My dad has been trying to get a chunk of lead for me from where he works. He called me today and let me know that he should be able to pick it up next week. I know alot of you have gotten large quantities of lead before but I was wondering if any of you have a suggestion of how to get a 18" x 18" x 12" chunk of lead broken down small enough to get into a large cast iron pot?? I thought about a Sawzall and hacking away to get it into smaller pieces. Of course all of this happens after we get it out of my dad's truck!!!

Thanks,
Brandon

Yes electric saw etc ,that is a Big chunk of lead ,is it pure lead or an alloy

My dad told me it is pure lead - it's a calibrated weight - 1640 lbs.

Brandon

A friend used to buy 2000 lb. pigs from the foundry. He used an acetylene torch to work it down. I doubt if that was very cost effective.

I would be tempted to put it in a fire pit, with trenching leading away, and melting it that way to get it to a managable size. That's the way the Indians and early explorers in the Mississippi valley lead region used to do it. You would still need to clean it well before casting, but it would be smaller to deal with!

Lay down a tarp to catch the chips and go at it with a chain saw, nice even slices, and the oil on the chips ain't too bad a flux.

I use SAE 30 nondetergent motor oil from an oil can for fluxing. Works fine, doesn't stink, and it sure is handy! It's pretty much the same as paraffin wax, really.

I've used a log splitting maul, sledge and splitting wedges to break off chunks that fit into my pot. I did try a propane torch once...don't waste your time and money...I don't recommend any type of carbide bits either..just gums them up.

regards,
Graycg

I had a pure pb chunk given to me once that was the size of a 5 gal bucket.After all of the above ideas,I used a air chisel. I found that the flat wide heads work the best [1.5"] Have a extra bit or two around to get the first un stuck.Trust me.It took a while to carv up that entire hunk. Now on lead with a smaller cross section this works like a dream
I have also heard that a plasma cutting torch works well but a Oxy/acetylene cutting torch is a waste of time and money.

Hello:
I'd be a more than a little concerned about toxic fumes, while using any kind of torch.
Grizz

I have used a sharp ax to good effect. The air chisel sounds better and safer though. Thanks for the idea.

Leave it in the front yard with a splitting maul next to it. Put a sign up saying "Take a whack at the future statue of Osama."
Or tell a hundred ladies it's a new form of chocolate.
Jim

[ 11-23-2003, 15:29: Message edited by: arkypete ]

I'd be inclined to combine the firepit notion with a split 55 gallon drum. Length of pipe in the smaller hole in the head of the drum could channel the lead as it melted into ingot moulds.

You have a problem all right, but it's a problem I would not mind having.

We've discussed having a spout on the bottom of the MOAS. The guys who manufactured it said this idea is a no-go for home operations. They custom manufacture smelting pots for a steel company, MacSteel, here in town. They said it is just too dangerous because of an untentional leak creaping in at the spigot when least expected. 25 gallons is a lot of lead, and mucho weight. Just not worth a chance. ... felix

Felix, I was suggesting an intentional leak. The safest way to get that mighty chunk of lead into ingots is to channel the lead off as it melts. I wouldn't want any part of 3/4 of a ton of molten lead.

Let it drain into moulds as it melts and you minimise the risk.

Reminds me of a story my boss told me of when as a teen-ager he worked in a small brass foundry. They got a BIG job, bigger than any of their flasks would take, so dug a pit in the dirt floor, filled it with moulding sand and rammed up around the pattern (it was a single-sided job, open on the upper face). They heated up three or four of their biggest crucibles (not being sure just how much metal they needed) and started pouring. It took the first couple crucibles and needed more, so they kept on pouring, until they heard a big "bang" and clatter outside in the alleyway. Looked out and saw manhole covers leaping into the air down the alley, followed by clouds of steam; you guessed it! They had broken through into the shop sewer line. floodgate

I have some 80 pound ingots of pure lead that I tried various ways of cutting up.

Oxy Acetylene works pretty darn good, but use a welding tip not a cutting tip and melt off channels so you can break the ingot up into smaller chunks that fit into your pot. Start from a corner and move backward, letting it melt and run off. I try to cut it into larger chunks first then hold it over the pot so the molten lead runs into the pot first, might as well use that heat twice.

If you can fit it into a bandsaw, that works and makes the pieces look nice too.

Propane works but use a LARGE burner, the smaller ones wont work because the heat will get sucked away before it can melt anything.
Again, work from a corner/edge and work back into the material, melting it as you go.

I tried cutting some with my log splitter but it is a bigger hassle than the above mentioned.

I got some Lead cable sheeting that I cut into smaller pieces with an axe, this looks like a whole nother story though. I like the idea of the fire pit the best. build it up high to aid in the run off and also getting pleanty of air into the fire. Maybe set some pieces of angle iron into the channels for the run off. Have some holes under the angle iron to take some second hand store pans or whatever to catch the run off. Maybe even use an ingot mold, depends on the rate of flow. After it's all melted and the fire is cool, just dig it up to get what ever didn't run out. Sounds like a mess, but that's a big chunch of lead. Maybe try takeing chips off with an axe?

Rick....That's what I'd use. I use to do old batteries that way before I figured out it was too much work.

I did do one ingot like that that had been poured ina hand wash basin. Only way I could figure to get it rendered down./beagle

Thanks guys for all you help. I guess we'll see what works best.

Brandon

I would go at it with an air chisel if you have one. I have melted a lot of lead down with a torch but never that big. I could be so unlucky to have your problem

Swede44mag