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Excellent! Thanks all (especially Don) for the advice. If you see on the news 'promising university graduate maimed in horrific lead/camping gas incident - diving mailing list blamed' You'll know it was me. AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT! ;-) LOL Chris ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don Burke" <donburke56@ne*.ne*> To: "Chris Tibble" <chris.tibble@bt*.co*> Sent: Monday, April 16, 2001 3:23 AM Subject: Re: Making 'V' Weights > I've melted some pretty large quantities of lead using a Coleman stove with > a propane torch to help out. You should be just fine if you don't let a lot > of wind blow over the container while this is happening. > > Some guys here have used old gas grills. Just check everything cold to see > if the weight will be a problem. > > Don > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Chris Tibble <chris.tibble@bt*.co*> > To: Don Burke <donburke56@ne*.ne*> > Sent: 15 April, 2001 21:29 > Subject: Re: Making 'V' Weights > > > > Do you think a propane blowtorch would be able to heat up the lead to a > > sufficient degree to melt it? I have one of those, but I don't really have > > that extensive a tool box (or wallet!) to stretch to a welding kit. As you > > can probably tell I do not have much experience of these things, and > > normally I would just buy a V weight, I just refuse to pay £30 ($45) for > > *one* V weight, especially since I want to make 3 of different weights to > > cover different eventualities/configs! > > > > Cheers for the info, it's been a great help! > > > > Chris > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Don Burke" <donburke56@ne*.ne*> > > To: "Chris Tibble" <chris.tibble@bt*.co*>; <techdiver@aquanaut.com> > > Sent: Monday, April 16, 2001 1:10 AM > > Subject: Re: Making 'V' Weights > > > > > > > I use the preheat flames from my cutting torch to provide heat. The > heat > > is > > > applied from the top and since the torch is pretty hot, the melting > > happens > > > very quickly. > > > > > > A small steel bucket with a foot of heavy steel wire to extend the > handle > > is > > > my crucible. A small prybar lets me pull the bottom edge of the bucket > so > > I > > > can pour. > > > > > > I work outdoors with the wind at my back, wear goggles, solid shoes and > > > welding gloves, and have a pressurized garden hose nearby. With the > speed > > > of the cutting torch and the wind at my back, lead fumes aren't a > problem. > > > I have everything very close to the ground so when I stand up I am well > > away > > > from any nasty gasses, vapors, or fumes. The cat and dog are locked in > > the > > > house and the neighborhood kids aren't allowed in my fenced-in back yard > > > during this. Everything is dried off so I get no steam surprises. > > > > > > At one point I wore full welding leathers for casting lead. I since > have > > > gone to just heavy work clothes and a welding shirt. If I didn't > already > > > have the welding clothes, I don't think I would buy any just for this. > > Just > > > make sure there are no ways for molten lead to fall inside your clothes > or > > > shoes. > > > > > > Try loading up everything with cold lead so you will find out if > anything > > > can't handle the weight. > > > It _really_ sucks to find this out with molten lead. > > > > > > Once the lead is in the mold and solidified, I use a light spray of > water > > to > > > speed the cooling. Don't get carried away with this. > > > > > > Don Burke > > > > > > > > > From: Chris Tibble > > > I want to make a 'V' weight in preparation for my new twinset, which I'm > > > ordering soon. I have the lead weights, and I can make a mould no > problem, > > > but I want to know how best to (safely) melt the lead down. Any ideas > > about > > > heat source and suitable container for molten lead? Protective gear? > > > > > > > > > NetZero Platinum > > > No Banner Ads and Unlimited Access > > > Sign Up Today - Only $9.95 per month! > > > http://www.netzero.net > > > > > > > > > > > > > NetZero Platinum > No Banner Ads and Unlimited Access > Sign Up Today - Only $9.95 per month! > http://www.netzero.net > > -- Send mail for the `techdiver' mailing list to `techdiver@aquanaut.com'. Send subscribe/unsubscribe requests to `techdiver-request@aquanaut.com'.
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