Stick on Wheel Weights

gelandangan · Posted: Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:03 pm Post subject: Stick on Wheel Weights

Could any of you who cast or know someone who cast projectiles tell me how to remove the sticky black stuff on the stick on wheel weights?

Trying to burn it off gave obnoxious smell and gives up big bloom of black smoke..
Almost like sending some smoke signal while farting after eating something terrible..

I am currently trying to use Kerosene to melt/wash the sticky stuff off.
If I can get some acetone off my wife's drawer, I might try that too.

But did anyone ever have any success on this?
any technique I can learn?

rdncktink · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 2:34 am Post subject: Re: Stick on Wheel Weights

Tag my dad about this in an PM since I'm not sure but I THINK we just lumped it in with the rest of the weights and made sure we did it outside. I think it also depends on how many you are trying to do at one time. A small number, like 1-2, in a hopper shouldn't be too bad. Other wise have you tried carb cleaner, a parts washer, or WD40 on the glue. That tends to be able to remove almost anything.

SwampFox · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:24 am Post subject: Re: Stick on Wheel Weights

If you want to read an excellent posting on cast bullets, go to this site:

www.lasc.us/CastBulletNotes.htm

The stick on weights should NOT be mixed with your other wheel weights as the stick on weights are a much softer alloy (about 50% as hard) and will degrade the hardness of the alloy made with clip on weights unless you add antimony or arsinic back to the mix, which is a non starter for most casters.

As far as the backing, if you must use the stick on, go outside, and add the stick on to the pot, then burn the adhesive off. However it is a noxious process and one I myself avoid by removing the stick on weights and discarding them. If you do use the stick on, do not put anything into the pot until the adhesive is compleatly burned off.

This is from the LASC site:

Stick-on wheel weights are an excellent source of very soft alloy (about 6 BHN). This alloy makes very effective HP bullets for light and medium pressure 45 ACP loads and expansion is dramatic. It is fairly close to a pure lead and can be used to alloy with the type metals.

Clip-on wheel weights and stick-on weights should be separated when processing wheel weight into ingots. Clip-on wheel weights are an excellent bullet casting alloy with its percentages of lead/antimony and arsenic. 2% tin can be added for better dross control and thus mould fill out. This alloy runs 10-11 BHN air cooled and can be heat treated to 30+ BHN. Proper fitting bullets of 11 BHN in a properly dimensioned firearm are adequate for all but magnum handgun loads, water quenching or heat treating wheel weight alloy will easily extend its use to magnum handgun loads and mid-range rifle loads. When processing wheel weights into ingots the melt temperature should not be much over 650o and keep a watchful eye for zinc weights.
Best,
Ed

Vince · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 5:40 am Post subject: Re: Stick on Wheel Weights

Can't agree more Swampy...never liked the stick on variety of wheel weights...in fact never been a real fan of any of the wheel weights.

The alloy I use is made here in Brisbane and is almost identical to Lyman #2. Its made by a mob called Tall Ingots and its a great bullet alloy.

Gelan...I will be in Sydney next week...I will bring some of this alloy down for you to try mate.

Cheers, Vince

fireball 3 · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 9:17 am Post subject: Re: Stick on Wheel Weights

gidday mate.. As Tink said earlier. We only put maybe 1-3 per hopper full..As for the softness, Swampy is right ,they are really soft. we only use them with the reg ww if we are making target casts. For my hunting casts I use reg ww w/ 5% tin and heat treated..In our furnace using only 2-3 they didn't smoke up like big black clouds..The only time my furnace would smoke up and then flame off is when I put the flux in it..the flux would make the slag float to the top then I would skim it off. acetone will take off the glue but it's highly toxic.If you have the furnace temp around 450 -550 deg f then it should melt the weights enough to form some slag which should remove most of the glue..Hope this will help..On a lighter note though been trying to see how I can get some of my hunting cast in 175gr HP's in 30-30 fn to Vince...OH ! before I forget.. don't use the zinc weight. they have a letter Z stamped on them...Hope this helps ya ...Dave

Bushmaster · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 10:53 am Post subject: Re: Stick on Wheel Weights

Damn...He's still alive...

Hi Fireball 2 1/2.....

whittling · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 3:52 pm Post subject: Re: Stick on Wheel Weights

Good news -at least Ted K. is dead [not to say I'm glad he's dead its just that it took 50 years to lose him ].What a great day for MA !

gelandangan · Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2009 4:23 pm Post subject: Re: Stick on Wheel Weights

Thanks for the tips guys!

The real problems is that currently ALL I have is a bucket of stick ons.
The tyre place down the road have all their clip ons spoken for for the next year or so..
All they could spare me is stick ons.
So I am pretty much stuck on stick on weights (pun not intended)

Looks like Kerosene does loosen the stickies, I may have to spend some time peeling them off later.
But doing this will ensure that the yucky Yuck

fumes wont kill all the plants in my yard.

As for it being soft, well GREAT!!
My plan is to make some plain side molds and cast some very soft pellets for paper patch job.
My aim is to have some expanding type of bullet for my subsonic 300 whisper.

And Dave, Welcome back mate.. haven't been hearing from you for a while!!
How is the shoulder going? can you type with two hands now?

RePete · Posted: Sat Sep 12, 2009 5:51 am Post subject: Re: Stick on Wheel Weights

The "new" problem with wheel weights are that they are slowly going away from lead and the source of potential bullets is drying up.