On the shelves of specialized stores a wide range of different sinkers and fractions is presented. Nevertheless, judging by numerous reviews, most avid fishermen and hunters prefer to use products not of their factory, but of their own manufacture. Due to the fact that the fraction is a consumable material, and sinkers are often lost, the hunter and fisherman have a constant need for this raw material.
This particular 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 sinkers and shots can be found in this article.
Acquaintance with the material
Lead is a non-ferrous metal and has excellent anti-corrosion properties, due to which this chemical element is used in the manufacture of protective coatings in shipbuilding.
Lead is immune to x-ray 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 during transportation by helicopters were kept in containers surrounded by lead blanks.
The most common areas of application of this metal are fishing and hunting. Due to the fact that lead is inexpensive and easy to melt, it is easy to craft a shell for a firearm from it or a sinker for fishing tackle.
Due to the softness of lead, such a weight is easily crimped and it will be easy to attach it to the fishing line without any additional devices. If difficulties with melting usually do not arise, then the question of where to get lead is very relevant. The following are some popular lead mining methods.
From battery
For those who are interested in where to get lead, experienced fishers and hunters recommend paying attention to the battery. Finding it is not difficult. Enough to go to the scrap metal collection point. In this case, you have to spend a little money. Those who wish to save money can be advised to look for it in a landfill. Old batteries often gather dust in car garages. If you have familiar motorists, you're in luck. The owner will only be happy to get rid of such trash. Judging by numerous reviews, it is the batteries that are considered the most common source for the production of lead, which is presented in the form of special plates. Non-ferrous metal is easy to melt.
How to extract?
Having obtained a battery, beginners often ask a question about what to do next. Experts recommend a complete disassembly. Only in this case will it be possible to remove the lead plates. Since they are in acid, they must dry before melting. Judging by the reviews, it will take at least six hours to disassemble. The plates dry during the day. Smelting takes one hour. In general, at least one and a half days will have to be transported over one battery. As a result, after remelting the plates, up to two kilograms of lead can be extracted. Is it worth it to spend time on this, everyone decides for himself.
From fishing sinkers
If there are no acquaintances of motorists, and not a single battery was found at the scrap site and a 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. Nevertheless, already with the necessary raw materials in a makeshift way, you can make a good shot for ammunition.
Of 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 be dismantled and used for other purposes.
According to experts, one such weight weighs 50-60 g. Judging by 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, lead is not used in its pure form as the material for their manufacture. Often it is zinc with impurities of babbitt, a low - melting anti-friction alloy. The composition may include antimony and tin. In addition to wheel weights, lead is also mined from sliding bearings, less often from sealing gaskets.
From the counter
This method is suitable for those who have friends who work in the water utility and power grid. Employees of these services often have to deal with counters, put or tear seals. They are made of lead and in the dismantled form are no longer of value, so you can agree on regular deliveries of this non-ferrous metal.
Where to get a lot of lead?
According to experts, it is possible to use a communication cable with a lead sheath. For the manufacture of the coating, lead is used, which, judging by the reviews, is very soft and can be easily removed with a conventional knife. Depending on the brand of cable, 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 wrapped with steel tape, those who want to get fusible non-ferrous metal will have to tinker a lot.
Experienced masters recommend that beginners perform this procedure at sub-zero temperatures. In this case, bitumen is much easier to separate. Bituminous substances melt well. It is enough to hold the cable over the fire for some time. Bitumen will flare up and it will be much easier to remove it. According to experts, it is lead shells that give the largest amount of metal needed. Compared to lead extracted from a battery, cable is much cleaner.
In addition, during the melting of the 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 waste slag in the vessel with molten lead.
Can be ordered from the supplier
For those who have already tried all the methods and no longer know where to get the lead, we can recommend ordering non-ferrous metal from the manufacturer. Judging by the numerous reviews, in this case for 1 kg of fusible substance will have to pay about 170 rubles. It is much cheaper, about three times, you can buy lead at a non-ferrous metal collection point.
Finally
Whatever way the lead is extracted, working with it, you must always adhere to safety precautions. Lead is a very toxic substance, it needs to be melted in a room with good ventilation or exhaust. Many home craftsmen prefer to work with him in the fresh air. If this recommendation is neglected, then the released pairs of electrolytes can cause irreparable harm to human health. In addition, in order not to get burns, you should be as careful as possible with molten lead.
The article examined where to get lead for shots, weights, and more. There are several options, everyone will be able to choose something for themselves.