Melting & Processing 500+ Pounds of Lead Into Ingots

[@Ford360CID]

gentlemen all i can say is "WOW' your video just made me glad im a bullet caster and you guys went far and beyond, by separating all your lead by type and organizing very professionally done, i can watch it over and over like a good movie "bravo" gentlemen.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks! I appreciate those kind words. Being a bullet caster means "inexpensive freedom!"

[@Ford360CID]

now if i can only make my own gasoline LOL .

[@FullLeadTaco]

Or convert a truck to run on wood.

[@FortuneCookie45LC]

Hey Mike and Evan..!! Second time I've seen this one, and I enjoyed it as much as the first time... Now the ongoing fun of casting bullets and shooting the same.. Congrats Steve

[@charlesirby9222]

How satisfying it is to step back and admire your stash when the work is 'almost' over...I enjoy making ingots just as much as I do casting, it's a job of work but the dividends are awesome. Aren't you amazed at how well the sawdust does in stirring all that Sn and Sb back into the melt...it virtually disappears. I wish I had known that you had all that type metal in that form, I've been wanting to get a few of the letters to keep as historical artifacts as that industry is virtually gone now. Oh well...one of these days I'll score some. This was an awesome video for the fellas that have been reluctant to get into smelting, it ain't that big-O-deal once you've seen a good instructional video like this one . . . great job Mike . . . now it's time to organize and stack all that precious stuff in the shop somewhere! I hope that you've found that computer program by 'BUMPO' over at CastBoolits that allows you to prefigure all the weights of various leads because your gonna have a good time blending this further for use in the pour pot for specific platforms & especially the lo-pressure pistol/revolver Hollow Points. The fun has just begun... c h a r l i e

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yeah, there is something very satisfying about standing back and admiring a bunch of shiny new ingots after a day's worth of good ol' hard work. FYI, let me know what letters you are looking for and I can keep my eyes peeled for them. Another funny thing--how heavy a 5 gallon bucket can be when it's full of ingots. Just gotta slide them around--no lifting ha ha. And yes, that handy little spreadsheet from Bumpo is great. I did a video on that about a year ago--talking about lead alloy calculations.

[@michaelgronski6122]

Nice video. That sheet lead is used anywhere there is radiation from x-rays, chemo, or other radioactive rays. As a plumber, I was working in a hospital that all it did was cancer treatment. The lead was in most every room and it is glued to sheet rock.Both carpenters and plumbers worked together in it's installation since "PLUMBUS or PLUMBER" means worker of lead. Just a little FYI.

[@spyveemcspyvo5619]

From the old days where the would solder cast iron with lead?

[@johnc6738]

I used to go to tire shop and get the old lead wheel weights. They stopped selling the weights due to EPA restrictions. Now it is getting hard to find lead to cast with. Having to buy a good bit commercially.

[@FullLeadTaco]

yeah, i used to ask em about the wheel weights every time i took my vehicles in to get new tires, or get the rotated/balanced... Not much there anymore.

[@nycreloader]

Lead Ingot making day, one of my favorite days. I like your process and the variety of your lead. Most people don’t understand how often it varies so much and how we have to sort it.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Very true my friend! Got lots of options for future mixing and bullet making!

[@enyaw1212]

@@FullLeadTaco with all the different molds you have you should use dedicated mold types for different leads. I use large muffin tins for my range scrap, small muffin tins for wheel weights, and 1lb ignot molds for my finished casting alloy. helps to keep better track of what you got without having to worry about getting them mixed up.

[@FullLeadTaco]

@@enyaw1212 yeah, keeping order with what you have is important. I keep my ingots in labeled buckets so I know which alloy is which.

[@ToadleyBrowne]

Next: Taco and Evan cast a 500 pound cannon ball and launch it into to side of a hill. This video was a great way to start the day.

[@FullLeadTaco]

ha ha, now that would be something, eh?

[@ZeliardFTW]

That would be pretty cool! Just don't lose the cannonball! haha. Oh guess you have to get a cannon or forge one yourself first!

[@agvulpine]

I'd click like and subscribe on that video!

[@EagleEyeShooting]

The sounds of lead... could be a haiku! This was very relaxing and satisfying to watch brother!. Great stuff!

[@FullLeadTaco]

thanks man, how goes the tacopocalypse? Mike Treen and a couple others just finished their videos.

