What's the best paint for lead weights?

[klavender1]

I've made some dive weights from some lead we had at work. What's the best paint that will hold up?

 

[Bob DBF]

Lead paint?

Why paint them? A little time in salt water and they develop a nice patina.



Bob
---------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[00wabbit]

I wouldn't paint them, but if you had too maybe plasti-dip would work. They make a plastidip spray in different colors that holds up pretty well if you do it right.

 

[Wookie]

I use survey marker paint. Comes in very bright colors, paint can works upside down, and they last 10 years (maybe more, but 10 so far) in rental service.

 

[Dr. Lecter]

Leave them alone or plastidip them. I prefer not to think about whether there's any Pb adhered to all the paint chips that come off solid weights on many dive boats, because they seem to get everywhere.

 

[NAM001]

I agree with BOB. Why paint them. there is no functional improvement. If however you are concealing that they are in fact lead for the huggers that may be present then paint and do not mark the weight on them, or mark them in KG's. Keep them guessing.

 

[The Chairman]

I use survey marker paint. Comes in very bright colors, paint can works upside down, and they last 10 years (maybe more, but 10 so far) in rental service.

And it makes them damn hard to steal! I like the idea. I've tried plasti-dip and it doesn't work for me. I'll give your idea a try and see how it does.

 

[klavender1]

Thanks for the suggestions. I picked up some survey paint. Haven't had a chance to paint the weights yet. I need to saw 2 weights in half first. 4lbs of lead in the shape of the bottom of a Coke can was a little thick. Haha. I mainly didn't want the lead rubbing off on my hands when I handled them as they were seeming to do.

 

[Adventure-Ocean]

I think if you found the right primer, you can paint them with any hard paint like enamel or acrylic. Zinc Chromate works on aluminum but I don't know about lead. You might check lead based solvents. I have not researched the latest products but I painted many different surfaces. The first product has to absorb slightly into the lead and create a clean, primed surface for the final color coats. You can for sure find products made to stick to lead-based painted surfaces. It might be fun finding the right combination so you can create weights in many different colors. My wife always thought color coded diving equipment is a must.

Adventure-Ocean

 

[kwinter]

Thanks for the suggestions. I picked up some survey paint. Haven't had a chance to paint the weights yet. I need to saw 2 weights in half first. 4lbs of lead in the shape of the bottom of a Coke can was a little thick. Haha. I mainly didn't want the lead rubbing off on my hands when I handled them as they were seeming to do.

Make sure you wear a mask while cutting them. Also while forming them. I use a muffin tin to make discs and also have molds for slotted weights. I used my wife's muffin tin one time. That one cost me.