Cutting a large chunk of lead

[Shaggybull]

So a little background...a couple years ago a buddy told me to collect lead for casting. I acquired a counter balance off a forklift. There is a layer of cast iron on the outside. The inside of the counter balance in lead, weighed on back of truck around 4400 lbs, I'm guessing around 3800 lbs of lead.
We have thought to suspend off ground with a forklift and heat with weed burners and let lead drip on ground or angle iron.
Any suggestions??

 

[Glaciers]

That’s exactly what I did with lead weight in steel case for axel weight on a mobile home moving truck. Lifted the case and suspended from a chain hoist drilled a good size hole in the lower side and hit it with a weed burner. Went through a 20# cylinder and part of another. 2,200 pounds of scrap lead of unknown mix. Used 5x9 bread pans for ingots.

 

[Rick]

Same as I did also except I used a propane torch.

 

[Jeff H]

That's quite a haul!

20# of propane isn't a bad trade either, as long as it's bulk and not 1# bottles.

My lead lot won't fit a bread-pan-sized ingot, but I didn't think that far ahead once. At least check first. It can be tedious making smaller ingots, but if you have a small pot, it'll save time and energy in the long run making smaller ones. Tedious - yes, but so was melting everything a second time to make smaller ingots. Might have been smarter to buy a bigger pot at that time.

 

[Shaggybull]

I acquired a brake drum off a semi about 3/4 full of lead at a yard sale sits on tripod with a plate for propane burner to heat pot, it came with a big ladle has 4 foot handle. I figured once I have chunks off the counter balance I will cast into ingots.

 

[Snakeoil]

How about laying it flat on 4 jackstands or concrete block and a propane turkey cooker under it. Raise one side a bit to assure lead will drain from the hole. You could even put a hole in each corner and a pot under each hole. You'll need extra pots for sure. 3800 lbs is a lot of lead. Once you start, you are committed to keep going until she's empty.

 

[fiver]

yeah once you heat up that amount of mass you don't want to stop.

 

[Ian]

You guys are gonna make me cry. I sent an ancient warehouse model Towmotor across the scrap yard scales a few years ago and all I salvaged was the lift plate and forks.

 

[Snakeoil]

You guys are gonna make me cry. I sent an ancient warehouse model Towmotor across the scrap yard scales a few years ago and all I salvaged was the lift plate and forks.

Bummer. I'll bet the guy running the scales was grinning ear to ear.

 

[Ian]

I assumed it was solid cast iron, but looking back I bet it could have been a shell filled with lead.

 

[fiver]

it's not like your bathroom scales can weigh a cubic foot of steel or lead.
maybe Rick's ex wife's did???
but i've never seen one..

 

[D Crockett]

Shaggybull I make what you will need for this job. A steel pot and ingot molds the pot will hold over 300 lbs and the ingot molds will hold 3 to 4 lbs of lead let me know if I can help you with project D Crockett

 

[Mitty38]

it's not like your bathroom scales can weigh a cubic foot of steel or lead.
maybe Rick's ex wife's did???
but i've never seen one..

Don't even know her. Might even resemble that remark!
But, I don't care who you are. Now, that's funny, right there!!

 

[Mitty38]

We just a circular saw with a framing blade. For cutting chunks off lead and aluminum at work. If it is less than 4 inches thick.
Otherwise we just sit it in the ledge of the furnace, let it drip into a pan. So I can see the torch I deal being efficient. At least in contamination prevention, and work expended.