Lead roof flashings

Spent the day melting down my 25 year old pile of lead flashings. 1250 lbs today and still a pile to go. http://forum.rooferscoffeeshop.com/users/seen-it-all/image.jpeg

scrap lead value - not much, but it does add up.

Value as fishing sinkers.... pretty significant.

seen-it-all Said:

Spent the day melting down my 25 year old pile of lead flashings. 1250 lbs today and still a pile to go. http://forum.rooferscoffeeshop.com/users/seen-it-all/image.jpeg

That must be too tough for you.

I tried lead melting my self. I wanted to pour a shape, so I went to an antique store and bought a couple of cheap vases that when stacked together could be made to look like a finial.

I built a two-piece box around the vases and poured plaster to make a mold of a finial about 20 " tall. I ordered a lead ladle over the internet, it was cheap. I was surprised how tiny it was when it arrived.

I heated the lead in a dutch oven sitting on a propane heater. It didn't quite get the lead to melt, but I propped up my Benzomatic to just melt a corner, which was fine because I have such a little ladle.

After what seemed like a hundred scoops, I finally filled my mold and let it harden overnight. I took it out the next morning and it had a seam line where the two haves of my mold came together. I decided to pound the bottom flat with a piece of wood and as I pounded it, it formed a nice flared base. I though it was cool to work with and left it on my shop work table.

Later, I noticed that the top of the finial was starting to sag. Soon, it looked like it could use a dose of Viagra and then it toppled over. I threw it in with the next lead I recycled and thought I might try again with a copper rod or something in it to stiffen it, but first I have to think of a reason someone would want a heavy finial.

years ago, we demo-ed an x-ray room at a hospital. they let us have a piece of the lead from the walls. about 2'x3', about 1.5 inches thick. weight 300lbs. had fun with it, shooting it at the range, finally turned it in at the salvage yard......barely got any money from it.

BTW, only the 30 calibers and the 12 gauge buckshot made it through the slab. no pistols made it through.

I've used about 10 that size for weight in the back of my truck in the wintertime. They don't take up much room like sand bags do. I remember about 25+ years ago I was moving business storage locations and melted down my leads into a 2-1/2 gal. galvanized water pail. Finished up with about 2/3 of a pail full and I couldn't lift it. Couldn't get it out of the pail either to cut up as the ribs running around the pail kept it in. Finally had to melt it out with the torch to move it. Live and learn :laugh:

Vaa: Still don't have this picture thing figured out. I have the original back with the 50 lb ingots and the last frypan full cooling.

lol. know what you mean. I've got a stash of molded lead ingots. What the hell...looks good, must be good, but no clue. Got a pile of flat sheet, too. 2# lead is unconscionable as a roof component. 4# lead can be used but you have to have it with you when you need it. 4# lead can be cleaned, brushed to bright and shiny and soldered into very quality flashings, but once it's dirty it's a pain in the butt to bring up to the mark. I recycle most of it, get virtually nothing for it, but it satisfies me that it will be turned eventually into something worthwhile.

Four months ago I dropped a roll of 4# lead (completely dumb story) on my foot. Broke two toes, toenails now about half regrown. So I now have a love/hate relationship with the stuff. (No, I don't blame the lead!) I'd be tempted if I had those ingots of yours to work out a way to create quality flat sheet I could solder into saddles for tile jobs. Way good. Maybe make some molds and pour them in...Oscars for the OSHA guys. Something cool. You can do it, I'm sure of it! Give your guys a Christmas bonus. Five hundred bucks and a lead Oscar. j/k.

Kind of in a quandary as what to do with it. Could sell it. Could buy a downrigger ball mold, or buy some bullet molds and trade for food when anarchy hits.

No doubt. But then they don't know how to do anything anyway, so they'd have nightmares even without us giving them something to focus on. We're doing them a service. Can you imagine lying awake at night and instead of thinking, "How am I going to make this happen smoothly?" watchingas your mind works on a real probem like, "How am I going to sneak up on those guys and nail them with a really fat fine? Maybe I can get a promotion out of it."

My mother and father were both teachers in the public school system. Took their jobs seriously. They were great at it. Students would come back years later to pay their respects. Worked themselves ragged. One of my two brothers did the same thing. The other one worked for the Dept. of Education. My brother-in-law asked me recently how Bruce was. "Seems to be enjoying his retirement." What could I say? "When was he not retired!" Spent half his time looking for grants or writing memos. The other half helping small districts comply with reporting requirements. Complete waste of time, money, and talent. I like the concept of occupational safety. I really do. Let's leave it at that.

Lead is so unbelievably ugly in its "removed from service" state and so unbelievably beautiful when it's melted down like that. Toxic, yes. But man, what an element!

I have a propane burner that the frypan sits on and then I load up the old cap flashing with leads and hit them with the torch. The longest part of the process is letting the pan harden. The whole process would give some OSHA inspector nightmares.

621 degrees? How are you heating it up? Torch?

Laughing out loud but that is very cool. Don't be cooking an omelette in that frying pan until you scrub it out!