Ready for casting

[mike116]

I wear long sleeves and long pants every day, all day.   Boots go on my feet at 5:00am and don't come off unless I am taking a shower or in bed.    I have been operating machinery, saws, welding equipment, worked around aircraft and with animals all my life.  I still have all my fingers toes and appendages and can still see and hear pretty well.  Maybe I'm just lucky but I like to think I am pretty safety minded.   I have known others like me who have never been injured on the job or otherwise but end up severely injured or disabled by their hobbies after retirement.    I intend to pay just as close attention to casting bullets as I do to the rest of my endeavors.   I think Kevin is right,   700 degree metal requires undivided attention.

[mazo kid]

Mike, try a pair of thin deerskin or cotton gloves. Any word on your supply of lead?

[mike116]

Funny you should ask,  I just received a message a few minutes ago that says the package might be lost but I should wait for a couple more days.  Hard to imagine the USPS can lose a box of lead.

[mazo kid]

The postal system lost a Shiloh Sharps barrel for me one time; all I got was the empty shipping tube. I finally did get reimbursed for the loss, but would rather have the barrel! Hope the lead shows up soon. Did you get a tracking number for it?

[mike116]

The postal system lost a Shiloh Sharps barrel for me one time; all I got was the empty shipping tube. I finally did get reimbursed for the loss, but would rather have the barrel! Hope the lead shows up soon. Did you get a tracking number for it?

Yep,  tracking says it's been out for delivery since last Wednesday.   The supplier has already offered a refund but that doesn't give me any lead to cast with.   

[mike116]

USPS delivered a busted open box that was completely empty.   Still don't have anything to cast with.   A second box was mailed last Friday and now it has disappeared also.   Meanwhile another weekend is going by and all I can do is use my new melting pot to keep my hands warm.

[mazo kid]

Yeah, lead needs to be packed tightly and double boxed. You can't put all the blame on package handlers though as most of the things are machine sorted and transported by converter belts, chutes, etc. After dropping a few times from chute to conveyer,  a lot of the boxes are compromised. You would think there would be a little more supervision along the line though. Hope you get your lead soon!

[mike116]

The box looks like it got wet.  One layer of wet Postal service cardboard is not going to hold 15# of lead no matter what type of tape is used.   I wonder why someone did not stuff even one of the ingots back into the box.   There was only one layer of dollar store tape on the box. 
It looks like the USPS may have found the second shipment.  I'm betting it turns up with missing contents too. 

Scooby,   I told the guy to refund my money if I didn't get the second box by morning.   I'll just order some from Rotometals tomorrow.   No need to break into your supply.  I will get some soon one way or another.   Thanks for the thought though.

[ssb73q]

Hi Mike, some time ago I ordered 50lbs of pure lead from an eBay supplier. The mail person came to the door with a failed Priority Mail package with all sorts of tape and fabric wrapped around the cardboard box. It looked like a loose sack of lead. The carrier apologized profusely on the condition of the package and even handed me a couple of lead bars that had fallen out. I was then asked to see if any of the box contents was missing so a claim could be written up. Since the lead is sold by weight, I needed a scale to determine if any lead was missing. I told the carrier that I would check it out and let her know tomorrow. To my surprise, all the lead was there.

I contacted the seller and told him that his packaging sucked. His only email reply was "sorry". This guy didn't have a good feedback, and it got even lower after I left feedback.

Most all the other eBay sellers of lead I used have done an excellent job packaging the lead for shipment. Monday I will learn if your and my new eBay lead supplier wins the trifecta for shipping disasters.

Regards,
Richard

[mike116]

We'll see Richard,   I talked to the guy today and told him I would wait until the second box gets here.   USPS now says it arrived in Denver yesterday.   I'm sure that box is damaged also or it would not have been delayed this long.  I hope there is at least a couple ingots left in it so I can see if the new pot works or not.

[mazo kid]

Any time I have shipped lead, I first pack it tightly using heavy boxing cardboard cut to fit any open space. Probably glue all flaps, then place in a USPS Flat Rate box, and do the same thing again. Then lots of packing tape. One guy told me it took him almost half an hour to get the box open.

[Captainkirk]

I was getting lead from one of our former forum members (no longer a member) It came in USPS flat rate shipping boxes, 25 lbs of ingots fit in a $5.00 box...LOL!
He completely wrapped the entire box in several layers of clear strapping tape. No problems (except getting it out of the mailbox ...LOL!)
Anyone who sells lead as a business ought to know how to pack it securely.

[mike116]

FINALLY.   This little drama is over.   I received an intact box full of lead ingots.  All contents were accounted for and the box survived.  The lead is soft and appears to be as advertised.   
Here's the proof


  I sent a message to the dealer suggesting he pay more attention to packaging.   The seller was pretty responsive in the whole process so I will give positive feedback although I wish Ebay had a rating system rather than either positive or negative.
Now that I have a starter stash at least I can try my hand at casting when the time permits.

[Captainkirk]

Just a suggestion, Mike...place your next order for lead prior to starting your casting session. It never hurts to have 25# on standby.
I think I have about 35# waiting in the wings.

[ssb73q]

Just a suggestion, Mike...place your next order for lead prior to starting your casting session. It never hurts to have 25# on standby.
I think I have about 35# waiting in the wings.

Hi Captain, IMO a stash of 100lbs is sensible. We never know when the government will define metal lead as a hazardous substance. That will be the next step in gun control. We soon may be needing to make projectiles out of tin and indium.

Regards,
Richard