Model Forum / Radio Controlled / Water Models / September 2003

Ask a tire shop for used wheel weights.

JM

Sporting goods shops for rolls of fishing sinker lead.
Melting is best accomplished with the lead in a ladle and propane torch.

Try builders merchants who supply lead flashing to go round windows, or
roofs.

Here's my personal preference:

http://www14.inetba.com/tandtreloading/productCat17904.ctlg

Lead shot from a gun dealer.  25 pound bag for a good price.  Use number 8
or 9 and mix with epoxy.  Putting 16 pounds worth in a Six Metre right now.
Don't know how easily it might melt down but I'm sure it can be.

F.H.

Howdy! If you are absolutely, positively, beyond a doubt, going to
melt lead and pour your own keel, all of these suggestions for sources
will get you started. You could also talk to/look for scuba divers. At
one time they used lead weights on weight belts to trim their
bouyancy.

While pouring lead sounds exciting and "manly", there are several
better alternatives. I needed an 8# keel on my shark, and used a piece
of 2" thin-wall PVC for the body and galvanized fence post caps for
the ends. I epoxied one end on, filled the chamber with #8 lead shot,
then mixed up epoxy and lead shot for a plug. Then I epoxied the other
end cap onto the body. Before I did all the pouring of lead shot, I
had all my keel hanger hardware in place inside the PVC body.

If you are going to pour your keel, here are some things to consider:

1. DRY, everything MUST be DRY!
While molten lead isn't very hot, it is hot enough to flash water into
steam. Steam can burn you, but the real problem is that water flashing
into steam will propel molten lead out of your melting pot of mold.
And this really will burn you, or your clothes, or ...

2. Your mold only has to stand up to one pour, so it can be made out
of almost anything including wood, or plaster of Paris. BUT, see item
number 1.

3. Do this is a reasonably well ventilated area. The problem I have
had in the past is not the lead fumes. Rather it is the smoke given
off by all the other things that burn in the process like dust and
dirt on the lead or the melting pot, etc.

4. DO NOT leave your melting process until your lead is in the same
state in which it started, COLD. If you wander away "for just a few
moments" your lead keel could end up costing you tens of thousands of
dollars, or more. Trust me on this one.

I've poured several hundred pounds of lead in the past 40 years, and
believe me, there are easier ways to get your lead keel than by
pouring molten metal.

Now go do what you are going to do anyway. <G>

Regards,

Dr. Spiff

Sporting goods shops rule.  I think a 25-lb sack of shot is like $16.
There's some math involved, but they carry, usually, no. 8 and no. 9 shot,
which is supposed to be same mass.  Tell 'em it's for a model boat - it'll
start a conversation, fersure.

While we're on the subject, I've heard that wheel weights for autos aren't
pure lead.  It's supposedly alloyed with something to keep it 'strong'.
Maybe weigh it.

This from a guy who 'inherited' a huge box of wheel weights when he bought
his house 16 years ago - me.

Tire store. Look in the parking lot, usually.

Get a outdoors camp stove, a tin can, and have at it.