Author Topic: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead  (Read 4470 times)

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Offline 30-30man

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Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« on: February 23, 2009, 03:15:18 PM »
My father melted a huge pile of tire weights when he was living.  He melted them and had a 10 gallon  metal barrel filled with it. He was going to use it at the lake for a permanant docking point offshore so that he could leave his boat out.  He never managed to get it to the lake as the thing weighed too much to do anything with.  The only way I could move it is with the front end loader on my tractor.  I want to melt this huge block into ingots I can use to make fishing sinkers.  Do you think I should use the cutting torch? I'm afraid to saw it....Lead scares me a little and I don't like the bits of dust it would create.  Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Offline woodchukhntr

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #1 on: February 23, 2009, 04:42:38 PM »
You don't want to saw it because you are afraid of the dust, but are not afraid of the fumes from cutting it with a torch?  Wear a dust mask and don't eat the lead chips.

I would take it to a scrap yard and trade it for a like amount of lead in smaller chunks.

Offline 45-70.gov

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #2 on: February 23, 2009, 04:52:04 PM »
bring  it to me
i  will cut of  my half

did you try an  ax  or chisel??

got any metal roofing?
melt it with a torch on  the upside down metal roofing
it will solidify in the groove
making long engots  that i chop with an ax to length
they then feed well  into the pot
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Offline 30-30man

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #3 on: February 24, 2009, 10:30:17 AM »
I'm not really afraid of it. I know the dangers of lead.  It's just so thick an ax/chisel is useless.  This was hard lead that was from melted down tire weights.  I'm just looking for the best way to tackle this job.  The scrap yard near me won't take that much lead and pay a decent price for it, I've tried.  They only will give me .20 cents a pound and will not sell me any.  They said they were not allowed.  Who knows why.  I feel that I need to save it due to lead not being available in the future.  More and more shops are refusing to sell used tire weights now.

Offline mechanic

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #4 on: February 24, 2009, 12:06:06 PM »
You ain't gonna like trying to saw it, I already have.  The cutting torch is mighty slow..and expensive.  The best I have found is a sharp axe...very sharp...take little bites.  Or if its in a drum, build a big fire under it and dip it out.  I tried a sawsall with several types of blades.  Just doesn't do well.  My company, for some unknown reason buys lead in 250# blocks.

Ben
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Offline GameHauler

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #5 on: February 24, 2009, 12:40:25 PM »
I would think just chip away at it with a pick
when you need to burn off some frustrations
(You are married I guess) ::)
And melt it into usable sizes.
Just a thought ::)
Mike
Mike

Offline quickdtoo

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #6 on: February 24, 2009, 12:52:32 PM »
Someone else's chainsaw??  :o Seems to me I recollect my Dad cutting lead up with a chainsaw, but it was company equipment I suspect.

Tim
"Always do right, this will gratify some and astonish the rest" -  Mark Twain

Offline scootrd

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #7 on: February 24, 2009, 01:03:21 PM »
personally , I wouldn't mess with it -- and here is the reason why (culled from other resource paper )

Both lead dust and the vapors from melted lead are poisonous, especially to children and pregnant women. 
Lead poisoning in children will cause brain developmental problems and in adults it will destroy the kidneys. 
There is no treatment, and no way to remove the lead once your body is contaminated. 
Also moisture and hot lead do not mix.  Water instantaneously expands to 30 times its liquid volume when
vaporized by molten lead and will cause an explosion. Serious burns are more immediate as lead melts at
about 630 degrees

But if you do -

    * Wear as much protective gear as you own or can stand, including a face shield, leather apron, boots, gloves, respirator, etc.
    * Work outside or in a very well ventilated area.  Do not smoke as the dust will be vaporized by the burning tobacco.
    * Clean up all spills.
    * Keep your work cloths separate from the family laundry.
    * Wash your hands or shower when you complete a session.  Do not eat, until you and your cloths are clean.
    * Work pre-heat any lead the might have water trapped inside.
    * Once the lead is melted, turn down the heat in order to reduce the fumes and potential for serious burns.
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Offline woodchukhntr

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #8 on: February 24, 2009, 01:13:55 PM »
personally , I wouldn't mess with it -- and here is the reason why (culled from other resource paper )

