the Black Spot
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Anyone seen this alloy before?
•••stick on WW alloy••?
- Thread starter the Black Spot
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Docendo Discimus
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Usually these are just plain lead.
Most casters consider stick on lead wheel weights as "pure" lead.
While, chemically speaking, they might not be perfectly "pure" (no real reason to be and I can get a thumbnail into it pretty easily) but they're close enough for black powder projos, which is the recommended usage for pure.
I cast .375" RB out of stick-ons for my son's '51 navy and they work great.
While, chemically speaking, they might not be perfectly "pure" (no real reason to be and I can get a thumbnail into it pretty easily) but they're close enough for black powder projos, which is the recommended usage for pure.
I cast .375" RB out of stick-ons for my son's '51 navy and they work great.
crestoncowboy
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Lead is banned from wheel weights in several states (10 i believe). Quite possible it could be steel. Most of the stick ons I've seen at my shop that are lead free are steel since stick ons have to be so thin to clear the calipers.
The ones in that picture appear to be from rolled weights rather than boxed. But I've never seen any just like those. I usually just order which brand is cheaper from my tire supply place.
Clip ons can be made of about 20 different things since clearance isn't an issue
The ones in that picture appear to be from rolled weights rather than boxed. But I've never seen any just like those. I usually just order which brand is cheaper from my tire supply place.
Clip ons can be made of about 20 different things since clearance isn't an issue
It has been my understanding stick on wheel weights are not lead. They have been used in many racing applications for 30-40 years or so.
I could be wrong but I have been racing since 1980 or and have had no desire to try to collect discarded wheel weights from the race tire vendors.
I could be wrong but I have been racing since 1980 or and have had no desire to try to collect discarded wheel weights from the race tire vendors.
Monac
Member
I googled what are stick on wheel weights made of. Now I am more confused.
Here is an answer from a relevant group: https://castbulletassoc.org/blog/article/2020/1/186/whatand-s-with-wheel-weights?
Here's another one, from an automotive forum: https://www.tirereview.com/understanding-wheel-weight-materials/
This one is old, but mentions wheel weights made of mercury, which was news to me: https://www.tirereview.com/understanding-wheel-weight-materials/
And this one mentions copper, plastic, and tungsten! https://dtsc.ca.gov/dtsc-website-archive/about-lead-wheel-weights/
I hope some of this is useful. It just leaves me more confused.
Here is an answer from a relevant group: https://castbulletassoc.org/blog/article/2020/1/186/whatand-s-with-wheel-weights?
Here's another one, from an automotive forum: https://www.tirereview.com/understanding-wheel-weight-materials/
This one is old, but mentions wheel weights made of mercury, which was news to me: https://www.tirereview.com/understanding-wheel-weight-materials/
And this one mentions copper, plastic, and tungsten! https://dtsc.ca.gov/dtsc-website-archive/about-lead-wheel-weights/
I hope some of this is useful. It just leaves me more confused.
I have seen stick on weights in lead, zinc, steel/iron (all usually marked appropriately; Pb, Zn, Fe), plastic and even a lead/"foam", kinda like a heavy, rubbery car door weather stripping (see this stuff mostly on VW's wheels) and probably some others I'm forgetting about.
The last 4, of course, being no good for anything bullet casting related.
What you have is either lead; usable for bullets or it isn't.
If you can make a mark with your thumbnail fairly easily, it's lead.
Clip on weights seem to have a lot more chemical variety in their makeup.
Again, the usual players: lead, plastic, zinc, steel/iron.
Of course the lead ones would be the only ones useful for (mainstream) bullet casters (although I see some folks experimenting with casting zinc bullets)
However, they're not going to be "pure" either.
You won't be able to dig your thumbnail into these (I use side cutters which will easily make a mark in "lead", extremely difficult to make a mark in zinc and impossible in Iron/Fe)
For whatever reason, clip on weights have different but excellent characteristics for (most/many) bullets compared to stick ons, appropriate %'s of things like antimony and arsenic (these chemicals allow for some "heat treatment" of cast bullets)
I'm sorry if this is outside the scope of your question but there seems to be some confusion.
Also, there have been books written on the subject so this is merely a "blurb" in comparison.
Hope it helps
The last 4, of course, being no good for anything bullet casting related.
What you have is either lead; usable for bullets or it isn't.
If you can make a mark with your thumbnail fairly easily, it's lead.
Clip on weights seem to have a lot more chemical variety in their makeup.
Again, the usual players: lead, plastic, zinc, steel/iron.
Of course the lead ones would be the only ones useful for (mainstream) bullet casters (although I see some folks experimenting with casting zinc bullets)
However, they're not going to be "pure" either.
You won't be able to dig your thumbnail into these (I use side cutters which will easily make a mark in "lead", extremely difficult to make a mark in zinc and impossible in Iron/Fe)
For whatever reason, clip on weights have different but excellent characteristics for (most/many) bullets compared to stick ons, appropriate %'s of things like antimony and arsenic (these chemicals allow for some "heat treatment" of cast bullets)
I'm sorry if this is outside the scope of your question but there seems to be some confusion.
Also, there have been books written on the subject so this is merely a "blurb" in comparison.
Hope it helps
stillquietvoice
Contributing Member
Been banned here for quite a while, still see least clip on occasionally and have a zip lock bag in my tool box for just such items..
WeekendReloader
Member
Materials can vary. The stick on weights I use to balance my motorcycle tires are zinc.
If you can press a thumbnail into it, it is probably lead. There aren't any commonly available metals that are soft and heavy other than lead.
If you can press a thumbnail into it, it is probably lead. There aren't any commonly available metals that are soft and heavy other than lead.
Maineshooter1
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With as much time and effort sourcing good WWs has become I don’t even bother anymore and just source from Rotometals and range scrap.
mstreddy
Member
OP, it's likely lead. If you go over to castboolits, there is a thread there on how to identify the WW using dykes. If you can cut it easily with the dykes it's lead (Pb). If you can dent it a little, but not deep it's possibly zinc (Zn). If you can barely scratch it - steel (Fe). Though not exclusive, most of the zinc and steel I've come across are marked.
Castboolits thread on sorting WW.
Castboolits thread on sorting WW.
Yup, those are soft lead. They do make stick on wheel weights out of all sorts of stuff, as has been mentioned, but I've melted down a whole heap that look just like the op's pic. Personally, I don't have a use for them yet, but I still section them out to melt and pour them into ingots separately from my clip on weights
Catpop
Member
Yeap, pure lead. Will work great for 38 range wadcutters
lightman
Member
Yes, I've melted hundreds of pounds of weights that look just like those. Its soft lead, about as close to pure as you can get.
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