Cutting large lead ingots

Thanks - I will heed all the advice and warnings as I go along. Eventually I plan on making some 1 1/4" projectiles for the cannon I built last year.....
 
Silverbullet said:
I've melted and cast , cut sawed ground even sliced and bit lead in my life. I'm not saying it's right but I'm over sixty and I guess lucky . We didn't know any better back then , I agree trying to protect yourself and others but really there are extremists that think everything is bad , lead is in the earth just about everywhere. The real threats never showed up till the paint chips being eaten by children started causing brain damage. And science figured it was in there system . Your not going to be hurt by doing anything with lead on short period basis . I melt lead several times a year for bullets to reload , I don't sit over the molten lead or even use a mask . I do it outside nowadays but use to do it in my kitchen on my coal stove with my pot on the coals so even then the fumes went up the chimney.
So be safe but don't go NAZI on the working with lead.
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I am 69 and have been casting bullets for all but 12 of those years and lead poisoning has never been a concern with me either. Now am I just lucky or I have I build up an immunity to lead? I think a lot of folks are overly cautious about lots of things and lead seems to be the one thing everyone is afraid off. Mercury being the other. I played with it as a kid and have 20+ pounds in my possession now. I don't eat it and use due safety precautions and I'm still living. I'm pretty sure cuttings from a machine tool will catch me and pull me into it before all the "dangerous" chemicals will do me any harm. Drunk drivers are way more likely to kill you than lead!
 
Some of these ideas are pretty interesting. If you decide to use the log splitter method for example. Or the axe, or press or torch, please take a video. Sounds like it might be fun to watch!
 
Haven't done lead before but I have used a common 10 inch Carbide tipped Chop-saw (for wood) to cut aluminum and copper on many occasions with no ill effect. Recommendations for a dust mask of course.
 
Joncooey said:
Haven't done lead before but I have used a common 10 inch Carbide tipped Chop-saw (for wood) to cut aluminum and copper on many occasions with no ill effect. Recommendations for a dust mask of course.
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A carbide tipped wood saw blade works pretty well for aluminum actually. The speed of most wood saws is a little fast, but with some lubrication close to the maximum SFPM for aluminum. If you could slow it down a little I'd hazard to say they would be great for it. Never used a carbide tipped circular saw for copper, but other than conventional wire, pipe, applications I don't use much copper. A tubing cutter or wire cutters works fine for those.
 
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