Roof flashing lead

[mechanic]

I was passing by a place where they were re-roofing a very old house, and noticed what looked like lead sheets in the street side trash.  I stopped and asked and was given the lead that once flashed several chimneys and vents.  Altogether about 120# worth.  I smelted a small batch to check it, and other than being dirty, it's probably  the purest lead I've had.  Very soft and can be easily scratched with a finger nail.  Ought to make some nice muzzle loader bullets.

Now I've got a new source to watch for.  This roofing fella' took my number, and I told him I would buy any other he came upon.

Any of you use this sheet lead?

Ben

[.22-5-40]

Hello, mechanic.  Yes, I too have scrounged old sheet lead, as well as old lead plumbing pipe..I agree, it scratches easy...However..there sometimes is a suprise waiting when it is re-melted & cast.  Most of the lead pipe was extruded thru dies, while the sheet lead was rolled.  Now with most metals..steel, brass, copper, etc. when you hammer or roll it..it becomes harder.."work hardened".  Not so with lead..it becomes softer!  So that "soft" sheet lead you have just might contain some tin and antimony..not to worry though..for most bullet use it should be just fine.

[45-70.gov]

i have  used the pipe flashing from roofs alot

mostly old plumbing

my biggest find was a shower pan  from a triple crew shower

also was given lead from some one remodeling a dendist office [x-ray shield]

thanks for reminding me to talk to some roofer friends

[Higene]

I too ran across some flashing lead. When smelting it I got a bronze or rust colored film when I left it in the melting pot. I spooned it off and kept on casting. The bullets came out good and could still be scratched with my fingernail.

My question is which metals separate and float and which stay bonded?

I know for wheel weights all metal clips and stuff float but the lead stays semi-hard (I assume because of the tin or antimony content).

Higene

[Northern Flatlander]

From my end;

I did a relative-density check on a small batch of 32# of roofing-lead after casting.

It registered at;     98.8% Lead   Air cooled-2wk.'s
LBT  BHN tested at;  6.88

FWIW

Dwayner

[Darrell Davis]

It happens if your at the right place at the right time!
I was working for Washington State University grounds shop a number of years back, and happened to be mowing the track in-field when the old skylight windows on the field house were being replaced with new and high tech Pella panels.
As I mowed my way around the in field, I, being a scroundger of things copper or lead, saw what looked like a pile of lead in the contractor area.
There happened to be one of the contractors on the ground at that time, and I ask him if the "stuff" was what I thought it was.
He ask what I thought it was, to which I answered, "lead."
It was, and I ask if anyone had spoken for it, nothing ventured, nothing gained I guess, and his reply was, "take all you want, eat all you take."
The lead was wrapped around "Tee" steel bars in which the glass had been seated.
A friend and I hauled off the lead/steel over the next few days, and it turned out to be over 5 tons of dirty but almost pure lead.
The scrap value was so low that it was not worth the contractor's time to haul the lead and steel the 40 - 45 miles to the nearest scrap dealer, so they were glad to get rid of the waste material.
We stripped the lead off the steel and my friend found a fellow in the process of building a fence to buy the tee steel
The lead was sold here and there, a dump truck load went to a Montana boolit maker and I guess my friend still has some stashed away.
Pays to keep your eyes open!
Keep em coming!
Crusty Deary Ol'Coot