Melting and shaping lead....

[slack11]

Gotta do this soon, just wondering if there are a couple of tricks that might make this an easier process.   I have a bunch of circular pucks of lead from my go karting days, but want to melt and reshape them to use on the legends ( in bars)....  You guys use a barbecue grill?  Any tricks on the molds? 

Thanks in advance

[s10custom]

Made my own mold from angle iron laying around. Have a 3 burner camping stove that I used under the mold to heat the under side and a torch on top to help melt the lead. worked great.

Hope this helps,
Robert

[Vern Houseman]

MAKE sure you got good ventilation

[s10custom]

What Vern said. I did mine outside.

Robert

[justfreaky]

You can use most anything to melt your lead. An old pot, BBQ, camp stove, Bic lighter (although it's very slow  ).
Do it outdoors or in a well ventilated place.
You can make simple molds from scraps of metal, baking pans, wood scraps, whatever.
Be sure that they are of legal size and shape. And be sure to fasten them securely to the car.


Steve

[slack11]

Being a chemistry teacher I know what this stuff is capable of.......  May take this approach, is there anyone that sells the bars of lead to bolt onto the chassis?  Looking for a 20 lb bar, the 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" x 12" that they allow.  If it's not too expensive, might just buy this instead of messing around with cooking this up..

[VMS Motorsports]

I have them, that size is closer to 18lbs I believe though, will double check tomorrow.
$40 each plus shipping

[slack11]

I'll call you tomorrow, it's too late tonight....  That sounds better than messing with this myself.

Thanks

[faster12]

On our cars we get a pieces of square tubing and cap the end then poor the lead into the tubbing. it makes a nice piece that you can weld brackets to which makes mounting easier and if you drill thru it you don't have to worry about the washers pulling thru the lead.

[just-a-rat-in-a-cage]

I always melted lead into a mold that I used during my asphalt days.  It was an old chevy valve cover.  It makes alot of sense to change the shape of your mold rather than changing the shape of lead.  Lead is very hard to cut-- it jams the teeth of any serated blade and when the blade gets hot, the lead melts locking the blade in the chunk of lead.  Drilling is easier if you drill very slowly.  If you drill quickly, the lead will get hot from the drill bit and will try to mold around the bit and then it's a nightmare trying to get your bit back.  I've found it's almost easier remolding lead than trying to cut it.  So:

1. Make yourself a nice mold in exacly the shape you want it. 
2. Use a propane weed burner (looks like a long torch with a vegetable can mounted to the end.  Runs on a BBQ propane tank.)  to melt the lead in a coffee can with a long handle attached to it.  Do your work in the middle of a gravel driveway.  The melting lead can give off some nasty fumes. 
3.  Pour slowly, If it splashes, it sticks to and burns whatever it touches.  A long handle mounted on the coffee can keeps you out of the way.  You can also heat your mold with pieces of lead in it and add more from the can to fill the mold.
4.  After the mold is full, let it set for at least 2 hours.  Lead takes a long time to cool.
5.  Drill slowly.  If you drill quickly, you won't save a bit of time if the bit bogs down and the lead melts to it. 

MOST IMPORTANTLY---Do not let moisture or water get into molten lead!!  Dripping sweat, spilled soda, a garden hose--and a very violent and explosive reaction occurs!!  The lead will literally jump out of your melting pot.  Never, Never, Never let water near molten lead.  You will get hurt.  You will lose flesh.  Just let the lead cool on it's own in a dry place.  The time you save trying to cool it faster isn't worth an eye or a trip to the hospital with hot lead stuck to you.  Wear an old leather coat if you have one, wear safety glasses, wear a hat, wear welders gloves.  I've melted probably 450 lbs. of lead in my life, and this is just what I've learned over 12 years. 

It's easy to do, but you have to be methodical about your safety.


Scott

[knoxracing]

faster12, is it me or did you say you pour the lead in a steel tube, cap it and the weld tabs to the chassis? If this is a Legend Car, that is not legal it can not be encased and it has to BOLT directly to the rails. Sorry if I read this wrong or if it is for another application.

[VMS Motorsports]

Per INEX Rule Book...

Mounting Ballast - The blocks must be bolted directly to the frame and must be secured with a minimum of two (2) 3/8” bolts. Lead may be bolted to the square tubing of the sub-frame (1” X 2” tubing only), not the roll cage. The blocks may not be encased in any way.

[IraceLegends77]

I guess Jim really did get his rule book.....................

[VMS Motorsports]

I did!   

[slack11]

Jim,
  Gave you a call this afternoon, wanna order a couple of those blocks of lead from you, but was hoping to be able to get them by this weekend.  I left my number on your voicemail, just give me a call and we can set it up.
 

Thanks!!!