Ogajiga Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 For the past 10 years I've been getting decent scrap lead from our local junk yard for $.45 per lb. and tire shop used wheel weights for $30 per 100 lb. bucket. But now our junk yard closed down and only 1 of 5 tire shops still sells to the public so the only pick up supply is a metals recycler at $1 per lb. How are you guys doing with lead supply? I found some metals market info at this site but its a bit confusing. http://mineralprices.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counting-empties Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 The scrap yard here pays $.25lb for lead and sells it for @$1lb . Try the local shooting range , most have to pay to have the lead removed . Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 I pay about a $1/lb for pure lead. I also got 500 lbs of printers lead for about .25/lb. The printers lead is on the hard side, so I mix it with my pure stuff. Actually $1/lb is not really that bad of a price, I've been paying close to that for about 2 years now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilcraw Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Check with some of your major contractors that would be doing hospital jobs about 2 years ago I picked up some really nice lead sheeting used to line Xray rooms in new constructed hospitals, it was more than I could carry in my pick-up with one trip had to make two trips but it was free, it was the drop offs and trimmings, about 3/8" thick sheeting......... also watch for remodeling of older home, that can produce alot of lead in some of the older parts of towns, years ago lead drain pipe was used in homes it is abit dirty but nice and easy to work with, just some ideas to keep a eye out for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 I guess I'm lucky, My next door neighbor is a plumber and he gives me a lot of lead for free. He says it's pure lead but I'm not sure, all I know is he gives me it and it looks like a stick about 12" long and it melts and pours great. I have about 200lbs. so I should be good for awhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigmaster Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 A year ago, I stumbled on approx 1500 lbs free for the hauling, and I am still feeding off that, but prior to that, I was paying .30 per lb at a scrapyard...it was not pure, but poured pretty well. Also, visit your local dentist........some of them use the old style bite wing X-ray systems.....they have a thin shield of lead in each one...they may accumulate for you. I get approx 30-40 lbs a year this way, and it is free. Think outside the box regards JM www.daimonlures.com www.daimonlures.com/bassreview Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 4, 2007 Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Jigmaster, You're dead on. My dentist still uses the bitewing shields, and it is excellent for pouring. The lead is very soft, best of all, yes, it is free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogajiga Posted September 4, 2007 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2007 Hey, you guys know a lot of outside the box supply tricks. No target range here - practice area is the forest or vacant lot next door. No mistaking the sound of a busted cap with a firecracker and New Years sounds more like a war than a holiday. Couple of metals market websites lists the current price of lead as $1,900 - $2,900 per ton(confusing) which is equivelant to $.95 - $1.45 per lb. at the industrial supply level and I don't see how metals dealers can continue to supply us at $1 per lb.? Our main Hawaii wholesale tackle distributor imports sinkers from Thailand and retail is now $.20 -.27 per oz. for banks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
counting-empties Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 $.20-.27 per oz WOW , here they are $.10-.12 per oz . Try to find someone who metal detects the beach and offer to buy all the sinkers they find , surf fishing sinkers add up quick . Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dampeoples Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 I've read a post on a local forum where a guy was telling, but not citing sources, that lead prices were getting ready to skyrocket. I, too, have a plumber friend, and used to carry mail to two different tire shops, so I stocked up then on hard lead to mix. Last I bought soft was off eBay, searched around and found it at $1/lb for soft shipped, if it's getting that high, it's time to get some more before it really gets bad! