Lead weights

[divermasterB]

I am in need of ideas on where I could purchase lead suitable for melting and making my own lead weights.

I am planning on making a p weight for my bp/doubles, and I would also like to make some custom weights for the integrated on my BC.

Any ideas where I might be able to find lead shot, or ingots, sheeting etc.

Thanks

[Don Burke]

A scrap metal dealer should be able to sell you lead.

Lead shot is used for loading shotgun shells. A gun shop that sells reloading supplies should be able to hook you up there.

The shot used in soft dive weights looks like rejects from the shotgun shell plants or maybe shot made to lower standards just for dive weights. That's why it is usually cheaper to buy soft weights than make them.

Many fishing clubs get together for lead pouring parties a couple of times a year, so their members have the pots and ladles for pouring lead. Generally, if you bring twice as much lead as you need for your weights, they will help you pour your weights, thank you for coming, and look forward to the next time you show up. Twenty pounds or so of lead is a _really_ cheap price for such a service.

Bring welding gloves, BIG pliers, and plumber's putty.

[perpet1]

Why bother going through the trouble of melting it? I went to the local gun shop and for $18.00 bought 25 pounds of lead shot. $3.00 for good solid (non cotton) fabric at the fabris store. then made my own pouches. Yes, I had to use the sewing machine but I made some 5# 4# and 3# (I actually made 50# worth).

If you buy soft weights you pay between $2.50 and $4.00 a pound around here. So the 50# would have cost $125.00 to $200.00.

I made 50# for $39.00 and it took me 4 hours (had to learn how to use the sewing machine). Only reason I went as high as 50# was the bags were only in 25# bags and it is nice to have spare weight.

I like soft weights better anyway since it in more forgiging when it hits my toes. Actually it works better in intergrated weighting systems and I think the weight belt is more comfortable.

Pete

[goldhunter_2]

Ok this is one maybe I can help on:D I make my own bullets and decoys weights etc... the best source of lead is a tire shop, ask for there "OLD" weights (ones they take off the tires and trash) you can figure for a 5 gal bucket it is about half pure lead. the trick is to melt it in a cast iron pot and have a good cast laddel with a screen to clean out the trash. also this is very very very important don't drop wet lead into the melting pot:boom: :boom: ;-0
a wood mold will work if your just makeing one or two weights but otherwise go to a local machince shop and get a two sided cast mold made. Important note always heat up the mold before you start making weights

Hope this helps

[Don Burke]

I only checked the price on lead shot once and it was a heck of a lot higher than that.

...the gun shop I checked went under. Perhaps we know why now.

Thanks for the correction. Next time I want to reload on weights it will save me a bunch. I went to shot only on the belt some time back.

He was talking about making a P weight. Shot generally won't cut it for that if he needs more than a couple of pounds.

I've made two v weights. The mold for the 12 pounder was made from a section of fencepost sliced lengthwise with two large stainless steel bolts to form the holes for the tank mounting bolts. Plumbers putty made the ends of the mold. The mold for the 24 pounder was made by whittling a wooden model from a 2x4 and using plaster of paris to make the mold from that. The 24 pounder was made obsolete and then into fishing sinkers a couple of years ago.

[FredT]

http://diverlink.com/gear/doityourself.htm#Making%20lead%20weights

http://diverlink.com/gear/diy-weightbelts-selfadjusting.htm

FT

[JimC]

I used the old tire lead trick. Got a bucked of the stuff for free from a near by garage. Melted it down over a camping stove and cleaned off all the steal clips, pain and gunk from the top.

I clamped my backplate down leveled off with clear access to the bottom, used plumbers putty to damn up the ends and ceader shims though the strap holes to make cam band slots.

I then used a porpane plumbers torch to heat the bottom of the plate and continuted to apply heat as the lead was being poured in. Special care was taken to ensure the lead flowed under the ceader shims. (Watch for drips and don't start the shims on fire with the torch!)

Hosed down, shims pulled out, lead released from backplate. I drilled bolt holes. The mushroom cap bolt melted into the weight wonl't work with the STA-less system, you need a nice flat smooth bolt head on the tank side.

A few minutes with a file and cloth paper and I was done.

[divermasterB]

Thanks for all of the advice.

I don't have a sewing machine, so making my own pouches is not really an option. Besides the main thing I am interested in was making a p or v weight for my backplate.

I was planning on using the plumbers putty to damm up the ends and predrilling a hole in the. I was going to use a SS bolt with a washer and nut to make a mushroom anchor in the lead.

