offers you a stack of JUST the lead plates, "naked" as it were? Already salvaged and without the rest of the bakelite or plastic or rubber crap?

I'd seize them like a shot!

I used pure linotype in my commercial casting and that contains a similar amount of antimony and it made SUPERB bullets for 9mm and .45ACP pistols.

Used to buy it a ton at a time and used two identical Hensley & Gibbs six gang "custom matched" moulds in each calibre being cast.

Worked great in the Magnum revolver calibres too!