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted September 5, 2007 Report Share Posted September 5, 2007 I did the shooting range thing a couple of years ago. I have to admit, I never worked so hard for so little. I hauled off 15 of those plastic 5 gal pails that produced about 30% lead when it was all done. The rest was copper, steel, even plastic shotgun wads. I wanted to skim off the copper which would have paid for the whole effort, but had no way to melt it down. One big reason the price of lead is so high is our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan. A lot of lead in demand over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookUp Posted September 7, 2007 Report Share Posted September 7, 2007 I found an old divers belt at a garage sale. About 50# of lead for $0.50. Then I poured some jigheads for a tire guy. He saved the tire weights and gave me a bucket full. Problem with that all that lead was dirty. I melted it all down one afternoon letting the pot sit out side and all the 'gunk' burn off. Then poured off the 'good' lead into either cupcake molds or 1+ oz football molds w/o hooks. Got enough to last my needs for a lifetime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsinyard Posted September 8, 2007 Report Share Posted September 8, 2007 I get all of mine off of ebay. If you watch ebay, there are good buys at some points. I bought 65lb of soft lead from a tackle shop out of MO. It is very good stuff. Just be sure you ask the buyers what the lead is made from. You can also get some crap on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iceman35 Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 FYI recent article in bass and walleye boats... Battery comparision... said lead prices have more than tripled. increasing cost of batteries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
outfshn Posted September 11, 2007 Report Share Posted September 11, 2007 I live close to Janns and used to pick up my lead from them until last month when it doubled to over $3.00 a pound. Ouch!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookUp Posted September 12, 2007 Report Share Posted September 12, 2007 Just met a guy who use to pour lead solgiers as a kid about 30 years ago. He gave me a bunch of coffee cans full of soldiers that didn't pour right, his lead molds and his melting pot for a couple dozen hand tied/poured jigs and some stix baits. The melting pot doesn't work, but it's about 1/2 full of lead. I'm thinking about hitting it with a torch and melting the lead out but have no tools big enough to keep the dripping lead off my hands or the tool. Any tips? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagacious Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 The melting pot doesn't work, but it's about 1/2 full of lead. I'm thinking about hitting it with a torch and melting the lead out but have no tools big enough to keep the dripping lead off my hands or the tool.Any tips? Melting the lead out shouldn't be too big a problem. You need to set the pot on it's side, and make sure it's secure. The weight/balance will change as the lead melts and runs out, and if the pot shifts and falls, you could get burned. Wear eye protection, and wear leather gloves. Use a propane torch. The lead should start to melt fairly soon, and will run off slowly in a thin stream-- it will not run off uncontrollably. Do not let it drip any distance, put an old pan right underneath it-- that way the lead will not splatter. You can also let the lead run off into an ingot mold, or whatever you use for a melting pot. When you take the torch away, the lead will solidify quickly, and stop running off. Be aware that the block of unmelted lead in the old melting pot may come loose and tip or fall out of the pot while youre melting the lead. Make sure you're ready if that happens, so you don't get burned. Be careful, and good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 how big is the pot? Big enough to sit on a Turkey fryer stand? Get some good strong wire, and wire that pot onto the turkey fryer stand. (If you have one, or know someone that does) Know anyone that has a colemens camping stove? Will it fit on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagacious Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 how big is the pot? Big enough to sit on a Turkey fryer stand? Get some good strong wire, and wire that pot onto the turkey fryer stand. Know anyone that has a colemens camping stove? Watch out, if the lead drips onto the burners, you'll have a heck of a mess to fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LedHed Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dampeoples Posted September 13, 2007 Report Share Posted September 13, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted September 14, 2007 Report Share Posted September 14, 2007 Watch out, if the lead drips onto the burners, you'll have a heck of a mess to fix. Melted many, many pounds of lead using a turkey fryer. Never used the camping stove, but know of others that do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sagacious Posted September 15, 2007 Report Share Posted September 15, 2007 Melted many, many pounds of lead using a turkey fryer. Never used the camping stove, but know of others that do. It's all good. I've melted literally thousands of pounds of lead on turkey fryers, white-gas camp stoves, and various reverb furnaces. The reverb is best when you have to pour a few hundred lbs quick. However, if I was trying to melt the lead out of an old pot, and wasn't too experienced, I'd sure-as-shootin' take steps to not spill any lead on the flame diffuser of my turkey fryer or camp stove. If you've done that once, you don't want to do it too many more times. Just a word to the wise. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookUp Posted September 17, 2007 Report Share Posted September 17, 2007 sagacious vbmenu_register("postmenu_67372", true); Thanks for the tip. Did almost just that, except I elevated the old pot slightly and let the lead run into an old cookie sheet. Then 'cut' it into smaller pieces which I'll use when pouring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
