Homemade weights for us working class folks!

[Lockdownx99]

oh and i will never try molding my own hard weights. lead shot in a 100% sealed bag or container, even doubled up for good measure, and inserted into a mesh net or nylon material of some sort, will not only be easier, but safer for you and the ecosystem as well as keep your gear from getting lead on it.

 

[AfterDark]

If you really want to save money and recycle lead, try melting and casting your own. I'm not going to repeat all the safety stuff here with casting - go to the BC, & weights forum for that, but its pretty easy to get lead from a tire shop or stained glass shop (where I got mine), and melt in a pot with a MAPP gas torch or two (one underneath, one directly on the lead).

Then I took one of our old frying pans with the teflon coating, and tilted it on a brick so I could pour into the curved edge of the pan - trick here is utilizing the non-stick coating to de-mold the ingot. After casting several puddles in this kidney shape, I then welded (using the torch) the castings together in pairs (see the welds in the pic below), and the weights are awesome, as they form fit in a BC pocket quite well. I sawed off the ends of one for a buddy's weight belt too.

Have you thought about sinkers for a source of lead? I used to bring up 20 - 40 lbs of lead sinkers every spring back when I was casting my own bullets for my muzzle loader. We are divers after all and have access to sinkers.

 

[diver 85]

AfterDark, are you referring to sinkers or 'stinkers--we as divers have access to'?.....

 

[Deac in the Wake]

I just got 50 lbs of #5 shot for cost- $66. One other idea you can try to really cut your cost even more is to find local indoor gun ranges. Offer your "clean-up" services in exchange for getting to keep any bullets recovered in the range.

Also, tire shops will sometimes have buckets of tire weights you can either barter for or buy at low cost.

 

[Herk_Man]

you guys are missing the point of the SEALED FREEZER BAG. it has a double lock, is water tight and keeps the lead and you separate.

The freezer bag is going to cause buoyance problems though. The trapped air is going to negate some of the weight provided by the lead. Thus, more lead needed.

 

[Deac in the Wake]

In theory that is true, however the volume of air in a correctly sealed bag (i.e. one that is not vacuum sealed) is grossly infinitesimal compared to the overall volume of lead in the bag, the buoyancy offset is negligible. Using Archimedes principles, figure the lift of a cubic millimeter or two of air in a 2, 3, or 5 pound weight bag. This figure becomes especially insignificant when you consider the wide variances in manufactured weights- up to a pound, plus or minus. I know my bag weights are dead-on since I use a digital scale for each one. The tiny amount of air which may be trapped inside just isn't going to make a difference.

 

[Lockdownx99]

i agree with deac.
i would venture to say that i add more buoyancy to my person with the addition of 3 mil gloves, than i do with a few cubic mil's of air.

 

[GrandpaScuba]

You can make your own soft weights if you sew. Just get some rip-stop nylon and make pouches. Get lead shop from sporting goods store that sells reload supplies, like Cabellas, Sportsmans Warehouse, etc. Measure the shot into the pouches and sew up the open end.

You can make hard weights too. You can get forms for belt weights and melt the lead, pour into the molds, etc. This would require some metal working knowlege.

 

[doc8425]

I've been making my own weights for YEARS! I still dive "old school" with a dive belt and, using a commecial mold, make my wieght for about 10 cents a piece vice $16 - $18 dollars. I feel that's OUTRAGEOUS for lead. As you said, "It's not Gold".

 

[shogan]

While I have no intent on huffing lead or mercury I do want to remind everyone that Lead is natural. It comes from the earth and your not going to hurt anything by having lead weights. Lead is found everywhere naturally.

With that said I smelted some lead wheel weights tonight and poured it into soda cans that I cut in half long ways. I also used a sardine can that worked nice and made a 1.5 pound weight. The soda can made a 4lb weight filled about half way up. Filled about a 1/4 to 1/3 made for a nice size weight not to big. I want to figure out what to coat them with the reduce any mess from oxidation. Would like to find a better mold than a soda can but it's cheap and abundant.

I also made some soft weights with shot and a vacum sealer. I sealed some in small 4lb sizes that held a seal nicely. I sealed some bigger ones that loss their seal slowly (over night). The double seal might help. The freezer bag deal has not worked for me as they they tend to allow water to migrate through.

Anyone have a good coating for hard weights tough and waterproof.