Want to go from "hard to soft" lead.

[Thunder Bay Minnow]

The main reason I need soft is for training in pools. I have one pool that will not allow and scuba due to dropped/ditched weight belts breaking pool tile and another is fearful of it and considering banning divers.

I have shown them the benefits of soft weights over hard in protecting their pool. So I need to come up with enough soft lead for students to use in the pool.

Jeff

 

[B Lo]

Please ignore. Mistakenly posted.

 

[vladimir]

I work with lead from time to time at work. Molten Led+ water=very bad idea. It will explode. Even dropping molten led on a dry sidewalk will find any moisture and explode.

Which is why mercury is a better metal for this application: denser than lead and liquid at room temperature. Yes, there are some toxicity issues, but weigh that against the comfort of a hip-conforming weightbelt. But if you're some pathetic tree-hugger, maybe gold would work for you. It's denser than mercury and highly malleable--you could ask Henderson to make a true "Gold Core" wetsuit. For 20 pounds of ballast, figure about $370K. Make that $370,099--I forgot the neoprene.

Maybe vinyl-coated hard weights would work. They seem like they'd be easier on the pool.