What I learned DIY hard weights

[shogan]

1. Lead is getting tough to get for free it helps to be a regular patron of donors.
2. Wheel weights are becoming increasingly not lead.
3. Wheel weights have a whole lot of garbage and your going to spend fair amount of time dealing with that garbage i.e. little metal fasteners.
4. Melting lead is messy and you should do it on turkey fryer out in the yard not on the patio.
5. Have a good work station ready, you need a metal sloted spatula or the like to remove non lead items from melting pot.
6. Pot holders are good.
7. Towel wrapped around your face is good.
8. Set up melting operation so the wind is blowing away from you while working.
9. Sardine cans make a nice reusable mold, Tuna cans are a decent disposable mold, the bottom quater of a soda can (long ways) makes a nice disposable mold are readily abundant, but may not fit many of the smaller pouches.
10. Lead weights may be hot for a while don't touch them or you will get burned.:dork2:

Total invested, time about 4 hours, . Donated to cause 2 pans that were on the to be thrown out list, 1 spatula, 1 can of sardines purchased and consumed, 4 soda's consumed, and I'm eating Tuna Sandwhiches for lunch. Tin Foil to put the slag and crud on.

Total Gained Roughly 30 lbs of hard weight, some prettier and smoother than others. The weights range from 1-4lbs roughly.

Glad I did it but don't see myself doing it again with wheel weights.

[Allen Herron]

What did you melt the lead in? I have lots of lead from dental xrays and have been thinking about making weights.

[shogan]

HUM my friend is a dentist thanks for the insight.

I simply melted it in an aluminum non stick small saucepan any size would be fine though having a cover of some kind helps. I used an old non stick skillet that was also due to be thrown away to cover and to help collect junk off the top. Don't know if non stick helps or not but it's what I had.

Having a metal slotted spatula was the most helpful to stir and remove junk.

Don't under estimate the fumes. Start thinking about the size weights you want, sardine can 1.5lbs roughly, tuna can little over 2lbs, half full soda can 4lbs,

[emoreira]

I did my own metal molds with used stainless steel plates.
I did 3 molds 2, 4 and 8 lbs.
I normally use 22 lbs of lead to dive with wetsuit in cold water (5 mm Farmer John + 5 mm Jacket + 3 mm hooded vest + 3 mm boots + 3 mm gloves) with AL80 tank.
The molds have an insert bolted to the base with the form of the holes for the belt.
The mold has smooth angles to allow de-molding.
I melt the lead in the kitchen, with the air extractor at max speed and a gas torch (like the one used to solder lead plumbing) from over.
To melt the lead I use an empty 1/2 kilo can of peaches in syrup (17 ounces).
The lead I used was given by my uncle who works as a house restorer. He changes the old lead plumbing with the new thermo-fusion plastic plumbing concept.
I will post pics of the molds and the weights.
The lead tubes I've melted has a lot of slag. To separate the slag I use an old fork.

[shogan]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/kyhogan/IMG_3943.jpg

From left to right 1/3 of a soda can about 3lbs, 1/4 soda can, standard tuna can, and sardine can.

Cosmetically the Tuna Can and Sardine Cans produce the smoothest molds with the least edges. The Tuna can had a dent in it so you see the edge has a dent in it.

There were so many fumes I wouldn't even contemplate doing this inside.

Also I have one of those alternative style can openers that doesn't cut the top off but seperates the top from the can by realeasing the band if you know what I mean. It makes the tuna can and sardine can more usable.

[emoreira]

I did my own metal molds with used stainless steel plates.
I did 3 molds 2, 4 and 8 lbs.
I normally use 22 lbs of lead to dive with wetsuit in cold water (5 mm Farmer John + 5 mm Jacket + 3 mm hooded vest + 3 mm boots + 3 mm gloves) with AL80 tank.
The molds have an insert bolted to the base with the form of the holes for the belt.
The mold has smooth angles to allow de-molding.
I melt the lead in the kitchen, with the air extractor at max speed and a gas torch (like the one used to solder lead plumbing) from over.
To melt the lead I use an empty 1/2 kilo can of peaches in syrup (17 ounces).
The lead I used was given by my uncle who works as a house restorer. He changes the old lead plumbing with the new thermo-fusion plastic plumbing concept.
I will post pics of the molds and the weights.
The lead tubes I've melted has a lot of slag. To separate the slag I use an old fork.

This is the mold for the 2 lb weight and the weight did :
http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9201/img3657c.th.jpg (http://img31.imageshack.us/i/img3657c.jpg/)
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/382/lastre1kg.th.jpg (http://img401.imageshack.us/i/lastre1kg.jpg/)

This is the mold for the 4 lb weight and the weight did :
note that there is no insert, this is because I use the same insert than for the 2 lb weight
http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/6959/img3658a.th.jpg
http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/4102/lastre2kgs.th.jpg

And finally the mold for the 8 lb weight and the weight did :
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1861/img3659.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/i/img3659.jpg/)
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/8151/lastre4kgs.th.jpg (http://img411.imageshack.us/i/lastre4kgs.jpg/)

[shogan]

Wow those were some fine molds you made.

