Spice Cat Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Dear All, I have been trying to source of all things a block of lead to go on my Cub as ballast. At present I have many of those stick on weights on the firewall but could do away with many of them just by moving the weights onto the engine mounts. (Not too much mind). I am not against knocking up a mould and doing a little smelting but I draw the line at nicking the raw material from the local church roof. Any ideas???? Funny thing is those JP weights are magnetic... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Builders merchants still stock sheet lead for roofing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Is that the bank breaking stuff Tim?? I to need to "lay my hands on some!" Webbit needs a little in the nose and may need a shave or 2 for the UAV (about 10g!) Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnstormer 52 Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Any Fishing Tackle shop that does sea fishing gear. You can get weights up to 2lb - maybe more. How much weight does it need? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy watson Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I got my last 5kg lot from a local scrap metal dealers. There are various laws about them supplying it, but he was fine to look the other way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Gilder Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Well Done Andy! Fishing weights!! Why didnt I think of that!! Perfect!! My other halfs dad owns a fishing shop!!! Mates Rates!! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r6dan Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I have lots of lead you could have but I thin k postage would be a problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben B Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 Lead is very expensive at the moment. The other day I took out some old lead water pipes out of my basement. One half full rubble sack got me £90 down the scrapyard. I wish though I'd saved some for melting down into ingots for plane balancing! Oh well! Roof flashing it is once more then.BTW found some really nice stuff at the DIY shop. Self-adhesive leaded window flashing. 1cm wide, self adhesive, perfect for sticking onto the leading edge of my Zagi when it needed some balancing. And being lead it bent nicely to follow the T/R shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Mackey Posted May 17, 2011 Share Posted May 17, 2011 I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST FISHING WEIGHTS...I STILL HAVE LOADS OF THEM AND USUALLY JUST WHACK 'EM WITH A LUMP HAMMER TO FLATTEN THEM OUT AND FORM THE SHAPE I NEED. Sorry for caps lock... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plummet Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Posted by Tim Mackey - Administrator on 17/05/2011 23:11:55: I WAS GOING TO SUGGEST FISHING WEIGHTS...I STILL HAVE LOADS OF THEM AND USUALLY JUST WHACK 'EM WITH A LUMP HAMMER TO FLATTEN THEM OUT AND FORM THE SHAPE I NEED. Sorry for caps lock... What do you think about when flattening the lead? Is that the reason for the caps? Plummet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Miller Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Roofing contractors will often let you have some scrap lead. In the past I have had a heap of off cuts out of the back of a contractors van. Then a local contractor at the end of my road gave me a large sheet of old lead. Thes days he might want some cash for it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil May Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Take off the stick on weights and melt them down, or do as I do and visit your local tyre fitting company, give the guys a couple of pound and walk away with a handful of weights. I do not know if it is all tyre companies or just my local one but thy have changed from lead to a zinc based type which are slightly lighter so you need more. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben B Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Hey that's not a bad idea. Go to the local car scrap yard with a chisel and take off the weights. Can't imagine they'd want much for them (they could still sell the wheels as long as you're careful). Alternatively an option is to use lead shot (like item 150488248066 on ebay £7.25/kg) link! and either melt it down into ingots or (if you're putting it in a compartment) put the lead shot in place then flood it with epoxy to hold it all together and to the wood in the compartment. It certainly works out cheaper than the Deluxe Materials liquid gravity (£8.11 for 240g from Al's hobbies). The only advantage of the liquid gravity is the bead size is much smaller so you get fewer gaps between the shots (ie less glue needed and denser). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buster prop Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Tyre balancing weights aren't lead any more, probably due to cost. I begged some from a local tyre fitters and tried to melt them with a blowtorch to make flat weights for a plane, no luck! Fishing weights are a good idea, last summer I picked up a few which I just found along a canal path. I'm not certain they are lead either but should be a able to be whacked flat with a lump hammer. I think lead has been banned (for environmental reasons) in shotgun cartridges and possibly fishing weights. The stuff is toxic after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Cotsford Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 I think it's elf'n'safety that stopped garages using lead weights for tyres.Your local tyre fitter may well have some stocks of old lead weights that they've removed when fitting and balancing new tyres. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kc Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Of course you can always use steel for weights! Just a bit bulkier for the same weight but much easier / safer to work with, so you can tap threads in to retain etc. Brass too but too expensive to use. If you must have lead then I think Southern Modelcraft sell moulded chunks at shows.Best of all remove something at the tail end or move the engine or battery forward instead of using weight. Edited By kc on 18/05/2011 12:15:40 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spice Cat Posted May 18, 2011 Author Share Posted May 18, 2011 Cheers chaps, all good stuff. The fishing weights seem the best option, I think my dad may have a few laying about. As for melting down the stick on type, as I said they seem to be magnetic and may be an out steel skin with a small amount of lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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