Made some weights

[KrisB]

I made my weights last summer and have been promising myself I would post them - now seems like an appropriate time. First of all, believe it or not, we use a tea pot, from WalMart. Have melted many pounds of lead in it without a problem. Second, I made my weights to fit my BC integrated weight pockets. The 4 pounders fit in the sides, can actually fit 3 in each pocket, and the 2 pounders are for the back pockets. I also have some small ingot shaped 1 pounders also. They are sized to fit the pocket so there is no wasted room.

If there is any interest I can find my photos of the set up for you and give more details.

what do you use for a mould?

 

[nwbrewer]

Somehow I just don't believe that the amount of lead that scuba divers introduce to the marine environment from uncoated weight is any more than the amounts left behind by sport fishermen.

Slightly off topic, but with all the concern over lead, and lead dust, does anybody else remember the split-shot fishing weights that we all used to crimp onto the line with out TEETH! Somehow in retrospect I think that wasn't so healthy....


Jake

 

[designbysue]

Before starting, I want to say, I take no responsibility for anyone getting burned or lead poisoning. Every time the subject of lead melting comes up, so many chime in with the warnings, so consider them to apply to the following.

I can’t find the photos I was hoping for, so I did a simple sketch and I’ll do my best to describe the process. We worked on a piece of ¼” plywood a bit larger than the final size of the weight. We covered the plywood with sheet metal (we used an old cookie sheet). I went to Lowes and purchased a 12” ceramic tile and had them cut it in 1” wide strips (luckily the guy who works there gets paid by the hour so he didn’t mind doing this for me!). From these 1” stripes, I cut two pieces to the exact width of the finished weight (measurements were based on my BC weight pocket.) I suggest you have the Lowes guy (or wherever you get the tile cut) cut these pieces for you also as I did my own with a glass cutter and then had to sand down the edges to make the smooth. The smoother the edge cut on these pieces the better and they need to fit flat against the longer pieces to form the corners. On two of the full 12” stripes, measure and mark with a permanent marker the length of your weights. Make sure to make these marks at 90 degrees to the edge of the tile strip. Now, using clamps (such as a QuickGrip Bar clamp) I made a rectangle of the two width pieces and two of the 12” tile strips, standing them on edge. This rectangle is then clamped onto the cookie sheet lined plywood with spring clamps. Be sure to clamp it down tight so it forms a tight fit along the bottom (or lead will leak out). Set the entire set up on a scale (metal better than plastic as this will get hot enough to melt the plastic!) and zero out the scale. Melt your lead. (we use a cheap teapot from WalMart as in picture and I do stained glass restoration so I have lead from old windows) Heat the mold a bit with a propane or map gas torch (if you don’t, the lead will not flow as smoothly and you will probably get bubbles on the surface) and pour it into the mold while someone watches the scale. Stop when you hit the amount you want. If the top is not smooth, go over it with a torch, melting it smooth and into the corners. Then be sure to let it cool so you don’t get burnt. Remove the clamps and slide the weight out – then let it cool some more!!! When completely cool, put the weight against a rock and step on it to bend it slightly to form fit in your pocket.

The smaller weights are made the same, but not bent.

Hope this makes sense and is a help to others.

Sue Young

 

[SoggyShoes]

Somehow I just don't believe that the amount of lead that scuba divers introduce to the marine environment from uncoated weight is any more than the amounts left behind by sport fishermen.

Slightly off topic, but with all the concern over lead, and lead dust, does anybody else remember the split-shot fishing weights that we all used to crimp onto the line with out TEETH! Somehow in retrospect I think that wasn't so healthy....


Nwbrewer,
I think that you are absolutely correct.

I am sure that fishing, old lead varnishes and paints on ships, and even runoff from residential paint removal EACH deposit more lead in water than diving ever will. I just think that we should each do our part. This would seem to be especially true for a sport that revolves around aquatic life.

I made weights too, I stole some big blocks of granite

Those sound really cool. How would you cut the slots for the belt? Can you post some pictures?

 

[nwbrewer]

Soggy,

Wasn't trying to say we shouldn't be concerned about the underwater environment, just trying to keep things in perspective.

I cringe every time I see a soft weightbelt with the infamous white cloud coming out of it. Seems there out to be a way to prevent that. For my own part my weights either came precoated, or are painted every now and tehn with clear epoxy paint, which (I hope) is keeping as much lead as possible out of the sound. I've heard of folks using that tool handle rubberized dip to seal their weights, but haven't tried it mine.

Jake