[@showproja]

Yes! I'm frequently amazed at how submersed I get in the process. Very therapeutic.

[@jimv.661]

Always fun to melt lead. Satisfying video! I still have 16 5 gallon buckets of range lead, and 22 buckets of wheel weights to go. Have used 1/2, 1, and muffin molds, but sure like the idea of your 4 lb mold.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yes, very satisfying when you are done and have a nice stack of ingots.

[@DHS956]

I am just getting started collecting range led for casting bullets .

[@FullLeadTaco]

let me know if you have questions. You can also check out my "ammo videos" playlist

[@Mad.Man.Marine]

Now. What is the point? I mean besides the sheet. I get the sheet being melted down to two up less space. But why

[@FullLeadTaco]

In the process of melting into ingots, I get all the junk and impurities out of the lead. Then later on, I can take the ingots and mix them as I want to get the desired alloy properties to then make bullets or fishing sinkers or whatever.

[@Ford360CID]

taco can you ask evan if his cast iron dutch oven has the self basting lid marked 101/4 and 8 and the bottom reads 8 DO made in the USA D, if so it is the pre-1964 lodge dutch oven, this is the same one i bought at the flea mkt for 20$ now i need to find a turkey gas grill at a cheap price, thanks again.i was watching your 50 alaskan videos and i see snow in that BLM land your at and it was 82* here in the bay area today.

[@FullLeadTaco]

I notified evan about your question, hopefully he can get back with me or post an answer.

[@FullLeadTaco]

He said yes to your question about the Dutch oven.

[@hdickmann1]

Thank you guys 👍🏻😃🍀

[@FullLeadTaco]

you're quite welcome!

[@steelpunisher6944]

Wow Taco! That's a nice haul! That will equal a whole lot of smiles in the future. I got 75lbs of roof vents the other day that I'm gonna melt tonight. I'm gonna have to make the "Evan" scoop too. Looks like it worked well. Awesome video my friend.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yeah, hey you should get out and shoot a smiley for the tacopocalypse giveaway. Still have until October 14

[@fuzztfork8]

Been doing this for 41 years; it never gets old or boring.. You might want to patent the sounds, great hardness tester..

[@FullLeadTaco]

Ha ha, yeah man, it is always relaxing (but lots of work) to make ingots out of scrap. Very satisfying and fulfilling when you accomplish a big job. I wish I had better musical talent--if I did, I could take those lead bar sounds and make a song.

[@gruntspy44]

I want him to talk more about what alloy he will use for what

[@FullLeadTaco]

I usually mix them in ratios when it is time to cast the bullets (like one part hard with three parts soft or whatever ratio I am using). I try to remember to mention in my videos what ratio/alloy I am using, but I sometimes forget.

[@georgeallman8372]

How much does a pound of led sell for in British money

[@FullLeadTaco]

A pound for a pound? Just kidding, not really sure how much lead costs in England.

[@doneown503]

I have lead that is used to balance the tires, a LOT of them . What is best way to separate lead from metal rim clip?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Lead is softer, you can get some cutters and bite down on the metals. The soft ones will probably be lead. Ones marked with a Z are usually zinc. The magnetic ones are steel, and the Others are usually aluminum (hard but not magnetic and have AL markings. When melting them, be sure not to contaminate the lead with zinc.

[@mikehalfmoonmullins404]

Great video , always wanted to do my own reloads but im always worried I'm gonna screw it up

[@FullLeadTaco]

I was worried too when I first got into reloading. It isn't a difficult thing to do, just requires your full attention--and some care.

[@timothyfarmer7255]

The hard lead as you called it may have a lot of zinc in it and it will not come out

[@FullLeadTaco]

No, the hard lead is printing press lead, a mix of monotype, linotype, and foundrytype. It has high amounts of tin and antimony, but not zinc

[@archersfriend]

Lot of lead to send down range this fall and winter.

[@FullLeadTaco]

yup, getting ready to do some big bullet casting this fall/winter!

[@ElectricianTS]

In the industry, they say there are two types of lead, one more expensive, the other, cheaper. What's the lead difference, and the value difference?

