How to make Copper-lead media

[ivars21]

Hello, this is my first topic in this forum so it must be useful. I am new at pyro as well. This is one of way to make copper/brass media.

I used wheel weight lead (it is very hard) some 15mm copper tube (in diameter). Shop was out of brass tubes so I decided to buy copper.

What do you think about my media? If you have any other question I would be pleased to answer it.

Sorry for my poor English (not my main language)

Each cylinder weights about 29 grams. I made 100 of them. Is it enough for my ball mill jar?

Edited January 6, 2012 by ivars21

[TheArchitect23]

Great job. If I may suggest, please be careful with that media as it looks very sharp on the edges. You can cut through that jar spilling comp on your non-sealed motor.

 

Try using pipe cutters from the hardware store as those cuts will be slightly angled inside, not outside the ID of the tube like with a hack saw or band saw. It will also help keep the lead in your pipe more securely.

 

As for the amount of media, you need to load to 1/2 the volume of your jar. Judging by the pictures I think you need more.

[ivars21]

I will build my ball mill today and let it run only with media for several hours and it should polish the edges. Thank you for your suggestion.

[petroleum]

Good job!

During the bilding my first ball mill I use technique somewhat like your. But I use aluminium tubes (10 mm long) with slot on the tube axis. After the filling of the tubes the lead part can be easily remove from the tubes. The cilinders become somewhat spherical after operating of the ball mill for one year due to the soft lead material what was used.

[dagabu]

Hello, this is my first topic in this forum so it must be useful. I am new at pyro as well. This is one of way to make copper/brass media.

I used wheel weight lead (it is very hard) some 15mm copper tube (in diameter). Shop was out of brass tubes so I decided to buy copper.

What do you think about my media? If you have any other question I would be pleased to answer it.

Sorry for my poor English (not my main language)

Each cylinder weights about 29 grams. I made 100 of them. Is it enough for my ball mill jar?

 

I have been making custom copper clad lead media for four years and with over 4000 units sold in that time, I can say with some expertise that you HAVE to swage the lead into the tube. If you fail to do this, the lead insert will work its way out of the tube over time and contaminate every batch with the material you ground last.

 

I strongly suggest that you use a propane torch and melt off the overpour off the tube instead of cutting it off, it is both faster and will not contaminate your first several batches with lead as much as a flat surface would.

 

I swage my media with 1000lpi on the face and then tumble them dry for 4 hours in a jar 1/2 full of media to deburr the edges (see the bottom picture). Use wheel weights found on steel sprues like you used and not reclaimed from bullets or the self stick weights as they are much softer and will degrade quickly.

 

A 1 gallon ball mill jar will need 300 pieces to fill it to the half way point (3/4" long by 3/4" wide, 18mm x 18mm).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Good luck and have fun with your new media.

 

-dag

[ivars21]

Thank you for your replay. Your media looks professional. I will try my media couple of times and then decide.

I hammered the lead from both side as hard as I can (I don't have swage). Thank you for your advice anyway.

[dagabu]

Hammering is swaging, sound like you are good to go.

 

-dag

[ivars21]

OK, thank you. I thought that you talk about press. Edited January 8, 2012 by ivars21

[athlon]

Could these be made with zinc also? I can get a lot of zinc from a tire company around.

[dagabu]

Could these be made with zinc also? I can get a lot of zinc from a tire company around.

 

Absolutely! Swage the ends well (hammering zinc can chip or fracture it though) and it should work fine.

 

-dag