Weights, to buy or not

[Mtrewyn]

I'd be concerned with the lead fumes, Lead is absorbed through the lungs faster than most other routes, and well you get too much and well....lets just say your IQ drops real fast.

[mitchy]

I guess making the weights nice and pretty with lead paint is not wise either?

[Goober]

Originally Posted by Tod

Do you (or anyone you know) know how to sew? You can buy lead shot weight from a hardware store and make your own soft weights if you're sew inclined.

Ziplock baggies work great...and no leaching

[mitchy]

For those of you who have made your own weights, what do you use as a mold for the melted lead?

[fireflock]

I've found a lot of weight at the local quarry on Sunday evening (students loose it - check in the water near entrance points).

I also sometimes collect big fishing weights (grouper) from wrecks. Over time you can collect enough to make a P-weight or something.

A lot of divers have extra in their closest they might be willing to sell. They used to use more than they need now, or have found weights over the years.

Rich

[TravisD]

Originally Posted by Mtrewyn

The fumes are REAL bad, even without kids I'd do it out side.

I got VERy wide-eyed when my wife told me recently that her dad used to melt lead for fishing weights in the basement, on the wood stove. She had no idea that this was a bad idea...

That said, the closer you can keep the temp to just over the melting point, the better - less chance of vaporizing things. And old hot plate and pan is probably slightly safer than a torch in this area.

[CaptainRon]

Just pick up some imported toys from China......

[PsychDiver]

Yes the fumes can get real bad. Outside is definitely the way to go. I think the lead exposure in the fumes is quite limited and in a ventilated area posses little or no health risk in the amount of time it takes to make some weights. But I am not an MD and have not researched it. Just been around several pple who have made their own lead bullets for years without any health problems. The one risk I do know of is if you put a tire weight in to melt and it has water on it, it will vaporize the water instantly and the expanding gas will cause an explosion of lead in the pot and splatter it every. My father had a friend do this and it coated his eye. Luckily the lead cooled very fast and didn't cause burning. He did go to the Dr. to have the lead removed.

[adv_diver1]

I bought my soft weights years ago pretty cheap. I only take about 6-8lbs as I remember... I hate weight belts. too heavy!

[Duckydiver]

I just found about 20 lbs of lead scrap in my basement. So what do you guyes for a mold when making weights.