Are people making home made lead weight?

[Tyler230]

I was looking to create homemade lead weights roughly 110# to use to customize wake and save room. I was just curious if many people are doing this them selves using lead wheel weights (melting, cutting etc) and such and what things they have learned.

[DanielC]

I hope you do not find out (the hard way) that molten lead fumes are poisonous.

[jamiewilson3]

Lead is very dense, as is steel. Steel not as much, but easy to get, work with, and non toxic. If you wanted to get some steel, then any machine shop could cut it to a provided print. Powdercoat it and you are good to go.

[DanielC]

Lead is not nontoxic. Why do you think it was removed from gasoline as an anti knock ingredient?
Why do you think it was removed from house paint? Why do you think the EPA has made it such a PITA to remove old paint containing it from old construction.

Will you die from touching it, no. But the fumes from melting it are definitely not good for you.

[jamiewilson3]

Lead is not nontoxic. Why do you think it was removed from gasoline as an anti knock ingredient?
Why do you think it was removed from house paint? Why do you think the EPA has made it such a PITA to remove old paint containing it from old construction.

Will you die from touching it, no. But the fumes from melting it are definitely not good for you.

If you were responding to me, then I was agreeing with you. I was suggesting steel as a less dense, but safe alternative that is easy to work with. To clarify for the original poster, yes lead is toxic, even when just being handled. I used to use lead sheets when doing acoustics work and you have to handle with PPE and exercise proper protocols during use and storage.

[Chexi]

Just buy popbags and save yourself a bunch of hassle.

[highrock]

I have about 11 lead ingest we melted down a few years ago. They are about 20+/- each. They were originally wheel weights. We did it outside where hopefully the fumes did not bother us. Lots of race teams melt lead to put in frames where needed. I am sure its not good for you, but I guess I will find out down the road.

[Tyler230]

I have done a considerable amount of reading, and working with lead in a well ventilated area and keeping it below its boiling/vaporization point seams relatively. People do it all the time for hunting from making lead shots to slugs. I also came across a very interesting idea to make my own upgraded version of the "pop-product" since it would be lead and thus save additional room per pound. It is possible to make fairly simple machines to make your own lead beads(shot) and then it would be easy enough to put these in bags.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8Ucr...eature=related

[shonuff]

I made my own steel ballast bags. I bought these flat nylon zipper document bags from home depot for $3 a piece and stuffed them with scrap steel sheet metal from work. The sheet metal I used was a carbon steel that was zinc plated so I don't have to worry about rust. Each bag weighs 20 lbs so I have about $15 invested in 100 lbs of extra ballast.

If you decide to use scrap sheet metal I suggest duct taping them together in small bricks to keep them from rattling around.

[hondaprlud]

I made about 450lbs of them in 20 and 40lb bags. I got old wheel weight from tire stores. Filled 1 gallon plastic bags to the desired weight, then duct taped the entire bag. That would have been enough, but I wanted them them be able to be moved around the boat easily. So My wife got some vinyl and sewed bags with handles for them. I just pulled them from the boat this weekend, so i'll be able to get a picture of them some time this week.

I think I made mine over the winter 2008-09. they've held up well and stayed clean even when they've gotten wet.

[AirTool]

I made about 450lbs of them in 20 and 40lb bags. I got old wheel weight from tire stores.

I don't know if it is law are Discount Tire policy...but I recently went by to get a tire changed. I asked for some weights to weight up a pine wood derby car. They told me they could no longer give out lead weights and had to send them off. They did tell me I could keep mine but preferred I take them off before I arrived, if possible.

[hondaprlud]

This is one of my home made bags. Tire stores sell the used weight, so I only found the smaller stores would give/sell to me. The chain stores all had policies against it.

[swankster]

I have 5 60lb lead weights that a friend gave me and we love them. When surfing we load them in the side boxes and make sure to finish all the right footers first before switching because it takes effort to switch them. They and a 750lb fat sack make a great surf wake. When wakeboarding we keep a few handy with the passengers to even out the wake rather than shift people.

I looked at having more make but lead ingots were $2.25/pound and they still had to be formed. Steel was $0.50 per pound. For the space/price difference we went with steel and now have 10 - 50lbs steel weights. They take more maintenace (painting for rust) but for the price difference it was worth it.