[@FullLeadTaco]

there are several different types of lead alloys. Usually you have harder alloys which are worth more like the printing press lead (linotype, foundrytype, monotype) which are worth roughly 2-3$ per pound... and the soft stuff like xray lead, pure soft stuff, which is closer to somewhere around 1-2$ per pound. The harder stuff has higher content of tin and antimony and less lead.

[@dornois]

Hello I liked your video I am new to this field and I have seen some video where the world uses wax but I would like to know what and the powder you also add to clean it Thanks

[@FullLeadTaco]

I use wax and/or sawdust. Regular old sawdust.

[@ratchetman]

The talk of the DI Must put you in Utah? Great video. Thanks for sharing!

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yup located in Utah! And thanks for watching!

[@FullLeadTaco]

Oh cool I'm just in Provo

[@DIRTYBIRD801]

I was wondering that as well! Lol. That's awesome I'm in Springville! Nice vid

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks man!

[@TATVCanada]

That is an incredible pile of lead... When you going to visit Ontario and process the 2,000lbs of wheel weights I've got sitting here...

[@FullLeadTaco]

uhhhh buy me a ticket? ha ha ha!

[@bassamahmad1927]

I just melted a couple hundred pounds of ww lead the other day and still enjoyed watching you do it. That's a baby T-1000's diaper @ 7:32. BTW my typset lead get's that purple sheen sometimes too, maybe from getting too hot?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks man, not sure why it gets that purple color.

[@sashasoule4585]

Anyone have some precautions for a new caster. Or smelter in general. How bad is this lungwise? Am I gonna need chelation therapy if I do something wrong here lol.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Avoid eating while casting, wash hands really well (cold water first), keep your lead temperatures low(ish) so that the lead melts but doesn't boil, etc... I also get a blood lead test done at my yearly physical exam.

[@sashasoule4585]

Full.Lead.Taco Super cool that you responded. How are your levels? Have you ever seen spikes? If you don’t mind my asking. Also what do you think about particulate filters, when would that be necessary, or say a gas filter.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Lead levels always come back as normal.

[@FullLeadTaco]

I wear a respirator when there is lots of smoke from the other crap, not from the lead.

[@georgiaboy4410]

Mega Smelt! Great job👍🏻 Good job with the spoon Evan👍🏻🇺🇸🥄

[@FullLeadTaco]

yeah, we were both surprised how well that leaky spoon full of holes worked.

[@fuzztfork8]

GEORGIABOY, THEY WILL BE SURPRIZED WHEN WE TRAVEL TO UTAH---for our cut

[@georgiaboy4410]

fuzztfork8. Whatcha think fuzz, 30%? Haha 🤣😂

[@fuzztfork8]

Yep, comes out about 155 pounds

[@FullLeadTaco]

:O

[@GunFunZS]

The stuff at 7:36 or so looks almost like what you get with zinc contamination, but for the pretty colors.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yeah man, that really hard stuff melts and cools much differently than the softer stuff.

[@walksfletcher]

I set my ingot molds on the cold concrete to harden up. Goes much faster, also lay the ingot molds across 2 clay bricks. They cool faster, but are still warm enough to form clean looking ingots. I use the OLD manufacturers ingot molds : OHAUS, LYMAN, SAECO, RCBS, THE blank LACHMILLER to differentiate between alloys: LYMAN = #2, OHAUS = Linotype, SAECO = 20-1 and so on. The Lodge cast iron scone pan triangles are range lead.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yeah, I usually end up making ingots in the summer... And the concrete is hotttttttt! But yeah, I can see how that would help the cooling. The moist towel trick seems to work well too.

[@nagazinafireworks7594]

what lead would you say is best to make #8 bird or clay bird shot? thanks

[@FullLeadTaco]

Need more antimony in bird shot, like a bhn hardness of 20ish or more

[@Thorsaxe777]

Wow. awesome. You should make a bullet trap so you can reclaim your material. That's what I would do. You really have it down pat in the lead business. I wish I had a source of material like you do. Dave.

[@FullLeadTaco]

My uncle has a counter balance weight he believes is lead. Still trying to figure out how to get it to me, ha ha--it's a big one! Funny thing is that I do have a bullet trap, but I mostly shoot steel targets, so the lead splats and flattens...

[@Ray-ro2jj]

Where’s one get the 2lb flat bar mold ?

[@Ray-ro2jj]

Found it lol 👍

[@FullLeadTaco]

@@Ray-ro2jj the NOE ingot molds are a bit on the expensive side, but they last forever and are super high quality.