Also, do you think an iron skillet and a handeld propane torch will do the trick?

My regular BC has ballast pockets at the back that I want to make custom weights for. The problem with shot pouches is they take up too much room for the weight, and some of the heavier (6) lb weights are not shaped right to fit in the pouch. So, I thought I would do the wooden model/plaster mold (yes, I know the plaster will need to be very dry) to make a couple of these weights up.


Sometimes it is more the adventure in making your own, that drives the process. Also, I like to melt stuff.

[divermasterB]

Isn't lead sheeting sometimes used in roofing applications? Wouldn't you be able to acquire some at a home supply, etc?

[Boogie711]

I bought a bunch from Tom Holt's site (http://www.scuba-accessories.com/catalogpage.php?cat=7).

Solid bags, real good service.

[kavka]

I use 2 lead plates 3kg each in my bc. I'ts thiner then pouhes.
Works great:D .

[Charlie99]

divermasterB once bubbled...
Also, do you think an iron skillet and a handeld propane torch will do the trick?

Sometimes it is more the adventure in making your own, that drives the process. Also, I like to melt stuff. While a handheld torch should work, particularly with some sort of flame spreader, it would be a lot easier if you could just leave a pot of lead to heat on the cooking side burner of a gas BBQ.

Also a lot less exposure to lead fumes.

[goldhunter_2]

The thick cast pan helps hold the heat and keep the lead form cooling when it gets so deep.

I believe the hand trouch wouldmelt the lead but mainly would agravte you trying to use it for that item

The main part of a BBQ grill will work (don't use in windy spot, it cools lead fast)

the best thing is a propane cooker like you fly turkeys or steam crabs in, it keeps a high temp

[Narced-on-Land]

Hi there, I can't help putting my 2 PSI worth on this subject.

If any of you are near a firing range (like a fish & game club) you can get all the lead you need out of the dirt backstop area from the range. Just use a course diamond pattern steel screen and shovel the sand over the screen. Once you have all the lead you want you can melt it down in your standard manner, garnish & serve...

P.S. Make sure the range is closed first!! :eek:

[goldhunter_2]

makeing sure the range is closed is a very good piece of advice:arrow:

personally I was too lazy to do that I just took a 5 gal buket to the tire shop and came back in a few days with a new bucket:thumb:

[perpet1]

Don Burke once bubbled...

He was talking about making a P weight. Shot generally won't cut it for that if he needs more than a couple of pounds.


I use 38lbs of shot.

It is a lot more comfortable on the waist and I distribute it a little. I put 16 in the pouch belt 12 in the intergrated weights and I trim with 10 (non removable) on the back high on the BC to counter the weight that is low on the belt. I have tried a lot of different configurations and I found this trims the best for my configuration. I do not like having all the weight on my waist.

Pete

[divermasterB]

I can't imagine having to strap that much on:wacko:

With my heaviest undergarments, and my lightest tank I wear 22 lbs and think that is probably too much.

[FredT]

perpet1 once bubbled...
I use 38lbs of shot.


Lead shot bulks almost exactly twice what a sold lead ballast block weighs. This increase in bulk adds significant drag if large amounts of lead are used.

The heaviest belt I've ever put together was for a rather large diver wearing a 1/4" farmer john. 47 one pound bullet weights fit on his belt with room to spare, and he was still a bit light at the surface.

The day he lost that belt at about 100' depth was a bit interesting too.

It's better to distribute your ballast by judicious gear choices than to put all of it on a belt. Heavy tanks, a suitable plate (up to about 20# is available in just a plate), light choices, and tool choices are all places to pick up ballast weight.

BTW solid ballast blocks are available to fit most weight pouches without going through a DIY ordeal.


FT

[divermasterB]

That is a lot of weight. Might want to look at something a little more hefty than 1 lb weghts for something like that.

Were those the slot in the middle bullet weights? That had to be one uncomfortabel weight belt.


For the BC Pocket weights, I am really looking to maximize the weight in the ballast pockets. That means a solid block of lead contoured to fit that pouch, with no slots for a belt.

Also, I realize the perils in adding to much non ditchable weight, but with a back inflation bc, and too much weight in the ditchable pockets up front you get an even worse situation when you are on the surface with the BC trying to put you face down.

I corrected for this somewhat with a steel tank, but I would like a little more surface trim, without affecting my in water trim.

