« previous next »
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Cutting Bars of Lead  (Read 2295 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Gun142

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8
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.
Logged

Online Lloyd Smale

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (32)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 18172
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.
Logged
blue lives matter

Offline deerhunter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 200
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.
Logged

Offline KING

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • A Real Regular
  • ****
  • Posts: 632
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
Logged
THE ONLY FEMALE THAT I TRUST IS A LABRADOR.......AND SHE DONT SNOORE,AND DONT COMPLAIN ABOUT MY COOKING...THE ONLY GODS THAT EXIST ARE THOSE THAT HAVE ONE IN THE CHAMBER,AND 19 IN THE MAG.......

Offline Steve P

  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1733
  • Gender: Male
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:
Logged
"Life is a play before an audience of One.  When your play is over, will your audience stand and applaude, or stay seated and cry?"  SP 2002

Offline diddy

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 35
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.
Logged

Offline HoCoMDHunter

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 118
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.
Logged
Doin' my best to keep up with Maryland's one handgun a month law.

Offline TexasMac

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 420
  • Gender: Male
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
Logged
NRA Life (Benefactor & President's Council) Member, TSRA Life Member, NSSF Member
http://www.texas-mac.com
As Warren Miller once said "Don't take life seriously because you can't come out of it alive."

Offline rickyp

  • Trade Count: (19)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 3052
  • Gender: Male
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
Logged

Offline Louis Farrugia

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 48
    • http://www.dolphinforge.com
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.
Logged

Offline sundog

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13
Cutting Bars of Lead
« Reply #10 on: February 22, 2004, 04:12:25 AM »
Logged
safety first

Offline jhalcott

  • Trade Count: (1)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1869
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
Logged

Offline Paul McC

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13
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.
Logged

Offline ButlerFord45

  • Moderators
  • Trade Count: (10)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1992
  • Gender: Male
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.
Logged
Butler Ford
He who does not punish evil, commands it to be done.-Leonardo da Vinci
An armed society is a polite society-Robert A. Heinlein
Only the dead have seen the end of war- Plato
Lord, make my words as sweet as honey
tomorrow I may have to eat them- A lady's sweatshirt

Offline 50 Calshtr

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Avid Poster
  • **
  • Posts: 134
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.
Logged

Offline Cactus Cris

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 91
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:
Logged
Cactus Cris  SASS 2790  Darkside Posse, Cart maker, Corral Keeper, Gpa of 6

Offline Leftoverdj

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1398
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.
Logged
It is the duty of the good citizen to love his country and hate his gubmint.
Pages: [1]   Go Up
« previous next »