[@fredmeebley]

Nice work, you are very lucky to find all that scrap. It is not so easy to find these days.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yeah, I always spread the word to everyone I know that I'm always looking for lead. Sometimes other people come to me because they hear that I'm looking and they find the lead for me.

[@jimkoonce6574]

I've got a 55 gal drum of wheel weights I need to get started on, inspiration!

[@FullLeadTaco]

get to it! ha ha ha

[@treedemon133]

i'll help

[@shades32uk]

Thanks for the informative video guys, I prefer to cast ingots prior to making batches of fishing weights here in the UK. I think you call them sinkers in the US. I find it far easier to have the pure product for use in my Lee melting pot. I will definitely be copying the ladle tool with the holes drilled ...

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment, I appreciate it

[@DrWatchHD]

is this X-RAYprotection radioactive? I think they should be processed in different way

[@FullLeadTaco]

Not radioactive and totally safe to process this way

[@timothyruggles7396]

Can you cast it hard enuff not to use a gas check

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yes, but it all depends on what you are using them for. Like what velocities and pressures you are pushing them.

[@caltick]

@@FullLeadTaco powder coat the bullets to prevent leading.

[@FullLeadTaco]

I use powder coat almost all of the time

[@sparky8455]

How much is a single pound of lead worth?

[@FullLeadTaco]

changes over time, but the soft lead is worth somewhere around $1.00-$1.50ish, the printing press lead is worth somewhere between $2.00-$2.50ish

[@pareloader5989]

I think that that one pot that was like paste is zinc contamination

[@FullLeadTaco]

Nope, just needed to get it a little hotter and flux--it is a high tin/antimony content alloy so it behaves a little differently but it definitely wasn't zinc contamination

[@pareloader5989]

@@FullLeadTaco I had a batch of lead that looked just like that. I thought that it was zinc contamination. But maybe I should have gotten it hotter?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Raising the heat and fluxing, and if that foamy oatmealy stuff keeps forming at the top, then it usually means zinc.

[@NivTSP]

show how to refine car battery lead that has oxide and sulfur

[@FullLeadTaco]

Nah, I won't touch that stuff. You can get really messed up if you do it wrong.

[@NivTSP]

@@FullLeadTaco why, you just have to use soda ash, charcoal, and iron

[@chuckfinley3152]

The copper can alloy with the lead adding some hardness, i dont know how hot you have to get it

[@FullLeadTaco]

I think you alloy copper in chemically.

[@chuckfinley3152]

Full.Lead.Taco worth looming into, looks like it does wonders according to the cast boolits crowd

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yeah for sure. There is a thread on the NOE forums where a few guys are talking about it.

[@bogomir67]

Is this radiation shielding lead-alloy suitable for casting bullets?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Pure lead is great for muzzleloaders, but for modern guns you have to make it harder by adding tin and antimony.

[@borktown]

What a beautiful sight.

[@FullLeadTaco]

amazing how fast you go through it when you shoot big bore calibers though, ha ha

[@reloadingwithjohnnyray-bac8775]

Great video

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks

[@rickylangley8690]

Great video question can you ues a piece of pvc pipe to make a round stock of brass or would it be to hot

[@FullLeadTaco]

Not really sure. I haven't done much brass melting if that is what you are talking about. It would probably be too hot.

[@bloopbloop5663]

Definitely to hot

[@pareloader5989]

Do you know if country boy prepper is still making videos? Great channel . Thank you for your information.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks man, appreciate it. I don't think he is still making videos these days.

[@AreThereNoMoreNames]

Jeez, here I'm thinking I'm doing good with wheel weights, but it pales in comparison to what you've got going on, very nice!

[@FullLeadTaco]

Ha ha, gotta feed the guns!

[@brucewhite9657]

I am now a new subscriber. Good video guys. I do like that purple tinted ones. You should get bullet molds and cast bullets and other stuff. Great job, again guys!🤘🇺🇸🇺🇸🤘

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks for subscribing. Casting bullets is what I do--youtube has deleted 28 of my instructional casting videos so far, but you can find most of them on thereloadersnetwork.com under my posts.

[@brucewhite9657]

@@FullLeadTaco I will be sure to check them out. Thanx loads (lol, get it)

[@skipallen3309]

Great video guys, thanks!