[DIWdiver]

Emoreira's steel molds are very nice, but in case you don't have the tools for that, here are some pics of a mold and weight I made. Yes, that mold is wood. It's a piece of maple I had sitting around. I've made about 10 weights with it, some 2 and some 3 pounders for a DUI harness with velcro pockets.

Once the wood is really dry the weights come out very nice - no bubbles, etc. I should have baked it a while to dry it before I used it. The first few weights would have been nicer. It still reproduces the marks in the mold pretty well. In the first pic you can see a line around the near corner, just below the top surface (that was actually the bottom surface in the mold). That's from an uneven cut in the mold. In the second pic the weight is turned over so you can see the top surface of the weight. It's actually the roughest of all the surfaces!

D

[lucca brassi]

I made myself P-weight ( but I have realized that it spoiled me a trim ) with a BP.

I think that that best way to made mould is to use a mixture of clay (or plaster for lower temperatures) and cotton which can resist very high temperatures not to brake up ( better is if the mould is pre-heated in owen ).
P.S.
(sorry - didn't try but I have seen how to instil small bels and I think it work here in the same way ).

Problem it is that metall mould must be heated between instilling lead otherwice Pb is too quickly cooled down and weight get on the top some scars from sinking caused by cooling.

If you instill lead in heat insulated mould like DIWdiver did , it could lead cool down more equally
without stress .

[emoreira]

Problem it is that metall mould must be heated between instilling lead otherwice Pb is too quickly cooled down and weight get on the top some scars from sinking caused by cooling.

If you instill lead in heat insulated mould like DIWdiver did , it could lead cool down more equally without stress .

Prior to pouring the melted lead to the metal mold I heat it with the gas torch, just to avoid the problem you mention.
Once the lead is in the mold still liquid, with the torch I equalize the exposed surface.
After demolding and cool, the weight borders can be softened with wood tools.

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/9047/120134.jpg

[emoreira]

Yes, that mold is wood. It's a piece of maple I had sitting around. I've made about 10 weights with it, some 2 and some 3 pounders for a DUI harness with velcro pockets.

Once the wood is really dry the weights come out very nice - no bubbles, etc. I should have baked it a while to dry it before I used it. The first few weights would have been nicer. It still reproduces the marks in the mold pretty well. In the first pic you can see a line around the near corner, just below the top surface (that was actually the bottom surface in the mold). That's from an uneven cut in the mold. In the second pic the weight is turned over so you can see the top surface of the weight. It's actually the roughest of all the surfaces!
D

I've tried with wood molds and also with cement molds. Though possible, cement molds are usable only two or three times, then it breaks. Woods molds depend on the wood used. I was not lucky with the wood I've used.
Metal molds are the best I could achieve, you can install inserts for the belt and fortunately I have the tools to do them.

[jhupka]

another place to get lead is the wrecks in the ocean and the sinkers on them, I have a decent collection of those weights, but only use 4 pounds for ocean diving and nothing for fresh water.

[JamesBon92007]

[QUOTE=emoreira;5120863]

No doubt I messed up this quote...

Nice molds. I didn't visit your sites yet but I will to see how you made them.

I have been making my own weight for many years using a weight-belt mold that no doubt was made/distributed by Aqua Craft. What a loss. Just about every miscellaneous diving item I have says Aqua Craft on it.

To begin, I collect fishing weights while diving. Some locations are better than others. Finally found a use for my dive knife ;) which is to cut off the fishing line. I often have found five pounds or more on a single dive. They add up after a while.

I melt them in a small (7" or 8") cast iron frying pan. I use an old teaspoon to remove the crap and throw it in a tin can. I do all this inside, on the stove with the exhaust fan on. I never had any problems with fumes or smoke etc.

Using a thick potholder I simply pour the melted lead into the mold. It is a five pound mold (approximately) so 3/5 will get you a three pound weight etc.

Personally I think it's very easy to do and would never consider buying dive weights.

The one I have looks a lot like this but I couldn't find the exact same one:
1-5 lb. Weight Mold with Handle (http://www.leisurepro.com/prod/AQUMWH.html?srccode=cii_13736960&cpncode=21-57515658-2)

And I sure as hell didn't pay any $40 for it!!! More like a couple of bucks at a garage sale.

[JamesBon92007]

This one is closer and the price is more reasonable:
Trident Weight Mold 4.5Lbs @ Divers-Supply.com (http://www.divers-supply.com/Trident-Weight-Mold-45Lbs-P356.aspx)

[Sik_Z33]

I made my own weights using a mini cupcake pan. I poured the lead about 3-4 mm thick at the bottom of the pans and then popped them out from behind. Then I made small bags out of nylon fabric and filled each bag with 1lb of lead coins and stitched the bad closed. Oh also I able to get the lead for free by recycling wheel weights, I was able to make 15 lbs of soft weights for about $4.