Cutting lead

We just refurbished our range in North Olmsted. It is ground rubber and we found a company to take the material and return the rubber. They said there was about 10k of metal in the rubber. We use conveyer belts for the front, 10 feet of rubber then a steel wall.

Reply to
Tom Gardner
Loading thread data ...

$10k or 10k pounds of metal?

-- ...in order that a man may be happy, it is necessary that he should not only be capable of his work, but a good judge of his work. -- John Ruskin

Reply to
Larry Jaques

Hmm... it's not as big as I visualized. 500 lb of lead is a bit more than five gallons in volume. As has already been mentioned, I'd haul an OA torch to the piece, place catchpans in strategic places to catch the melt, and start melting. Actually, cutting. Cut in quarters first. You might be able to manhandle the four 125 lb pieces into your car or truck. Or just keep cutting. Once they're in eighths, you may be able to drop a piece into a 4 or 5 quart cast iron kettle and place it over a turkey-fryer burner to finish melting. Dip it out, pour into ingots. Send me a couple for the great instruction. :-)

-- Best -- Terry

Reply to
Terry

Well, lead's going for $1/lb (ingots) so, 10k lbs of metal (lots of Copper jackets in there) is worth about 1/4 of $10k or less.

Reply to
Tom Gardner

Can the copper be salvaged/separated cleanly from the lead, or is it tainted? (Maybe 'Arry will know this if you don't.)

In any case, I can see how processing it would be worth it to the company.

-- ...in order that a man may be happy, it is necessary that he should not only be capable of his work, but a good judge of his work. -- John Ruskin

Reply to
Larry Jaques

I haven't found out what the club paid but we have a huge war chest, we're very frugal. Great bunch of people and we have lots of programs for the members, the ladies and the kids. We have a great commercial kitchen and rent out the clubhouse for all sorts of events. The best part is that it's four minutes away! I've learned more in the past three years than I have all my life before I joined.

Reply to
Tom Gardner

Oh, I was under the assumption that the company did it for you in return for the salvaged metal, but I forgot to ask.

Outstanding. You're an instructor there now, too, aren't you?

-- It is characteristic of all deep human problems that they are not to be approached without some humor and some bewilderment. -- Freeman Dyson

Reply to
Larry Jaques

PolyTech Forum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.