[@FullLeadTaco]

thanks for watching skip!

[@showproja]

Last week, I got 513lb of ingot from 568lb of scrap lead. It included X-ray room sheeting, roofing, plumbing and other types. I melt indoors on an electric cooktop in an iron kettle. I have a vent hood mounted horizontally in my window, inches from my cooktop. I never smell the fumes. The best way to cut that sheeting up is with a circular saw. I cut four or more layers at a time like butter. The profits are obscene right now.

[@FullLeadTaco]

I've just put together a big melter out of a propane cylinder cut in half (from a fork lift). I need to do a video on that sometime.

[@showproja]

@@FullLeadTaco That will make a great "POURNO!"

[@warrenlanham9088]

The question i keep asking myself as i watch this video is..... why?.... why melt down so much lead into ingots? Other than having material for DIY bullet making is there any other uses for it?

[@FullLeadTaco]

you make it into ingots to use at a later time. You can make fishing weights, jigs, bullets, etc...

[@timf7813]

I'm guessing all that is like 100 bucks?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Probably worth closer to $500-750ish

[@FullLeadTaco]

Depends if you're talking about selling it to a recycler or selling for bullet use. Recyclers always pay less, but if I were to buy it, I'd pay between $1.50-$2.00 per pound.

[@timf7813]

@@FullLeadTaco oh ok. That makes it worth it for sure :)

[@stephenvipperman5780]

Excuse my ignorance, but why cast ingots first? Why not just cast the bullets?

[@FullLeadTaco]

because of alloys--mixing metals. Different lead alloys have different properties, for example, the hard alloys (printing press lead) is very brittle and hard. I mix that stuff with the softer, more pure, alloys to get a good mix of hardness and proper fillout of the molds. Casting ingots first, and marking them by alloy type, allows you to easily mix your metals to gain the properties you seek. Also, you usually want to keep the bottom pour pots clean so you don't get junk built up on the sides and clog up the spout.

[@jmm1233]

Lead is too soft and brittle on its own , lead crumble like dried clay when in contact with small amount of moisture , they used to make lead balls for muskets , and they were seen as unreliable as they shatter in the barrel chamber

[@scottterry1659]

while i have done this before never on this scale usually 50 lbs at a time i will do wheel weights or lead , I use muffin pans for lead thus I can not mix them up. never floss though

[@FullLeadTaco]

Never floss? That can be detrimental to your dental hygiene and is not recommended. J/K I assume you mean flux? After I process the lead into ingots they go into labeled buckets by alloy type.

[@scottterry1659]

@@FullLeadTaco funny

[@tomtamblyn1149]

Marvellux , great stuff!! Try it. Great video, the hard bullets will shoot into the same hole all day! Only thing is you need to mold them at a higher temperature ..the bases should be like mirrors when they are cut..

[@chrisavila2073]

The blue &purple is tin

[@BHuij1992]

Hey man, I'm looking to get a setup put together like yours using a dutch oven and HF weed torch. My hot plate and frying pan aren't keeping up anymore ;) Struck out at DI a few times on the dutch oven, so I started looking on KSL/Craigslist. I can find a really cheap one but it's enameled. Any reasons an enameled one wouldn't work?

[@johnmorgan2099]

Going to try 12ga slug today for the first. And a bunch of 9mm. Keep up the good fight brother

[@FullLeadTaco]

12 g slugs, someday I need to get into shotguns a bit more

[@puzzlepuzzlepuzzle760]

Are you not worried about splashes when the molds are not pre-heated?

[@FullLeadTaco]

When the ingot molds are not preheated before pouring ingots, it just makes the ingots solidify faster. The ingots might have wrinkles and stuff, but the lead doesn't splash or anything.

[@beachboardfan9544]

You ever take a crack at swaging? I'd love to load some 720 grain (cast lead) .458 in my 45-70 (subsonic) but they're too long to run in my lever gun, I was wondering if I could swag them to make them shorter but retain the weight and .458 width?

[@FullLeadTaco]

I've not gotten into swaging, YET... but I think I will at some point. As far as shooting really heavy bullets in the 45-70, I am going to try the 600gr MOAB bullet in my levergun at some point. Probably this winter--I hope to have time to do it.

