How to Harden Lead
- 1). Add pure lead into a cast iron pot, and place it on a stove top. Add scrap pieces of wheel weight lead into the cast iron pot. The more wheel weight lead you add, the harder the lead will become. But do not add more wheel weight lead than pure lead. The ratio must be a maximum of 1-to-1 wheel weight lead to pure lead. The mixture of the pure lead and wheel weight lead is known as an alloy, which is a mixture of metals.
- 2). Heat the lead alloy until it melts and is completely liquefied.
- 3). Spray mold lubricant on the inner surface of the mold from which you are casting the lead, and let it dry. The lubricant prevents the lead alloy from sticking to the mold as it dries.
- 4). Scoop the melted lead alloy with a steel ladle. Pour the lead alloy into the opening(s) on the mold to fill the cavity inside.
- 5). Close and lock the mold per the manufacturer's instructions. The mold must be locked, or the lead alloy will escape during the cooling process.
- 6). Grab the mold with tongs, and gently submerge it into a large metal bucket filled with cold water. Let the mold sit in the water until the lead alloy is completely hardened, before removing it from the mold.
- 7). Submerse the cast lead in water until it cools.
