MadModder
The Shop => Metal Stuff => Topic started by: AdeV on October 21, 2010, 09:44:41 AM
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Poking about in the "back yard" (more of a side yard really), I happened across all the old 1920's lead-covered wiring that we pulled out of the house, some 15 years ago... it's been buried under some "stuff" all that time...
I've probably got about 50ft of the stuff, I'm wondering, is it worth melting the lead off it for use about the workshop, or should I just weigh it in as the scrap that it is? It seems to be very flexible, so I'm wondering just how much lead is actually on it.
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Lead hammers are very handy around the shop.
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You can also use some as a cathode, if you intend to anodize aluminum parts ::)
cheers
Andreas
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It's 40 years since I ripped out some lead-covered cable, Ade. As I recall, the lead sheathing was pretty thin.
Lead is currently around £1,500 per tonne on the commodities market. That's around £1.50 per Kg, but you won't get anything like that price at the scrappie. Stick the cable on the bathroom scales, discount the weight by (I'm guessing) 50% for the cores and mineral insulation, work out the price at the 75p (I'm guessing again) you might get from the scrappie, deduct fuel costs for the return trip to his yard and see how much beer you might buy with what's left over :beer: .
Of course, the copper cores must be considered, too. Weight for weight, copper is worth about 3.5 times as much as lead.
Andy
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Melt off the lead to use for shop stuff, like the hammer mentioned, or for a soft beater pad that can be handy for shaping
thin metal. Then send the copper to the scrapper.
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Melt off the lead to use for shop stuff, like the hammer mentioned, or for a soft beater pad that can be handy for shaping
thin metal. Then send the copper to the scrapper.
I wouldn't melt it off. Split the lead sheath for an inch or two at the end with side cutters or whatever, pull the cores to one side and clamp them in the vice then pull the lead sheath at 90 degrees and it'll open up like peeling a banana. Way faster, cleaner and less aggro than melting it off. You can then just chuck the lead in the pot and the copper at the scrappy. I spent many happy hours casting lead weights on a paraffin stove as a kid with all the old wire my Dad stripped out when re-wiring. Happy days
Richard
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Richard - good idea, I'll try that on the weekend (only time I get to see the
rubbish dump side of the house in daylight...), sounds a lot easier than melting it off...
Thanks all for the ideas; I have a plastic hammer which currently does all the major redesign work around the shop; and anything it can't manage, I have a series of lump & sledge hammers for...
The beater pad could be interesting.... I know a few people who might need to be on the receiving end of that... :lol:
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Richard - good idea, I'll try that on the weekend (only time I get to see the rubbish dump side of the house in daylight...), sounds a lot easier than melting it off...
Thanks all for the ideas; I have a plastic hammer which currently does all the major redesign work around the shop; and anything it can't manage, I have a series of lump & sledge hammers for...
The beater pad could be interesting.... I know a few people who might need to be on the receiving end of that... :lol:
Back in my workshop trainee days I made a few lead hammers. I found that adding a little bit of aluminium to the melt made the hammer last longer without compromising its non-marking properties too much. Can't remember how much I added, it was a bit trial and error, but I ended up with a soft hammer that I used for years.
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be sort of careful about not breathing any fumes when you melt this stuff.
lead sheathed cable often has antimony in it to improve workability and resistance to work hardening/fracture.
any sort of a pink wrapper inside the cable will indicate antimony.
Tom
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I don't recall seeing any pinkness. There's a paper wrapper inside, then the cores themselves, which are also paper wrapped (one red, one black). Thanks for the warning though, I will be careful...
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If the wire is as old as you think then the insulation the lead is wrapped around coud be asbestos. Without testing there is no way to know for sure that is asbestos, and even then you need to test to see if the asbestos is friable or not. Very carefully get rid of that crap at the scrapyard before you have to pay somebody to dispose of the hazardous material. Do not try to salvage any part of it yourself, leave that to the pro's that have the proper safety equipment.
Don