Both lead dust and the vapors from melted lead are poisonous, especially to children and pregnant women. 
Lead poisoning in children will cause brain developmental problems and in adults it will destroy the kidneys. 
There is no treatment, and no way to remove the lead once your body is contaminated. 
Also moisture and hot lead do not mix.  Water instantaneously expands to 30 times its liquid volume when
vaporized by molten lead and will cause an explosion. Serious burns are more immediate as lead melts at
about 630 degrees

But if you do -

    * Wear as much protective gear as you own or can stand, including a face shield, leather apron, boots, gloves, respirator, etc.
    * Work outside or in a very well ventilated area.  Do not smoke as the dust will be vaporized by the burning tobacco.
    * Clean up all spills.
    * Keep your work cloths separate from the family laundry.
    * Wash your hands or shower when you complete a session.  Do not eat, until you and your cloths are clean.
    * Work pre-heat any lead the might have water trapped inside.
    * Once the lead is melted, turn down the heat in order to reduce the fumes and potential for serious burns.


This is the best advice yet.  Best to do it outdoors.

Offline GameHauler

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #9 on: February 24, 2009, 01:36:48 PM »
personally , I wouldn't mess with it -- and here is the reason why (culled from other resource paper )

Both lead dust and the vapors from melted lead are poisonous, especially to children and pregnant women. 
Lead poisoning in children will cause brain developmental problems and in adults it will destroy the kidneys. 
There is no treatment, and no way to remove the lead once your body is contaminated. 
Also moisture and hot lead do not mix.  Water instantaneously expands to 30 times its liquid volume when
vaporized by molten lead and will cause an explosion. Serious burns are more immediate as lead melts at
about 630 degrees

But if you do -

    * Wear as much protective gear as you own or can stand, including a face shield, leather apron, boots, gloves, respirator, etc.
    * Work outside or in a very well ventilated area.  Do not smoke as the dust will be vaporized by the burning tobacco.
    * Clean up all spills.
    * Keep your work cloths separate from the family laundry.
    * Wash your hands or shower when you complete a session.  Do not eat, until you and your cloths are clean.
    * Work pre-heat any lead the might have water trapped inside.
    * Once the lead is melted, turn down the heat in order to reduce the fumes and potential for serious burns.


This is the best advice yet.  Best to do it outdoors.

I could not agree more.
BUT
there are Millions of people killed every year by car accidents
so you better sell your car and live in a bubble :-\
Get the pick out, chip away, melt it down, make bullets,
AND HAPPY SHOOTING TO YOU ;D ;)
Mike

Offline GregP42

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #10 on: February 24, 2009, 06:26:02 PM »
Quote
There is no treatment, and no way to remove the lead once your body is contaminated.

Um guys, I am hear to tell you that it can be removed. I forget the name of the drug, but there are a series of pills you have to take for a couple of months to remove heavy metals from your system. I had mercury poisoning in collage. This same drug will also work for lead, it isn't cheap by any means, and it takes several months, but it does work.

Greg
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Offline mechanic

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #11 on: February 25, 2009, 01:01:34 AM »
I have posted something like this on GB before regarding lead.  I work with it every day, in very large quantities.  I melt it in a large cast pot on a fish cooker.  It is not unusual for me to use up 200 # at a time.

I have been doing this for about 40 years.  Every year at my physical, I am tested.  No problems yet.

Ventilate.  Wash your hands after handling and before eating or smoking.  Use common sense. 

Yes, just a drop of water in melted lead will have disastrous results.  This is true of any metal when melted.

One of the most dangerous things people do is weld without ventilation, and without knowing for sure what metal they are welding.  Chromium, zinc and other metals can be just as bad, and in some cases worse than lead.  The galvanized coating on many metals is zinc.  If you breathe the fumes from molten zinc, they react with chemicals already in your lungs and create sulfuric acid.  I knew a man who died within 24 hours from this.

Someone else's chainsaw??  :o Seems to me I recollect my Dad cutting lead up with a chainsaw, but it was company equipment I suspect.

