4 ms·

i've used a similar test but found it has false positives with zinc -- and so many things have zinc

• lazide 2y ago
  A lot of Zinc plating (almost all galvanizing) has lead in it. It’s a common component of lead/zinc alloys (many Zamac alloys). Lead in general is also a common component of ‘impure’ zinc (from the mine/foundry). So chances are, your tests are correct.
  • bluGill 2y ago
    Zamac alloys do not contain lead, except as a tiny amount of impurity (because we don't know how to completely remove it). Zamac is often confused for the more general "pot metal", which is a anything goes if it melts in a pot (that is on your kitchen stove!), lead often is in these, but the goal of people who use pot metal is cheap and don't worry about quality, such alloys make be as much as 50% lead because nobody cares (there is an upper limit, but defined more by it will no longer make it past the warranty). Please keep your terms correct. Zamac is a very useful thing to look for in hobby metal casting because you can buy ingots for fairly cheap that will melt in your kitchen (I would still do it outside) and have useful known properties thus ensuring good results. Pot metal is a low quality product that you could also work with in your kitchen, but you have no idea what the results will be.