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Paul- > I am planning on using a Coleman camping stove that uses camping fuel. > Is this going to be good enough? I know that propane will do the job, I suspect that the Coleman will work but it will be slow. You may have to cut up your lead a bit to help things along. > Lead melts at relatively low temps but how do I know it is melted > enough? Does it bubble and splatter all over the place, or is it just > good > and runny? Lead does not bubble and boil unless there is moisture in it. But by the time it is hot enough to liquefy the moisture has evaporated. > I have some old lead that has a coating of orange paint on it. Should > I > scrape the paint of first or does it really matter? Any impurities can be spooned off the top of the molten lead, it will all float to the top as lead is dense even in it's liquid state. > I am still in the process of DIR-ifying my gear and currently using > twined AL80's with a manifold which are positively buoyant when > close to empty. I have a home made aluminum backplate which does > not add any real weight to the rig and a Viking rubber dry suit with > 1/4" > Thinsulite undies. Currently I have about 16 lbs on my belt and 4 lbs > of ankle weights. So is there a generally accepted weight > criteria for the P/V when diving a rig like the one mentioned > above? (ie) The P had to be 5 lbs and the V has to be 7 lbs or > something like that. You will have to work hard to sink that rig. You will probably need both the P and V weight together. And you might need a steel backplate too. > From the web page it is not obvious if the V weight is connected > to something or does it just go in between the tanks+bands and is held > in > place by the back plate? The backplate holds the Vweight in. > If the V is not connected to anything I assume it is trimmed to > fit perfectly between the tanks+bands so not move around and make > annoying noise. No, lead is soft it does not make any noise if it moves around. If you want you can put a bicycle innertube over it. > I plan on using an old cast iron skillet as my smelter. Is this > a safe enough pot to use.? Being a frying pan type pot is it necessary > to use a pot with higher sides? Using a low flat pan for melting is not a good idea. You would be safer with a pot rather than a pan. Lead is heavy and as you start your pour it could get out of hand and spill with a pan. > Is there a simple formula that will let me know how much weight to > melt? (ie) Melt 10 lbs of lead to get a 5 lbs P weight, etc. Hmmm, this is kind of a weird question. I would imagine that you would melt 5 lbs. of lead to get 5 lbs. of lead, maybe a bit could stick to the pot but not much. It does not evaporate or anything. Wear eye protection, jeans, leather shoes, a leather apron if you can get one, thick leather gloves and do the melt outdoors. Jim -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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