Tim

Now theres an idea I had not thought of.  I'll be trying that...with someone else's chainsaw.
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Offline bilmac

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #12 on: February 25, 2009, 01:03:39 AM »
Build a wood fire and lay the bucket on it's side on it. The lead will just run out on the ground. Wait for it to cool. It will be very dirty, but then you can chop it up and get it into a pot and it will clean up easily. In fact the ashes that will be mixed in will be built in flux.

Offline gwindrider1

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #13 on: February 25, 2009, 11:07:24 AM »
Guys, the chainsaw thing-not such a good idea.  Years back I watched my bullet casting buddy try to cut a 300lb. chunk in half with his chainsaw.  It's something he won't ever try again. 

Offline epanzella

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #14 on: February 25, 2009, 11:24:05 AM »
Guys, the chainsaw thing-not such a good idea.  Years back I watched my bullet casting buddy try to cut a 300lb. chunk in half with his chainsaw.  It's something he won't ever try again. 
I used to get large chunks of lead and went nuts trying ways to get it into managable pieces. One day when splitting wood the thunderbolt hit. I used my log splitter (24 ton) and it just sliced the lead up like silver ice cream. I kept chopping pieces off untill a had a half dozen sheetrock pails full of 2-4 lb pieces. All of the pieces I cut could be picked up by 2 guys (about 200 to 300 lbs) so the first cut would be the tuff one.

Offline mcwoodduck

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #15 on: February 25, 2009, 01:36:47 PM »
What about flipping it on it's side and using the torch to melt some off the face/top and into molds.  Once you fill the molds shut off the torch.  It may take a while but it will give you some thing to do every day.

Offline 45-70.gov

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #16 on: February 26, 2009, 04:34:24 AM »
Build a wood fire and lay the bucket on it's side on it. The lead will just run out on the ground. Wait for it to cool. It will be very dirty, but then you can chop it up and get it into a pot and it will clean up easily. In fact the ashes that will be mixed in will be built in flux.

build  the wood fire on sheet metal roofing oup side down
with  the block  of lead on  top
elevated  and slightly sloped
the  molten lead will run out the grooves  in  the metel roofing
like a water faucet
use another sheet of metal  upside down  to make 4 foot engats in  the grooves
have a few sheets of metal  and as many engot moulds  reatr to fill

i  like the log spliter  idea  too
when drugs are outlawed only out laws will have drugs
DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO STOP A DEMOCRAT
OBAMACARE....the biggest tax hike in the  history of mankind
free choice and equality  can't co-exist
AFTER THE LIBYAN COVER-UP... remind any  democrat voters ''they sat and  watched them die''...they  told help to ''stand down''

many statements made here are fiction and are for entertainment purposes only and are in no way to be construed as a description of actual events.
no one is encouraged to do anything dangerous or break any laws.

Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #17 on: February 26, 2009, 04:48:14 AM »
use a hammer and chisel to cut off what you want . a good wood chisel works great . if you have a hammer drill with a chisel bit more the better .
If ya can see it ya can hit it !

Offline 45-70.gov

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #18 on: February 26, 2009, 04:57:21 AM »
the sharp  wood chisel  is probly the best and cheapest

just take  little peices small enought to fit the pot

just bring  it over  i have several hammers and chisels
when drugs are outlawed only out laws will have drugs
DO WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO STOP A DEMOCRAT
OBAMACARE....the biggest tax hike in the  history of mankind
free choice and equality  can't co-exist
AFTER THE LIBYAN COVER-UP... remind any  democrat voters ''they sat and  watched them die''...they  told help to ''stand down''

many statements made here are fiction and are for entertainment purposes only and are in no way to be construed as a description of actual events.
no one is encouraged to do anything dangerous or break any laws.

Offline gypsyman

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #19 on: February 26, 2009, 09:01:16 AM »
Somewhere, I read that when melting lead, keep it under I believe 900 degrees, and very little lead fumes. I havn't melted a chunk that big, but if you could get over a wood fire, with a piece of channel iron under it, you could direct the melted lead into smaller containers. 3 or 4 cheap cup cake tins held with vise grips and heavy welding gloves on would probably do the trick. gypsyman
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Offline 30-30man

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #20 on: February 26, 2009, 11:03:06 AM »
The log splitter worked.  I never thought of that.  I've got about six 100lb blocks now..  I had to cut the bucket up with a pair of cable cutters.  I think I may start making some fishing weights.  I may offer some up on the Pay it Forward section.  Keep looking...

