Recommendations to cut lead

[RooftopKorean]

I made the mistake of buying large bars of lead for my slug casting endeavors.

I tried to use a hacksaw and bandsaw but it doesn't work too well.

Any recommendations to chop these suckers down? They are too large for my pot.

 

[kev74]

How about a band saw with more aggressive teeth, like a wood blade. That's what I used to cut zinc ingots.

A miter saw with a carbide wood blade would buzz through like nothing. I would clamp the ingot in place and keep hands clear.

 

[FP1201]

Hatchet or Axe with a Hammer to drive the cutting edge through?
If you have a torch, maybe even a hotter one using Mapp gas, you might be able to melt it in two.

 

[Acer-m14]

got a table saw ?

A carbide blade will cut alum plate ..

should cut right thru lead like it butter

 

[Acer-m14]

PS .. a blow torch and melt the bar a little at a time into a muffin pan

drip drip drip

put on a welders glove

 

[Deplorable Me]

Hammer and chisel. You're basically shearing it. As you're sawing the friction basically melts the lead, then it cools and refuses. Same for copper and other soft metals.

 

[Robin]

Depending on the size of the chunk I use everything from an axe and a hand mall to hammer and chisel.
Robin

 

[spat]

I made the mistake of buying large bars of lead for my slug casting endeavors.

I tried to use a hacksaw and bandsaw but it doesn't work too well.

Any recommendations to chop these suckers down? They are too large for my pot.

Don't want to saw, you don't want lead sawdust laying around, plus it wastes some lead.

If the bar is small enough, just snip it with a big pair of bolt cutters. A pair of 42" bolt cutters is just $35 at harbor freight, and the jaws open to 7/8"

If not, then just melt it down in an old sauce pan over a propane burner and then pour it into a cupcake pan for molds.

 

[dwa12479]

Know anyone with a log splitter?

 

[C3D]

Don't want to saw, you don't want lead sawdust laying around, plus it wastes some lead.

This! You are contaminating everything with sawing it, including the tools you use. Plus you are aerosolizing lead that you will inhale!

 

[fresch]

Harbor freight big hammer drill with a cutting tip/s

1 in. 600 RPM 15J SDS Electric Rotary Demolition Hammer Drill

 

[ManualF150]

A friend who ran into this problem made a slicer (similar to the wood splitter idea) on his bench vice.

You don't want to use saws to cut lead. Wastes it plus it makes it airborne like folks said.

 

[Acer-m14]

dont cut it .. air born lead .. pew pew pew air born lead ..



picking on ya all ..

LOL ..

 

[kev74]

I shoot, cast, reload, and clean brass.... I'd have no problem cutting lead ingots on my band saw. The shavings fall right into the catch pan.

Lead is heavy. Unless its volatilized, it doesn't stay airborne very long. A broom or vacuum will easily clean up any mess.

 

[spat]

I shoot, cast, reload, and clean brass.... I'd have no problem cutting lead ingots on my band saw. The shavings fall right into the catch pan.

Lead is heavy. Unless its volatilized, it doesn't stay airborne very long. A broom or vacuum will easily clean up any mess.

Depends on what kind of saw.

A bandsaw isn't bad, as you say. They don't really throw the dust, and it isn't fine.

Lead is as soft as wood, so you *could* cut it with about anything, but something like a Sawzall or circular saw is going to throw dust all over your shop.

Wouldn't be terrible doing it outdoors with a mask, but I really don't want lead dust in my shop. I eat and drink in there sometimes.

Still better to shear it than saw it. Less waste.

 

[gun_slinger_boy]

Plunge cut with drill bits.

 

[Xae289]

Hammer and chisel gets my vote. I wouldn't want to deal with the lead particulate contamination created by sawing.

 

[C3D]

I shoot, cast, reload, and clean brass.... I'd have no problem cutting lead ingots on my band saw. The shavings fall right into the catch pan.

Lead is heavy. Unless its volatilized, it doesn't stay airborne very long. A broom or vacuum will easily clean up any mess.

