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Offline Gun142

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« on: December 12, 2002, 05:54:42 PM »
I have 30+ bars of lead about as hard as wheel weights. Problem is, I don't have anything they'll fit into for melting to make ingots or bullets.

Tried a hacksaw but it clogged the teeth.
I have a circular saw and a 4 1\2" grinder but that might make more dust than I care to be exposed to.
Thought a band saw would cut them but I don't have access to one.

Would a Sawzall work? What kind of blade?

A friend told me to break the bars but it's more work than it's worth and not going so well - even after scoring them.
Since the bars are clean and ready to cast, I'm hoping to cut them just small enough to go right into the furnace.

TIA for any for any advice.
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Online Lloyd Smale

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2002, 10:53:38 PM »
I use a hand held propane torch my cutting torch works better but its a pain to drag out.
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Offline deerhunter

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #2 on: December 13, 2002, 02:53:04 AM »
I agree with jpaulghetto.  I have one of those $5 shatchets that are made in China.  It is a hatchet with a hammer on the opposite side of the axe blade, and a prybar top.  I use a 3lb sledge to hammer this thru lead pipe and ingots to put into my casting pot.  Make sure you wear good shop glasses incase the hammer chips.
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Offline KING

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #3 on: December 13, 2002, 04:57:32 AM »
:D I use a single bit axe and a hard oak stump.  Works real well fer cutting em into small pieces fer the fernace.  I also use a lead thermometer for the post.  Im casting a lot of long .45 BPCR slugs so I cast a tabout 750 degrees.  That way the lead is hot enugh to fill all of the grooves.  I also use a diper instead of a bottom pour type.  The larger slugs need all the lead u can get into em to make a good fill out.   King
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Offline Steve P

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #4 on: December 13, 2002, 07:35:29 AM »
You really shouldn't cut them up that way.  Think of the noise your neighbors will complain about.    Just send them to me.  I have a big pot I picked up at the local Goodwill store.  That lead will fit in it just fine!! :)

Steve :wink:
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Offline diddy

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cutting bars of Lead
« Reply #5 on: December 15, 2002, 03:05:30 AM »
If its pure lead I have had very good luck using a chainsaw.Split open a large cardboard box and lay it flat to catch the shavings.Put a 4x4 or 6x6 block of wood at the edge of the cardboard, and sit the 100 lb. bar of lead on it.Sit the saw bar close to the saw engine as you can. Dont use the tip of the saw bar.
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Offline HoCoMDHunter

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #6 on: December 16, 2002, 03:30:21 PM »
I have successfully cut lead w/ a sawzall.  I honestly can't remember which blade I was using but I think it was a wood type blade and I had to stop from time to time to clean the teath.  If you go too fast you will melt the lead rather than cut it, fouling the blades more often.
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Offline TexasMac

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #7 on: December 16, 2002, 08:06:32 PM »
I've found an easy way is to use a standard "skill" saw (read powered carpenter saw) with the blade reversed.  Just flip the blade over and the teeth will not plug up.  Works great.
Wayne
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Offline rickyp

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #8 on: December 18, 2002, 04:20:39 PM »
why not go to wal mart and get one of the $45 turkey frying pot and burner. once you put a block in and it is melted down just pour  it in the molds
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Offline Louis Farrugia

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Re: Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #9 on: February 22, 2004, 03:08:03 AM »
HI GUN 142
I CUT MY SLUGS FOR MY SWAGER WHIT A GARDEN SCISSOR THEY HAVE A SHARP BLADE AND CUT CLEAN AND EXACT. DEPENDS HOW BIG IN DAIAMETER IS YOUR LEAD HOPE THIS WILL HELP.

LOUIS






Quote from: Gun142
I have 30+ bars of lead about as hard as wheel weights. Problem is, I don't have anything they'll fit into for melting to make ingots or bullets.

Tried a hacksaw but it clogged the teeth.
I have a circular saw and a 4 1\2" grinder but that might make more dust than I care to be exposed to.
Thought a band saw would cut them but I don't have access to one.

Would a Sawzall work? What kind of blade?

A friend told me to break the bars but it's more work than it's worth and not going so well - even after scoring them.
Since the bars are clean and ready to cast, I'm hoping to cut them just small enough to go right into the furnace.

TIA for any for any advice.
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Offline sundog

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2004, 04:12:25 AM »
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Offline jhalcott

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #11 on: February 23, 2004, 07:32:44 AM »
I sure regret NOT making one of those MOAS before I retired.Dang hindsight IS better than fore sight!  jh
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Offline Paul McC

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Cutting Lead Bars
« Reply #12 on: February 24, 2004, 10:30:06 AM »
G'day Gun142,

I also had the same problem with lead, linotype bars purchased from a printer who had stopped using the letterpress printing process. That was until I decided to try the method used in the "type casting" machines.

The bar of linotype (about 3"x2"x2 foot long. approx. 35lb. They even have a hole cast in one end) is suspended above the melting and lowered in a little at a time as it is needed. The type casting machines had a dedicated mini chain block system, I just used a rope from the roof of my shed.

The only problem is that introducing too much new metal to my 20lb electric pot meant a long time to get back up to temperature. I usually used the same process but in a larger, gas fired pot and blended my favorite mix at the same time. If you are doing a lot of casting, it is quicker to have the two pots on melt and top up your casting pot from the other.

Lots of luck, Paul.
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Offline ButlerFord45

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #13 on: February 24, 2004, 11:05:46 AM »
TexasMac's way will work without problem. I have used the reversed blade in a skill saw to cut sheet steel.  It won't fill the teath of the saw this way.  It seems the cheaper the blade, the better it works.
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Offline 50 Calshtr

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #14 on: February 27, 2004, 07:55:16 AM »
I had the same problem with some 4" square bars about 18" long but finally settled on an old bone saw blade in a bow saw.  Cuts well without the teeth clogging and doesn't waste a lot of lead.
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Offline Cactus Cris

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #15 on: February 27, 2004, 02:43:18 PM »
I got access to a 150" band saw that I use to cut any big bars of lead.  The plumbers lead that I get is already small and I melt with a torch  using Mapp gas.  Hotter than propane.  The wheel wts. I melt in a plumber pot that sits on top of a 20# propane bottle.  Noisy though. :roll:
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Offline Leftoverdj

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Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #16 on: February 27, 2004, 04:21:36 PM »
I've cut some lead with a splitting maul.  If they are no bigger than 3"x3" and hard as WW, a couple of whacks on opposite sides oughta give big enough scores to make breaking off easy.

I sure would not take a cutting torch to them. Lead vapor scares me.

Something that would work out be a length of scrap pipe over a turkey fryer. Rig one end of the pipe higher than the other  and run a bolt for a stop though the side. Slide a bar into the pipe and catch the runoff in ingot moulds. You could just keep sliding bars in until you got tired.
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