(Moderator Group: Moderator)
‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1 Send TopicPrint
Normal Topic lead alloy (Read 355 times)
Jonathan
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 112
Location: THE GOOD PART OF NY
Joined: Sep 5th, 2025
lead alloy
Jun 6th, 2026 at 11:46pm
Print Post  
I just came into a lot of lead pipe that came out of an old house and was wondering if anyone could tell me what the hardness is of this stuff.  Thanks
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
vbull
Full Member
***
Offline



Posts: 115
Location: Lake George, Champlain region
Joined: Sep 19th, 2004
Re: lead alloy
Reply #1 - Jun 7th, 2026 at 6:08am
Print Post  
Consider it pure lead.  The shiny joints are most likely a 50/50 lead/tin alloy and will melt before the lead does.  I recently melted into ingots a couple hundred pounds of lead pipe.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
bnice
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1964
Location: Iowa
Joined: Nov 30th, 2006
Re: lead alloy
Reply #2 - Jun 7th, 2026 at 9:36am
Print Post  
Be sure to cut it into small enough pieces to assure no trapped water! It can blow up pretty good if dropped in a pot with trapped water in it.
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
oneatatime
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 4465
Location: Rocky Mountains
Joined: Oct 30th, 2011
Re: lead alloy
Reply #3 - Jun 7th, 2026 at 1:06pm
Print Post  
Also make sure that none of it came from a toilet drain and still has a few "presents" left in it. Don't smell the smoke!
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
YippyKiYay
Junior Member
**
Offline



Posts: 63
Location: Wichita Falls Texas
Joined: Apr 4th, 2026
Re: lead alloy
Reply #4 - yesterday at 9:51pm
Print Post  
I have a friend who's a plumber.  He brings me all the scrap lead he runs into.  I've never been able to get the solder to melt.  I end up throwing it away.  You do have to watch out for moisture in the lead,  but have yet to see any floaters in it.  Maybe he scrapes it out first.  I need to make friends with a roofer.
I use it for mini balls or cnb revolvers.  It's dead soft.
  
Bring Enough Gun
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
bpjack
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 3782
Location: East Olympia, WA
Joined: May 18th, 2008
Re: lead alloy
Reply #5 - yesterday at 10:20pm
Print Post  
I bought scrap roof flashing from a local metal recycler until they closed a couple of years ago.  If I went in a couple of months before I needed it, I could get the 'lead guy' to save me clean trimmings.  I would bring hi a 6 pack of been when I picked it up.  I still have 50 lbs of so of flashing with tar remnants.  Waiting for a cool, dry windy day to melt that stuff.
  
People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Joe_S
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 1108
Joined: Jun 29th, 2004
Re: lead alloy
Reply #6 - Today at 11:43am
Print Post  
In my experience lead water pipe has always been very good for bullet casting and as far as I can tell it is pure lead
So far no issues with zinc contamination 
Your mileage may vary as they say 
Joe S
  
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
frnkeore
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 7654
Location: Central Point, OR 97502
Joined: Jun 16th, 2010
Re: lead alloy
Reply #7 - Today at 12:18pm
Print Post  
I like lead sheet, out of Xray rooms, when you can find it. Pure and easy to cut. 

Another source is the flashing around stained glass art. I used to think it was pure lead. I came across a local stained glass shop that was going to save his for me but, he told me that some of it  is alloyed with antimony so, you have to be careful. It's a pain to sort it out so, I only got one batch.
  
ASSRA Member #696, ISSA Member #339
Back to top
YIMAIM  
IP Logged
 
bpjack
Frequent Elocutionist
*****
Offline



Posts: 3782
Location: East Olympia, WA
Joined: May 18th, 2008
Re: lead alloy
Reply #8 - Today at 12:46pm
Print Post  
Frank
After using that x-ray lead  do you still glow in the dark?
  
People who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do.
Back to top
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send TopicPrint
‹ Previous Topic | Next Topic ›
 
  « Board Index ‹ Board Top  

ASSRA Forum » Powered by YaBB 2.6.12!
YaBB Forum Software © 2000-2026. All Rights Reserved.

Valid RSS Valid XHTML Valid CSS Powered by Perl Source Forge

Page completed in 0.4703 seconds.