Removing impurites from lead?

[cormorant]

Lead ( or lead futures ) are traded on teh LME ( London Metals exchange) and they have spot price ( today) and prices going into teh future at 1-3 month intevals

Have a look here or direct on the LME site. Will all be in USD per pound
http://www.metalprices.com/

Prices and graphs are on their site or here ( in USD per pound and coming off a low 4 months ago) Chinese are buying again
http://www.metalprices.com/FreeSite/metals/pb/pb.asp

[cormorant]

delets double post

[oldboot]

melting down batteries may have been a good source of lead in the long past, but these days there is so little pure metalic lead it just isn't worth it.

I tried it quite some years ago, and even when I broke the battery up it was obvious that I wasn't going to get much lead out of the exercise.

there is lead sulphate paste, plastic, and the grids could have a variety of other metals in them such as calcium.

Out of a whole battery I would have been lucky to get enough good lead for one big sinker.

cheers

[Owen]

Just use some dripping or lard to flux the lead and remove the crap by scooping it off with a warmed spoon.
The lee pots and the higher quality RCBS units are available from any gun shop, but those catering to pistol shooters are most likely to have them in stock.
Probably more expensive than your average fisho is prepared to pay to make sinkers, but the bottom pouring is the go.
The old clip on wheel weights are a fine source of lead if you can get them.
Used to make many thousands of pistol projectiles (bullets) out of them so I can't see any issues as sinkers regardless of the lead/tin/antimony ratio.

Remember moisture is your enemy with molten lead.
EVERYTHING should be heated before use to get rid of any moisture.
Also wear a sutable mask.