Just for shits and giggles get one of these lead swipe test kits and sample the general area 5-10' around the saw. I would hope they are negative.

PRO-LAB Lead Surface Test Kit LS104 - The Home Depot

The PRO-LAB 1 oz. Do-It-Yourself Lead Surface Test Kit offers quick results and easy to use. It is a perfect choice to detect lead compounds and includes six tests. It is designed to test furnitures, antiques, pipes, dishes, paint, toys and more.

www.homedepot.com

 

[technicalgadget]

If you get a ceramic cup, you could just use it to melt large bars into smaller ingots directly in the cup. Do I dare say you can braze and blind pin your own thread protectors?

 

[repete]

really large hunks of lead, use a chainsaw over a tarp to catch the chips, just don't do it inside your apartment!
If you can pick them up use a log splitter to make them small enough to fit in your smelting pot, you are going to melt/flux/skim in a separate pot from your casting pot, right?

 

[FP1201]

If you get a ceramic cup, you could just use it to melt large bars into smaller ingots directly in the cup. Do I dare say you can braze and blind pin your own thread protectors?

View attachment 250888

I used to collect Battery Terminals from the ends of cables: Once there were a dozen or so, I'd take a Torch and melt the lead off into a metal cup while holding the steel with pliers....worked great.
In OP's case, He could melt off enough of the bar into his pot and go from there.

 

[spat]

If you get a ceramic cup, you could just use it to melt large bars into smaller ingots directly in the cup. Do I dare say you can braze and blind pin your own thread protectors?

View attachment 250888

Don't even need ceramic. Steel is plenty.

Lead melts low. You can melt lead in a dollar store sauce pan over the burner on your grill.

A buddy had 2 5 gallon pails of lead wheel weights from a garage that closed.

Melted them all down that way and just skimmed the clips off the top with a slotted spoon. A cupcake pan makes a great mold to cast pucks for later use in. It's amazing how much lead casting equipment they sell at the dollar store LOL.

The cupcake pan really does make a nice convenient size to cast them in for later use. Don't fill them all the way and they are a nice portion size.

 

[RooftopKorean]

I ended up buying a cheap single burner Coleman camp stove and an iron smelting pot. I did it on my fire escape and wore proper PPE - safety goggles and N95 mask. I also doffed into a trash bag. I'm gonna hand wash the clothes I was wearing and showered immediately afterwards.

I bought the RCBS ingot mold which made them a nice size. They will fit nicely in my Lee casting pot.

They are currently cooling down on my window sill with the windows fan exhausting onto them.

I cleaned off whatever surface lead touched including tools with vinegar.

 

[spat]

I ended up buying a cheap single burner Coleman camp stove and an iron smelting pot. I did it on my fire escape and wore proper PPE - safety goggles and N95 mask. I also doffed into a trash bag. I'm gonna hand wash the clothes I was wearing and showered immediately afterwards.

I bought the RCBS ingot mold which made them a nice size. They will fit nicely in my Lee casting pot.

They are currently cooling down on my window sill with the windows fan exhausting onto them.

I cleaned off whatever surface lead touched including tools with vinegar.

View attachment 263249

Lead isn't really *that* nasty that you need to go full hazmat.

Wash your hands and don't overheat the pot and you're probably good.

Those of us from Gen X and earlier probably got more lead from burning leaded gasoline than you would from a lifetime of casting it.

We all have a lot of sources for it that are probably greater than casting like you are.

Hell, I end up with a gray smudge on the end of my thumb from loading .22lr mags after a good day at the range some times.

Older ammo used lead in the primer too, so that puts lots of it in the air as an aerosol.

 

[fresch]

I used to bite lead fishing sinkers when putting them on the line; split shot etc..
House paint was lead based, removed because people let their kids eat the paint off of the trim in the house.
Had a lead soldier kit, pour lead into molds from a small melter .
Nothing wrong with me, with me.

 

[RooftopKorean]

I am Gen X also, but i have a toddler so I like to be extra cautious.