Pig in a poke!
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 2:17 am
A recent introductory post had a noobie note he got good deals at an auction on "govdeal.com". This site has been around for years now.
Years ago, (circa 2000), I needed lead for what was to be a gamma shield for my fusor III. I went on govdeals and found 230lbs of lead offered by UVA in Charlottesville (80 mile drive). It was way more than I needed. However, I figured, as a shooter who reloaded his ammo, I might use the rest for casting my own lead slugs.(Thousands of bullet molds are sold in the reloading biz)
I won the bid and had to drive to C'ville to pick up the lead. I got to the University disposal warehouse and the man in charge took my cashiers check, then walked me to the back with a dolly truck. We loaded the 6 boxes into my van and he left. I decided to check out the lead and opened a couple of boxes. To my compete amazement, 100% of my purchase was nothing but nuclear lead pigs! Small ones, mostly for tiny vials, with many medium pigs and 4 or 5, 20 pound monster pigs. All, undoubtedly, from the UVA research hospital. All had matching lids.
I sold at the HEAS event, every year, a large fraction of those pigs. I sold them at a fair price and, in the end made back about 20 times what I paid for all of that govdeals lead. I still retain about 20 pigs and never melted anything of that great lead buy. However, in anticipation, I had already bought 6 bullet molds. I was forced to buy 150lbs of lead from the load junk yard for 50 cent per pound as filthy scrap. I blended my own tin, antimony, lead bullet alloys and still cast my own bullets.
Govdeals also netted me 3 fabulous classroom, Nuclear Chicago GM counters discarded by Henrico county schools! That drive to their reclamation warehouse was only 20 miles. I won all three for $30 total.
All here should go to govdeals.com and look for cool stuff auctioned on line at colleges and institutions near you. Note: These places typically will not ship anything they sell, you must pickup and prepay or pay by cashier's check at pickup.
For amusement sake, I show some images of the pigs.
Richard Hull
Years ago, (circa 2000), I needed lead for what was to be a gamma shield for my fusor III. I went on govdeals and found 230lbs of lead offered by UVA in Charlottesville (80 mile drive). It was way more than I needed. However, I figured, as a shooter who reloaded his ammo, I might use the rest for casting my own lead slugs.(Thousands of bullet molds are sold in the reloading biz)
I won the bid and had to drive to C'ville to pick up the lead. I got to the University disposal warehouse and the man in charge took my cashiers check, then walked me to the back with a dolly truck. We loaded the 6 boxes into my van and he left. I decided to check out the lead and opened a couple of boxes. To my compete amazement, 100% of my purchase was nothing but nuclear lead pigs! Small ones, mostly for tiny vials, with many medium pigs and 4 or 5, 20 pound monster pigs. All, undoubtedly, from the UVA research hospital. All had matching lids.
I sold at the HEAS event, every year, a large fraction of those pigs. I sold them at a fair price and, in the end made back about 20 times what I paid for all of that govdeals lead. I still retain about 20 pigs and never melted anything of that great lead buy. However, in anticipation, I had already bought 6 bullet molds. I was forced to buy 150lbs of lead from the load junk yard for 50 cent per pound as filthy scrap. I blended my own tin, antimony, lead bullet alloys and still cast my own bullets.
Govdeals also netted me 3 fabulous classroom, Nuclear Chicago GM counters discarded by Henrico county schools! That drive to their reclamation warehouse was only 20 miles. I won all three for $30 total.
All here should go to govdeals.com and look for cool stuff auctioned on line at colleges and institutions near you. Note: These places typically will not ship anything they sell, you must pickup and prepay or pay by cashier's check at pickup.
For amusement sake, I show some images of the pigs.
Richard Hull