On the shelves of specialized stores there is a wide range of different weights and shots. Nevertheless, judging by the numerous reviews, most avid fishermen and hunters prefer to use products not from the factory, but from their own production. Due to the fact that the shot is a consumable material, and sinkers are often lost, the hunter and fisherman have a constant need for this raw material.
This category of consumers is interested in where to get lead for casting? According to experts, there are several effective ways to extract lead. Information on where to get lead for weights and shots can be found in this article.
Introduction to the material
Lead is a non-ferrous metal and has excellent anti-corrosion properties, thanks to which this chemical element is used in the manufacture ofprotective coatings in shipbuilding.
Lead is immune to X-rays and radioactive radiation. For this reason, special protective sheets are made from this metal, the task of which is to protect a person from intense radiation.
After the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, reactive substances were transported by helicopters in containers surrounded by lead ingots.
The most common uses for this metal are fishing and hunting. Because lead is inexpensive and easy to melt, it is easy to craft a projectile for firearms or a sinker for fishing tackle.
Thanks to the softness of lead, this weight is easily crimped and it will be easy to attach it to the fishing line without additional devices. If there are usually no difficulties with melting, then the question of where you can get lead is very relevant. Here are a few popular lead mining methods.
Battery
For those who are interested in where to get lead, experienced anglers and hunters recommend paying attention to the battery. It won't be too hard to find him. Enough to go to the scrap metal collection point. In this case, you will have to spend a little. Those who want to save money can be advised to look for it in a landfill. Old batteries often gather dust in motorists' garages. If you know motorists you know, you're in luck. The owner will be only too happy to get rid of such rubbish. Judging by the numerous reviews,batteries are considered the most common source for lead mining, which is presented in the form of special plates. Non-ferrous metal is easy to melt.
How to extract?
After getting a battery, beginners often ask the question of what to do next. Experts recommend doing a complete disassembly. Only in this case will it be possible to remove the lead plates. Since they are in acid, they must be dried before melting. Judging by the reviews, it will take at least six hours to disassemble. The plates dry within a day. Remelting will take one hour. In general, one battery will have to be transported for at least a day and a half. As a result, after remelting the plates, up to two kilograms of lead can be mined. Is it worth spending time on this, everyone decides for himself.
From fishing weights
If there are no familiar motorists, and not a single battery was found at the scrap metal point and the person does not know where to get lead, experienced craftsmen recommend purchasing this non-ferrous metal in the fishing products department. However, this method is less effective, since you will first have to buy lead sinkers, and only then melt them. 1 kg of lead costs about 200 - 250 rubles. However, with the necessary raw materials, it is possible to make good shot for ammunition in a handicraft way.
From car wheels
Another option where to get lead is a car service. Since the car wheel is equipped with special balancing weights, if necessary, they can bedismantle and use for other purposes.
According to experts, one such weight weighs 50-60 g. Judging by the numerous reviews, 1 kg will cost no more than 50 rubles. For beginners and those who have no idea where to get lead, experts recommend using car weights.
But today, not pure lead is used as a material for their manufacture. Often this is zinc with impurities of babbitt - a low-melting anti-friction alloy. The composition may include antimony and tin. In addition to weights for wheels, lead is also mined from plain bearings, less often from sealing gaskets.
From counter
This method is suitable for those who have friends who work in the water utility and the power grid. Employees of these services quite often have to deal with meters, put or break seals. They are made of lead and are no longer of value when dismantled, so regular deliveries of this non-ferrous metal can be arranged.
Where can I get a lot of lead?
According to experts, you can use a lead-sheathed communication cable. Lead is used to make the coating, which, judging by the reviews, is very soft and can be easily removed with a regular knife. Depending on the cable brand, the thickness of its protective layer can vary from 1 to 2 mm. Due to the fact that bitumen is applied on top of the lead coating, and the product itself is wrappedsteel tape, those who want to get low-melting non-ferrous metal will have to tinker a lot.
Experienced masters recommend that beginners perform this procedure at sub-zero temperatures. In this case, the bitumen is much easier to separate. Bituminous substances melt well. It is enough just to hold the cable over the fire for a while. The bitumen will flare up and it will be much easier to remove it. According to experts, it is lead sheaths that provide the largest amount of the required metal. Compared to battery lead, cable is much cleaner.
In addition, during the melting of battery plates, a lot of debris remains, which is often more than the non-ferrous metal itself. For this reason, before starting to melt, the plates are carefully tapped. The main goal of these actions is to get rid of the filler. Otherwise, there will be a lot of unnecessary slag in the molten lead tank.
Can be ordered from supplier
Those who have already tried all the methods and no longer know where to get lead can be recommended to order non-ferrous metal from the manufacturer. Judging by the numerous reviews, in this case, about 170 rubles will have to be paid for 1 kg of a fusible substance. Much cheaper, about three times, you can buy lead at a non-ferrous metal collection point.
In closing
Whatever way the lead is mined, working with it, you should definitely follow safety precautions. Lead is a very toxic substance and must be melted in a well ventilated area.or extractor. Many home craftsmen prefer to work with him outdoors. If this recommendation is neglected, then the released electrolyte vapors can cause irreparable harm to human he alth. In addition, to avoid burns, you should be as careful as possible with molten lead.
The article discusses where to get lead for shots, making sinkers and other things. There are several options, everyone can choose something for themselves.
