Wheel Weights

[Apdriver]

First of all, I would like to thank all the great posters for their wealth of knowledge and willingness to share on this sight. Have learned a great deal in just reading through the archives that would have taken me years of trial and error, if I would have learned it at all. Thanks again.

I have a question about the purchase of wheel weights. I looked today and lead is selling around a buck a pound. So what is a fair price for a five gallon bucket of wheel weights. I haven't ran into anyone willing to give them away yet. Seems we have guys coming around to the local tire shops paying for their WW.

[cadman]

Actually if you paid a buck a pound for wheel weights it still is a good price. I recently bought pure lead and a mixed alloy for about $2/lb. That is the cheapest I can find it other than getting it free. It's getting harder and harder for me to get a good price here in IL.

[Kasilofchrisn]

We have a local shop selling 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights for $50.

I havent bought any though. I was lucky to find some old lead pipe at a local scrap yard for $1 a pound.

We weighed out what they had and it was 110 pounds and I got it for $100.Not a bad deal in my opinion.

My be prudent to check some local scrap yards just to see what they have and what they want for it.

[Apdriver]

We have a local shop selling 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights for $50.

I havent bought any though. I was lucky to find some old lead pipe at a local scrap yard for $1 a pound.

We weighed out what they had and it was 110 pounds and I got it for $100.Not a bad deal in my opinion.

My be prudent to check some local scrap yards just to see what they have and what they want for it.

[Apdriver]

We have a local shop selling 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights for $50.

I havent bought any though. I was lucky to find some old lead pipe at a local scrap yard for $1 a pound.

We weighed out what they had and it was 110 pounds and I got it for $100.Not a bad deal in my opinion.

My be prudent to check some local scrap yards just to see what they have and what they want for it.

Thanks Chris, There is a scrapyard close by that I will check. Just wondered what the going rate for 5 gallon bucket of WW's. I melted and fluxed 5 gallons this past weekend and got 100 pounds of melted WW material out of the 5 gallons. If you can get 5 gallons for 50 bucks, I think that's a pretty good buy. You have the labor and gas to clean it up though. By the way, you live in a special place. Gotta love the Kenai. Sorry for the double post. Still trying to figure this stuff out.

[Kasilofchrisn]

Thanks Chris, There is a scrapyard close by that I will check. Just wondered what the going rate for 5 gallon bucket of WW's. I melted and fluxed 5 gallons this past weekend and got 100 pounds of melted WW material out of the 5 gallons. If you can get 5 gallons for 50 bucks, I think that's a pretty good buy. You have the labor and gas to clean it up though. By the way, you live in a special place. Gotta love the Kenai. Sorry for the double post. Still trying to figure this stuff out.

I wouldn't live anywhere else thats for sure. Even though our cost of living is a bit high compared to most places in the lesser 48.

I Need to ask my fiancees brother again about wheel weights. He just started working at a ford dealership but his first week he said he didn't know what they do with them. he may know more now after having worked there a month or so.

I think you always need to factor in your time and materials for smelting because the $$$ comes out of your pocket and your time could be spent doing other things like fishing.

[BLT]

I got a guy I just met a few weeks ago that works for some large car parts distributor. He gets around to many shops. In 3 weeks, he has got me over two 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights for......free! More coming also. I give him some free saltwater tackle, mostly for flounder, and he is happy, and I am REALLY happy lol.

I also have a guy that took out an old shower stall in a house, and it had an 80# hunk of lead under it? I guess to anchor it? $.50 a lb.

Now I just have to get hold of this plumber that said he has over a 1000 lb. of old water pipe to mix in with the w. weights

[Kasilofchrisn]

I got a guy I just met a few weeks ago that works for some large car parts distributor. He gets around to many shops. In 3 weeks, he has got me over two 5 gallon buckets of wheel weights for......free! More coming also. I give him some free saltwater tackle, mostly for flounder, and he is happy, and I am REALLY happy lol.

I also have a guy that took out an old shower stall in a house, and it had an 80# hunk of lead under it? I guess to anchor it? $.50 a lb.

Now I just have to get hold of this plumber that said he has over a 1000 lb. of old water pipe to mix in with the w. weights

That is nice!

I had a guy on another forum send me 43# of lead he had left over from an old bullet making hobby.

Sent it to me for free including the shipping just to get rid of it.

I will probably buy him a soda this summer when he visits some friends just south of me and give him some jigs even though he said I didn't have to.

I am guessing it is like anything once there is a increase in demand for it they start charging.

People used to get old fryer grease from restauraunts for free for bear baiting and such. Even then the Restauraunts had trouble giving it away. Some even had to pay to get it hauled off. Now these small biodiesel places pay them for the old grease.

Most tire shops in my area have someone who already has a deal with them to collect the wheelweights. And the one shop I have heard sells them like I posted above.

Fortunately i have enough now to last me a while(I Hope).

[BLT]

Lol, I know what you mean about the demand and starting to charge, or the price goes up highter. I remember in the late 70's, chicken wings were "scrap" and they were happy getting 12-19 cents a pound for them. Now they are well over $2.00 a pound.

[Oldfart9999]

I'm fortunate, I have been given, over the years, close to 6 or 7 hundred pounds of lead. It will last me a couple of life times. Lead pipe can be a problem, I have some & it is real dirty inside, I melt it outside. I have several hundred pounds of shot a neighbor gave me that I'm working with now.

Rodney

[BLT]

Any of that extra life time supply you have, I'll take lol. 600 pounds would last me about 2 years. Making jigs up to 8 oz. chews through it fast.

I'm fortunate, I have been given, over the years, close to 6 or 7 hundred pounds of lead. It will last me a couple of life times. Lead pipe can be a problem, I have some & it is real dirty inside, I melt it outside. I have several hundred pounds of shot a neighbor gave me that I'm working with now.

Rodney

[Kasilofchrisn]

Any of that extra life time supply you have, I'll take lol. 600 pounds would last me about 2 years. Making jigs up to 8 oz. chews through it fast.

Me too! I make jigs up to 24oz and weights up to 3#.

I have a bunch now and didn't intend to sell my jigs but some guys at work were interested in seing what I make. Now they want to buy some.

I Have given a few away but I can only give so many.

It would be nice to find someone with that much scrap lead just lying around who was willing to part with it on the cheap or for free. Guess I will keep dreaming.

[Oldfart9999]

I give quite a few jigs away so using it is not a problem, I enjoy making them and experimenting with them but hav'nt really thought about selling them.

Rodney