[divermasterB]

the trim there integrated systems provide. I suppose the center of buoyancy on the back, center of gravity towards the front of the diver does a lot for trim while you are swimming forward in the water.

I would think it would be better to keep these centers as close together as possible.

[FredT]

divermasterB once bubbled...

Were those the slot in the middle bullet weights? That had to be one uncomfortabel weight belt.

The slots in my bullets are slightly offset, but the keys are belt assembly technique and bullet diameter. A propperly done bullet belt is actually more comfortable than a shot belt, with much less drag.

Each weight is indivually lightly crimped on the belt to prohibit slippage , with a small space between the weights. The wetsuit compression compensator section if desired is placed under the tank so nothing hard is there for the tank to drive into your back.

FT

[mech20]

Hi try your local tire store or auto repair

[jimdb0]

Been pouring my own fishing lures for some time now.
Somethings that are left out here are rather important.

First of all, use a full face shield!! Cant stress this enough! A stray moth or insect can make one hell of an explosion in a pot of hot lead! and since the fumes are toxic they go down right over the pot.
second, the fumes are toxic maybe not right a way.// use lots of fresh air across the work zone . maybe even a respirator for those who may have one.
third. the lead itself sluffs off on ur goves when handling. lets remeber to keep the work goves in the garage and away from door knobs. remeber the lead paint issues with kids?
any place food is prepared {bbq grill} is a big nonnoo!! remeber the moth explosions!??)


just my 2 cents
jim

ps. wear burn protection

[lobbolt]

wouldn't breathing in the lead fumes while melting lead give you lead poisoning over time?

[GoJu]

After diving around a wharf about 3-4 times collecting fishing weights, i had managed
to get about 10 lbs of lead. I also have collected quite a bit from rivers too.
The weights I am using now are made from the lead taken out of vehicle batteries. I was able to get them from wreckers for either next to nothing or free. It can be a bit of a hassle to neutralize or dispose of the acid in them, but they were a good source of some fairly pure lead. Someone had told me to use bees wax to help skim impurities, and that seemed to work O.K.
My father and I made these weights for him, but now he no longer dives and I inherited the lead. I am in the process now of melting them down into .45 cal. balls to make pouches.

[billeelou]

I can't imagine how much plsti dip[ you'd need to use to close off the openings for the weight belt:(

[reeldive]

wouldn't breathing in the lead fumes while melting lead give you lead poisoning over time?

Makes all your babies come out naked. other than that it don't make a differance

[reeldive]

#8 shot gun shot . 3# for 18$ at local gun shop. I just put mine in an old sock and tie the top. NO Sewing!
and custome sized to meet the need

[DI_Guy]

I work in the Diagnostic Imaging ( X-ray ) field and often we are removing old X-ray equipment to be trashed. Usually there is 200 - 300 lbs of 99% lead used as counter weights in the systems, in block form. We have to remove the lead to make the equipment manageable to handle. Call your local company, they'll give it to you for free. Major companies are located in most major cities. Philips, Siemens, Toshiba, G.E. with their Medical Systems Divisions. It never hurts to give them a call.

[Scubadude773]

Hi Guys,
I poured my own weights, I am a commercial electrician, and ((borrowed)) the lead from the plumbers at work. They use it for making thier joints on cast iron drain lines,
Chicago still requires cast iron drains.
Anyway, you might want to check at a local plumbing supplier, NOT home depot, or the other big box stores, but a REAL plumbing wholesaler.
Good Luck,
Robb

[Bikky]

i just went to a plumbers yard today, they were happy to give me about 40-50 kilos of scrap lead (sheeting ends/old pipes etc) that they'd have to pay to get rid of.

[KYDan]

GoJu said: "The weights I am using now are made from the lead taken out of vehicle batteries." Seems like I remember, but I can't quote the source (perhaps another thread on this forum), that vehicle batteries' lead alloy includes cadmium. Cadmium is supposed to be toxic. Just a thought with no strong facts to back it up.

One of my neighbors is a "nuclear pharmacist." He dispenses the radioactive medicines used at a nearby teaching hospital. He routinly receives items in lead containers. After the meds are dispensed, the lead is kept in storage for a certain time, and then sent to recycling. He was happy to pass about 40# along to me.

I haven't melted any yet, but I don't need to turn the lights on in the garage where I have the surplus lead stored! :D

KYDan

[TheRedHead]

I haven't melted any yet, but I don't need to turn the lights on in the garage where I have the surplus lead stored! :D


Why don't you take them through airport security and let us know what happens? ;)