Big piece of lead!

[Distant Thunder]

I figured I might as well come back to this thread for the up on my 700 lb. chuck of lead.

First off I have noticed that a 700 lb block of lead doesn't move very fast. It's been sitting in the same spot for months! I wonder why that is?

After my first attempt using my 27 ton wood splitter to reduce it to something I can lift up into my big melting pot the score is big chuck of lead 1 and Jim 0.

Yea, it didn't work. Just getting 700 pounds of lead up on the splitter should earn me a engineering degree, but with a couple lengths of chain, a come-along, a good stout maple tree and some time and effort I managed. That's when the obvious weight limit of the splitter was realized!

Round 2! With some cement blocks to support the frame of the splitter and keep the weight off those little tires I was able to set the block down on the splitter. As the ram pushed it to the stop at the end the splitter wanted to do a wheelie! So I stood on the tongue to prevent the splitter from standing on end.

Still able to reach the lever, I pushed it as hard as I could but there just isn't enough tonage there to push the blade more than an inch or so into the 8 inch square block. I thought that if I could get it near half way I could flip the block and come from the other side. Nothing doing!

Next up is the Sawzall! That should work.