[@beachboardfan9544]

Nice, I was just checking out the hollow point NOE die, 550 grain of that same bullet. I'm back and forth with casting and swaging, cant decide what I want to sink my money into...

[@FullLeadTaco]

casting is cheaper to get into and pays for itself pretty quickly (especially with the large bullets).

[@jonathanl2748]

I’m a bit late to this video, but are concerned much about bullet hardness since you have such a collection of soft to hard? Thanks!

[@FullLeadTaco]

yeah, hardness plays a role, even if you are powdercoating the projectiles. I mix the alloys to get the properties that I desire.

[@brody5563]

Must be nice to have a friend like that. And thats alot of lead, dont think ive collected that much altogether since i started casting.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Lol yeah man, it is nice have buddies who keep an eye out for lead for you.

[@OzarkSpirit]

Such a heavy subject. Thanks man

[@FullLeadTaco]

Ha ha ha ha

[@just.some.dud3]

Super cool video man, good stuff!

[@FullLeadTaco]

thanks!

[@lifeorliberty3086]

You should use a jig saw next time for cutting the lead curtains. It will make the job go faster.

[@FullLeadTaco]

jig saw could help speed up that process--but then you'd have to collect the lead shavings.

[@markcrawford2896]

Great information… I have been buying lead on e bay and boy let me say that a guy has to be really careful what your purchasing… I pour a lot of .58 cal mini ball

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yeah, never know exactly what you're getting if you don't see it in the scrap form first

[@g.todsmith2854]

melting into ingots was the only thing you could think to do with lead sheet?

[@FullLeadTaco]

lol, you may want to check out some of the other videos on my channel if you think that melting it into ingots is the only thing I do with lead. Check out the "ammo videos" playlist

[@markbaver7279]

You guys rock!

[@FullLeadTaco]

lol, thanks mark

[@ElectricianTS]

Aren't lead fumes poisonous?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Those aren't lead fumes, just the smoke from the glues and adhesives burning--which I skim off the top to stop the black smoke. I'm melting the lead at lower temps so it just melts, and doesn't vaporize.

[@сергей163]

Отличный результат, сам плавлю за один заход по 30-40 кг,но до ваших объемов мне очень далеко,подписка,лайк.Удачи.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Спасибо, для чего ты используешь свинец? Вы бросаете на ружье, на рыбалку или что-то еще?

[@сергей163]

​@@FullLeadTaco Лью пули и на стрельбище)),очень нравится процесс литья пуль и их окраска. Lew bullets and on the shooting range)), I really like the process of casting bullets and painting them.

[@FullLeadTaco]

@@сергей163 Это круто, я тоже люблю метать пули. Делает съемку более доступной.

[@jhawk072]

Where do you get the personalized molds from?

[@FullLeadTaco]

noebulletmolds.com/site/product-category/bullet-casting-reloading/melting-pots-and-related/ingot-moulds/

[@gruntspy44]

Mr taco. Are you going to further alloy any of this?

[@FullLeadTaco]

yes, I usually keep my ingots marked in different buckets and then mix between the hard and soft to get the alloy that I want. Haven't seen you around for a while--good to have you back!

[@craigr8125]

What kind of wood is the sawdust?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Whatever is in my chop saw bag. A mix of whatever I end up cutting

[@brettprave98]

Question why

[@FullLeadTaco]

why what?

[@1978garfield]

Does the hard lead damage barrels? Does it foul less? Also where are you still finding Linotype ? Is there a reason no one uses commercial flux? I used to work at an electronics factory and used to help the guy who ran the wave solder machine. I will say if you use any of the store bough flux do NOT breathe the fumes. Also Evan is a good friend.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Lots of questions... I will try to answer them all. 1. hard lead is still much softer than copper--and we use copper jacketed bullets all the time. Copper will wear out a barrel faster than cast lead bullets. Hard lead doesn't damage barrels and harder alloys are preferred if you want penetration with little bullet deformation. 2. fouling wise, bullet fit is more important than lead hardness when it comes to fouling. if a bullet is properly sized over bore by .001-.002, you shouldn't get any fouling. 3. finding linotype on ebay, facebook groups, old guys who still have tons of it, etc... if you want it and can't find it, you can still buy the alloys on rotometals.com. 4. hardly anybody uses commercial flux because it is sort of a waste of money. When you can use cheap stuff around the house, like used bday candles, sawdust, other wax, etc... why pay for something when it doesn't work better than free stuff. Sawdust and wax seem to work very well. 5. Evan is an awesome friend, glad to have him as a friend. I need to do another lead melting video as I've come across a big counterweight and some more stained glass window scrap.