Offline mechanic

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #21 on: February 26, 2009, 11:56:37 AM »
Thought I would look up some of my old notes and list some data on lead.  Lead is much in the news today, and I believe much of it is hype.  We endanger ourselves just by living, and we are all going to die. Having said that, we don't want to be stupid and shorten whatever time we are allotted.  So, here are some facts for you to use to make  judgements from.

Lead melts at approximately 620degrees F.  This will vary of course dependent on elevation and atmospheric pressure, but not by much.  Lead boil or vaporizes at 5173 degrees F.  The quickest way to get any substance into you body short of injecting it into a vein, is to inhale it.

Put this into perspective.  A Lyman lead pot is adjustable from 200 - 1000 degrees F., well below the vaporization point of lead.

However an oxy-acetelene torch reachs over 6000 degrees.  Many kilns and forges also exceed the vaporization point of lead.  If you use the tools designed for the job, you run little risk of inhaling lead vapor.  To absorb measureable amounts of lead through the skin would require long term and constant exposure.  Therefore, use leather gloves, don't eat or smoke while handling or smelting lead.

Almost all of us have heard of, or perhaps know someone who has a bullet in their body that cannot safely be removed.  Therefore the Doc's leave it there.  My Dad carried one all his life as a result of WWII.  Why don't these people die of lead poisoning?

So, here are the rules taught to me by those who are supposed to know:

1.) Ventilate the work area, with the air flow pulling any possible vapor away from you.
2.)  Wear protective clothing and eye protection.  One little drop of water in molten lead will cause it to "explode" everywhere.  I once had this happen, and it looked like I had the measles where my skin was exposed.  If I had not had face protection, (a shield), I might have been in serious trouble.  Long sleeve cotton shirts, long pant, gloves, face shield, ventilation.  Thats what you need.

3.) After handling lead, wash your hands before eating or smoking, etc.

4.)  Don't overheat the lead.  You can heat lead with an electric hot plate, a propane burner, (capable of 3000 - 3500 degrees), and below vaporiztion point.  Do not use an acetelene rig.....too hot.  As noted above, a lead pot made for that purpose is ideal.

I use up hundreds of pounds of lead every year, get tested annually, and my lead level is alway well below the point of concern...actually unmeasureable.

Old ceramics used a lead glaze, now outlawed.  Gasoline used lead as a valve lubricant and anti - knock additive, now outlawed.  We were in far greater danger from these sources.

There are medications that will hasten the body to remove lead.  It will deal with minute amounts on it's own.  We are in contact with minute amounts of lead every time we plant a flower, or eat a vegetable, its in the soil everywhere on earth, but normally in tiny amounts that are almost unmeasureable.

Work safe and have fun.

Ben
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Offline SHOOTALL

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #22 on: February 27, 2009, 07:23:40 AM »
hum , log spliter , oh well didn't say how big of a wood chisel to use !
that was a great idea the log spliter
If ya can see it ya can hit it !

Offline no guns here

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #23 on: March 11, 2009, 11:44:09 PM »
Dang... I just found the thread and my first thought was to cut the drum off and use a sledge and wedges to break off large chunks.  Wish I had that problem though...


ngh
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Offline jdtuck

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Re: Need a way to cut huge 600lb block of lead
« Reply #24 on: July 31, 2009, 02:54:42 AM »
The way the lead gets in the body is the deal. Bullets are so hot that they pretty much sterlize them selfs thus little to none infection. The body just builds up scar tissue around them and that type of tissue does not readly absorb or transfer matter, compared to say lung tissue where its main purpose is to transfer matter IE: gas molecules. You are correct in protecting yourself when working with lead and using common sense you should be fine. Welding without ventilation or handling lead without protection can get you in trouble. I work in a doctors office and we test for heavy metal poisioning and find lead but more so mercury in folks, fish is a biggy there. The way to remove it from the body is IV Chelation Therapy. It takes time but is worth it. Just a FYI for those who might show up toxic with heavey metals.
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