Hoarding lead

[falcon123]

The backstop at your local gun range is the best source for lead. Designed for guns.

 

[coastie]

The lumber yard tip is a very good one, i'll keep that in mind.

Do you happen to know what is the chemical make up of lead flashing ? is it close to pure lead or mixed in as alloy ?

It is pure lead. If you know any roofers or builders ask them if they have any old stuff that came off of roofs. I have picked up hundreds of pounds that way. It isn't worth much to the scrap yards because it is covered with tar and other junk.

 

[Mr. Gold]

It is pure lead. If you know any roofers or builders ask them if they have any old stuff that came off of roofs. I have picked up hundreds of pounds that way. It isn't worth much to the scrap yards because it is covered with tar and other junk.

Well it just so happens a roofer is starting some work on my roof this Thursday ..
If I did not get on his nerves by now - that will do it

Typical conversation:

"Ehhh yahh that square thing there..."
"you mean a shingle ?"
"yeah that one.."

[enter 1000 lines here]

"So ahhh.. do you have any spare lead"
"WTF now ?"

 

[coastie]

Tell him you want all the old lead flashing off your roof. If he asks you have a friend that makes saltwater fishing sinkers. Maybe you get lucky and he says he has more.

Look for old pewter items at junk shops, flea markets, yard sales etc. You can use it instead of tin for increasing hardness.

 

[mac1911]

Ahhha lead, the stuff nightmares are made off, one of the EPA's favorite metals and the shooting community's too!

Has anyone looked into it seriously?
I'm thinking about it somewhat, and purchased some basic amount to set aside to "see how it feels".

With all the (relative) craze surrounding lead, it's still available in scrap yards for 10-20 cents over spot - I just passed on a few hundred pounds for 95cents/pound of lead sheets. Mainly because I'm not sure how serious I am at this point of having a few hundred pounds set aside in ingots. (I'd have to melt it into ingots from sheets).

For the number crunching - getting them in ingots from ebay is ~$1.45/pound - considerable difference in price, well justifying doing the melting myself.

The pluses for anyone on NES are obvious, and so is the merchantability both out of and especially in SHTF scenarios, so, no further explaining needed.

If one has the room (which I do), i sincerely don't see a downside of having a few hundred pounds set aside, at least. The smallest USPS flat rate box (~6"x4") holds 12lbs of lead, so the space needed for 100's of lbs is really not much more than 3'x3'x4'.

Would anyone like to share experience/tips ?

Lead in ignots stores well as far as space goes. I have more than I can ever use. I have it in a few locations around the yard depending what "stage" it's in.
In perspective if you like fire,heat,molten metal and have time melt into ignots then stock pile scrap when you can and start smelting.
I don't know if I would bother unless you plan on casting very soon.

That said if you think having a few hundred pounds for SHTF buy some in ignot form.
If you want a known alloy try looking elsewhere than eBay. Its nothing but time really to smelt.
I found everything I need to smelt lead down and form into ignot for almost zero investment.
The largest cost was welding gloves from job lot for 15$ and a good 3M respirator 39$
Picked up large cast iron pot and stainless spoons,laddles for free. My high pressure burner with propane found at yard sale for 25$ I did 500# of smelted lead with a partial filled tank. I'm just getting to 300# now and the tank feels almost full still.

In a shtf scenario I think I might want bullets precasted vs ignot ??

 

[mac1911]

You do not want to even try to extract the lead from batteries. It is hyper toxic and not worth the risk for such a small yield.

This, and what you left with is still nasty and not much good for any thing but more batteries.
The post are about the only thing good for casting. The other lead is good for making new batteries.

At one time or another the sand pit fires consumed EVERYTHING... We collective banned tires,mattresses and batteries......they take the fun out of the fire when you can't get close enough to add more stuff with out the nasty smoke darn near killing you.