[@luckywyatt]

This is awesome. A grand haul!!!

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks man, you been doing any casting?

[@luckywyatt]

Cast up a bunch of 69 cal round balls for my shotgun slugs a little while back. I brought home a bunch of reloading equipment from storage and unpacked it and found my brand new NOE .309 mold 318gr. that I haven’t used yet so I’ll be firing that up soon.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Awesome. I think I will have more time to cast this fall/winter than during the summer

[@mostlikelywedoitservices6926]

Also, get a metal tag attached to that pot. Stating it has been used with lead. So nobody ever gets a hold of it, cooks food in it, and gets severe lead poisoning.

[@FullLeadTaco]

I plan on destroying the pot when I stop casting--My wife knows that the lead pots and zinc pots and bread pans, etc... all get destroyed if I die before she does.

[@firebomb5510]

Idea??? When the ingots are solid,drop them in a 5Gal. bucket just for extra cooling and solidification. Watched a video with the extra "WATER PROCESS" . It help a bit.

[@FullLeadTaco]

I usually do that with the bullets to harden them, haven't ever water dropped ingots before.

[@mossmanguitarpickergs8383]

I enjoyed the guitar music along with the lead melting!

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks, I also really enjoy guitar music.

[@showproja]

As an audio tech, I appreciated the drop in the music level while he spoke. BTW, that's the same canned tune Bubba Rountree Outdoors uses a lot.

[@saisandoval]

How did you find the lead?

[@FullLeadTaco]

I always let my extended family and all my friends know that I am on the lookout for lead, so when they find it, they let me know.

[@ruststar]

What a nice haul, I just got 250lbs from a friend, 5 anchors of 50 lbs each. I have no idea what alloy it is but does it matter if it the bullets gets powder coated? Cheers

[@FullLeadTaco]

All depends on what you're using it for! But yeah, melt down them anchors and turn em into bullets!

[@bassamahmad1927]

get the lee lead hardness tester and alloy up or down as needed. Bullet fit is far more important than hardness especially if powder coated. When I get relatively soft lead of unknown origins I usually save that for 230gr ball for the 45 Acp. I think in all honesty that a 1:20 alloy would work fine with the 45 as long as its .002 over barrel diameter.

[@stephenalibozek1058]

Good job 👍👍

[@FullLeadTaco]

thanks

[@katsukikubota7549]

What do you do with these ingots?

[@bustabass9025]

Soooo, with everything you read and hear about the toxicity of even just handling lead, let alone processing it in such massive quantities, why no safety equipment? Gloves, glasses, respirator, etc? Or did I miss that in your presentation?

[@FullLeadTaco]

You must have missed it--you can clearly see us wearing gloves, and once we start melting the lead, we have glasses on. You can't see it but I wore a respirator when dealing with the pre-skimmed lead (the smoky stuff). You can safely handle lead if you wash your hands afterwards and don't eat while handling it. It's not like lead seeps through the skin just by handling it. I get my blood lead levels tested annually and they always come back normal.

[@bustabass9025]

@@FullLeadTaco Would suggest you mention the ramifications of safely handling, smelting, and casting such huge quantities of lead in your next upload, rather than just assuming people see what you're doing to address them. It would certainly help your credibility. Incidentally, there are those better qualified to assess the leaching effects of lead on skin, than you, that would disagree vehemently...normal blood levels in your case notwithstanding.

[@awsome712]

I would have been really tempted to make 5 100lb blocks

[@FullLeadTaco]

And that would be awesome, but not super usable. 😂

[@Herringchoker786]

Great video! But in my opinion you guys should use respirators.

[@FullLeadTaco]

When it gets real smoky we use respirators. I should have shown that in the video.

[@InSightFreedom]

Impressive.

[@FullLeadTaco]

thanks

[@InSightFreedom]

Full.Lead.Taco I kept expecting some nosy triggered neighbor to show up 😂

[@FullLeadTaco]

@@InSightFreedom lol most of my neighbors are really cool, so I don't have to worry about it.

