Can do, or just too much hassle? Have lots of old batteries around, maybe a good snow too deep kind of project this winter. Opinions, experience, insight; Thanks

Melting them down will expose you to a lot of chemicals that you don't want to be around. Stuff like Sulphuric acid and Hydrogen Sulfide etc. are very very toxic.

As Fjold said,

Take battery lead, add heat and release the bad ju-ju acid monsters. Even if you let it percolate downwind for a long time, you would likely still have a lot of sulfur in the lead. I don't know what that would do to the properties of the lead, or how the sulfur would interact with antimony, tin and/or arsenic.
Perhaps Carmelo or Cats would be inclined to test the concept in their kitchens with the windows closed. Perhaps not.

lawndart

lawndart

JC,
you are kiling me..

as for using DEAD batteries for bullets, I would expect you would be exposed to sulfides (weak acids will hurt you QUICK) and probably white lead (lead oxide) IN SOLUTION... especially in dead batteries in which the acid solution has neutralized and/or water is present, but not wholely covering the lead.

white lead = nerve damage and death

jeffe

Not mentioned so far, and probably worse than all the other factors, is that modern batteries also contain CADMIUM, which is one of the worst offenders in heavy-metal poisoning.

Simple answer to the question: DO NOT use metal salvaged from batteries for bullets (and calling them "pills" makes me kinda ill, too).

haul them to a scrap yard and see how much lead scrap you can trade them for.

I'll second what everyone else here is saying, don't do it. Not only is it unhealthy if done improperly, but you don't get a whole lot of lead from a battery- not nearly as much as you'd think!

It's also a bit of work, and not that cheap either unless you make your own charcoal (you'll need a reducing fire). If we were living in Mad Max times might be different but again I'd take them to a scrap yard and see if I could part trade. Actually, I'd buy about $20 of lead and see what they would trade these for too, you'll get a better deal that way.

Bruce B. is right on about the cadmium in batteries today. There's more cadmium than lead and it is highly toxic. It's not worth the trouble or hazard. (Doggone it Bruce, ya beat me to it. )
Even assuming you have a supply of pure or nearly pure lead for swaging, what are you planning to do? cast bullets of a proper size, them swage them? Just curious.
Paul B.

quote:

Originally posted by Duke Durham:
Can do, or just too much hassle? Have lots of old batteries around, maybe a good snow too deep kind of project this winter. Opinions, experience, insight; Thanks

No No No...

If you really really want lead order it in wire form from one of the Corbins

Or call 1-541-512-0440 and ask richard to ship you out a roll..

If your casting try wheel weights .. if swaging use the lead wire rolls..But dont use battery lead .. ?

Just dont ..

thanks for the info gang.