Melting wheel weights

Started by Beck, July 07, 2018, 11:24:35 AM

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Beck

I used to melt wheel weights and cast into various larger weights. I picked up a bucket of them yesterday and was going to melt/cast them. The shop said they weren't lead anymore. I expected they were still a low melting point alloy. Obviously some of the weights were old ones mixed with the newer ones. The old ones melted. The new ones did not. There were some that kind of melted but stayed mushy instead of liquid.

I use a "fish fryer" burner with a dedicated pan. It makes a stink as junk burns off of them, especially the stick on ones.

I was wondering if added heat, thinking cutting torch, would melt the rest. Obviously I don't want to get crazy with the torch or the steel mold will melt or warp.

I'm still playing with the pulling garden tractors. That is what the weights were intended for. 10 lb cast iron weights are $17 to $24 each. I like the shape of the more expensive ones better. I need over 20 of them. Shipping is the real killer.

I've seen some water jet cut steel weights. The last things I had water jet cut were expensive. I'd guess they would get $30 each to cut these out of my 1" steel plate.

As always,
Any suggestions, or even snide comments, are appreciated.

Beck

I should have looked a little harder before posting.

Some weights are clearly marked Fe = Iron
A quick magnet check confirms that.

Others are non-magnetic, but melt at a higher temp.
I have not tried the torch.
Well over half are iron. I don't want to sort through buckets of used wheel weights to pick out the right ones.
I will have to buck up and go another route.