[@random_kidd_2232]

Would you ever sell any?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Probably not, sorry

[@daronsteele7976]

I found a mold . Thanks Daron.

[@FullLeadTaco]

have you shot it yet?

[@costadhimbo1364]

what of the lead fumes, they are harmful, should be filtered

[@FullLeadTaco]

When you melt lead, the lead doesn't turn into fumes. I'm melting it, not boiling it.

[@costadhimbo1364]

@@FullLeadTaco ok noted

[@FullLeadTaco]

@@costadhimbo1364 the smoke you see in the video is from the impurities burning--once you skim the impurities off, you get virtually no smoke.

[@costadhimbo1364]

@@FullLeadTaco i wanted to know if you can refine a 20MT lead refinery pot using coal and an Induced fan blower in the event that you cannot use an oil fired burner

[@FullLeadTaco]

@@costadhimbo1364 I've melted lead using a rocket stove and sticks before.

[@porkiedev7]

I don't cast stuff but I want to get into it. It's super satisfying. Put satisfaction with earning money and I'll do it. Seems fun.

[@FullLeadTaco]

I enjoy it, it is very relaxing

[@scottclark7439]

Nice

[@lindastevens3547]

Flux the lead with beeswax and you won't be scraping off the valuable element of tin. This stuff is suitable for fishing sinkers, but not bullets. Good bullets require 8% tin and 3% antimony, otherwise you'll end up with an alloy that shrinks down smaller than your mold diameter. Frosted looking lead, has been brought too far above the melting point when it was poured. Stay away from wheel weights. Type metal has a high content of tin and will become very hard after casting. To help your cupcake tins cool, place a wet towel under the pan.

[@FullLeadTaco]

Don't know if you watched the whole video, but I covered most of the stuff you mentioned in your comment. I fluxed with both sawdust and wax to prevent scraping off the tin. As far as your statement of "This stuff is suitable for fishing sinkers, but not bullets" I believe that to be false. In this video I melt down 3 different lead alloys, 1: pure lead 2: stained glass window scrap 3: a mix of foundry type, linotype, and monotype. These three alloys when properly mixed make GREAT bullets. Also frosted looking lead doesn't necessarily have to do with the lead temperature being too high, but the mold temperature--and with ingots it doesn't even matter at all. You can have frosty ingots all day long and it doesn't matter. I also disagree with your statement of staying away from wheel weights--wheel weight alloy makes GREAT bullets. You mentioned that the type metal has a high content of tin and will become very hard after casting--it is the high content of antimony that makes the type alloys hard. Tin helps a little but the antimony makes it much harder. And your statement about wet towels under the ingot molds/cupcake tins to help them cool--we covered that in the video and used the wet towels to cool the ingots faster.

[@tomrudd530]

nice job!

[@FullLeadTaco]

Thanks

[@seekingtko3146]

Is it radioactive?

[@FullLeadTaco]

Nope. Totally safe to melt down and use.

[@johnnaughton2364]

I know this video was from a year ago. Do you guys ever get blood tests to see if you are absorbing the lead?

[@FullLeadTaco]

I always add the lead test to my annual physical just to make sure I'm doing well in that area. Despite all the casting I do, my lead levels always come back normal.

[@kg5radio716]

Full.Lead.Taco maybe so. However, your bones could absorb the lead, which would not show up in a blood test. It would show up in xrays. Also, blue stains on your gums is another indicator....

[@randy_magnum01]

Ok, so I probably missed this somewhere as I skimmed the video, but what the hell do you do with all this lead? Cast bullets, surf fishing sinkers? Both are logical answers, but this is a lot of freaking lead.

[@FullLeadTaco]

You should watch some of my other videos, but yes, bullets

[@randy_magnum01]

@@FullLeadTaco very cool. My buddy gave me some sinker molds and a few lead ingots, so who knows, in a few mights it might be me hoarding lead :)

[@russhayes4882]

That was alot of lead !

[@FullLeadTaco]

Yeah, it was... Still haven't done a batch that big since... Done a few 300lb batches though

[@TaintedMojo]

With that cinder block setup you could probably just make a rocket stove and use wood scrap to melt the lead

[@FullLeadTaco]

not sure if a rocket stove could kick out the btu's like the torch. I did a bullet casting video using a rocket stove, but youtube deleted it--and it was difficult to maintain the constant heat.