DIY Lead weights

[kennosen]

I checked the net for ideas and can only find sites selling moulds for making them. They are quite expensive for the amount of use I'm going to give them.

 

I have a few kilo's of lead not used on a recent roof repair, and I wondered if I could create a few moulds myself to make use of the lead. Anyone else tried this, or know of a way to make moulds. I imagine it would have to be made from steel, I assume lead would have a lower melting point to steel ect. I guess the mould wouldnt need to be 'perfect' as some minor filing of the cast weight is easy enough to do. I've drawn up a few sketches, shapes, wire positions in the mould ect.

 

Would pressing a lead weight into wet sand, laying the wire into the indentation and pouring the lead work?? I seem to remember some guy on the history channel doing a similar thing a while back.... obviously I would observe all common sense safety measures.

 

just an afternoon daydream is all it is at the moment.. or am I just loony thinking I can get away with not forking out for the retail moulds?

[Martin Hurst]

Use a deep spoon , thats what I did as a lad!!

[richi]

Easy---get some MDF about 50mm thick and drill a load of holes in it(make sure you use MDF because it drills smooth).Nail on another piece of board as a base and pour away--That's how I do it

[jerseytrev]

Easy---get some MDF about 50mm thick and drill a load of holes in it(make sure you use MDF because it drills smooth).Nail on another piece of board as a base and pour away--That's how I do it

do not use wet sand it will blowback . as said spoons make good moulds. or the screwtop off a whiskey bottle or similar if its metal .(so i am told )

i have a boat mould for up to 2lb ,but it can be filled to any level ,like a upturned cone . 4oz ,8oz. another mould i have is a multi ball one 1/2oz 1oz to make pierced bullets very handy sizes .mould for that was reasonable

veals do moulds £9.99p ,boat cone £15

https://www.veals.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl...l%23a1191#a1191

Edited June 1, 2007 by jerseytrev

[kennosen]

Thanks lads, thought I was mad for a minute. And there's you 'old hands' already been there done that. Good to know I'm not the only spendthrift here. I like both ideas, 'spoon or mdf' I'm a chippy by trade but it didnt occur to me to use mdf.

 

[chesters1]

the easiest way to melt lead is your barbi .

beg steal or borrow an iron (ali is not 100% safe and over the years several accidents have occurred) pot or large ladle with a welded or bolted on handle ,beat a lip in it.

 

prepare your barbi as usual put your pot on top put your lead in it then blast it with a leaf blower VERY VERY QUICK but you may burn out the bottom of your barbi very quickly.

Water is the enemy even a damp mould will explode or at least blow out the moltern lead in all direction mostly in yours.

 

its very productive with a pot and a ladle ,the pot holds the lead the ladle tranfers it to the mould ,trying to pour a pot with 10lbs of moltern lead is difficult.

 

painted lead pipes no prob ,let it melt (avoid fumes) then use a spoon to scrape the ashes off the top of the lead along with the other rubbish.

 

wear eye protection and heavy gloves at all times

 

for small scale production an iron ladle on a gas stove is ok but slow and the smell upsets the mrs

 

ps the sand used as moulds isnt common or garden sand but a special sand that can be compacted far harder than that yellow stuff.

Edited June 1, 2007 by chesters1

[richardlawrence]

I've made leads in the past by filling short lengths of copper pipe.

 

I drilled some holes in a block of wood to hold the pieces of pipe then poured in the moulton lead with one hand whilst holding an eye wire in place with a pair of long nose pliers in the other.

[Norrie]

I've made leads in the past by filling short lengths of copper pipe.

 

I drilled some holes in a block of wood to hold the pieces of pipe then poured in the moulton lead with one hand whilst holding an eye wire in place with a pair of long nose pliers in the other.

 

 

I make 100's of weights regularly, and was going to post about the copper pipe...but you beat me to it...

 

For the wire, you can set a few in place with a "rod" lying across all the "moulds", and the wires hanging off it.......i.e. a welding rod or some such thing...:)

 

 

:):)

[kennosen]

I make 100's of weights regularly, and was going to post about the copper pipe...but you beat me to it...

 

For the wire, you can set a few in place with a "rod" lying across all the "moulds", and the wires hanging off it.......i.e. a welding rod or some such thing...:)

:):)

 

 

This is sounding more and more convincing to me now, using a copper pipe, indeed. Brilliant! I have some 10mm pipe lying around somewhere too.... copper pipe technique sounds like it wont be topped... ?

[ColinW]

Whatever you do make sure everything is absolutley bone dry before you pour molten lead in it. If not, the water turns to steam, has nowhere to go because of the weight of the lead, builds up pressure and then explodes molten lead all over your face. Wear goggles and leather gloves. Moulds can be made of all sorts of materials depending what tools you have available. If you are not trying to make aerodynamic casting weights then moulds can easily be made out of plaster (plaster of paris is best but normal stuff is ok if you don't mind a few cracks) similar to your wet sand idea but which you can bake dry in an oven before use. Copper pipes are one of the easiest methods, bear in mind that the pipe will form part of the lead weight, you won't be able to pull the lead out to re-use it!