Lead. Where to find??

(ridealready) · (ridealready) **Join Date: Feb 2006** 08-28-2006, 10:26 AM

Hey All-

Anybody know where to buy lead weights for ballast?
Thanks!!!!

(c_rundell) · (c_rundell) **Join Date: Jan 2006** 08-28-2006, 10:42 AM

I got mine from a local shooting range. I got 450 pounds for $50 bucks. Then i took it to a local upholstery shop and they made some bags for me.

(shellyrn) · (shellyrn) **Join Date: May 2006** 08-28-2006, 10:46 AM

www.pop-products.com

(clubmyke) · (clubmyke) **Join Date: Aug 2004** 08-28-2006, 11:09 AM

troy at pop products is the man...

(hudd007) · (hudd007) **Join Date: May 2006** 08-28-2006, 1:37 PM

Charlie, so how much did it cost you to make the bags? Total cost in all?

(john32) · (john32) **Join Date: Jun 2006** 08-28-2006, 3:01 PM

GHatfield-

I can second clubmyke. Pop-Products is the only company to purchase lead from. They are the cheapest around, easy to move, and work wonders for your wake.

(socalf150rider)

we are using old wheel weights and melting them at least this is the plan i work at a wheel place so its pretty easy to get them

malibu73 08-28-2006, 4:53 PM

would an old weight set work? I was thinking of tring to find one out of the paper or somehting.

malibu73 08-28-2006, 4:54 PM

Charlie what did you ask for?

(rodmcinnis) · (rodmcinnis) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 08-28-2006, 6:36 PM

I picked up several hundred pounds of lead from an indoor shooting range for free. I loaded it into sand bags. I could have picked up a few tons if I had a way of carting it off and the back to pick it all up a shovel at a time.

The disadvantage of the shooting range lead was that it was very "dirty", had a lot of plastic and brass mixed in. Perhaps other shooting ranges do a better job of keeping the lead and other junk separate. I ended up melting one bag of the lead down and made a bar.

I inquired at my local tire shop about the used wheel weights. They wouldn't give them away, but the manager said that they often sell a 5 gallon bucket full for $20, which is pretty cheap.

(board4ce07) · (board4ce07) **Join Date: May 2004** 08-28-2006, 8:21 PM

I have always got mine at the tire shops. They use those little lead weights to balance the tires and just keep the old ones in a trash can. I got like 400 pounds for free.

(rake) · (rake) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 08-29-2006, 8:01 AM

One thing to consider if you have children is using pop bags which are made from STEEL pellets, not lead. Bags of lead weights can produce lead dust which while harmful to adults is deadly to children. Bags of tire weights, lead bars, spent ammunition etc. can produce dust or lead particles in water that is passed over it potentially exposing children to higher than normal levels of lead. This is just something to consider if you are slamming your boat with lead and take your kids out or have children on your boat. Use steel shot instead, it’s just not worth the risk.

(rodmcinnis) · (rodmcinnis) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 08-29-2006, 9:21 AM

I would be real concerned about steel shot creating major rust stains on the boat. The bags will get wet, and the steel will rust, then you will have rusting water seeping out.

(rake) · (rake) **Join Date: Jun 2003** 08-29-2006, 9:23 AM

Rod,

I've had the pop bags for awhile and they have been soaked. They have a plastic liner in the nylon bag. So far no brown water. No stains

(shellyrn) · (shellyrn) **Join Date: May 2006** 08-29-2006, 11:03 AM

Same here Rod, the shot is well sealed inside another heavy duty bag. Troy makes a great product, especially when you consider the hazards associated with lead.

(c_rundell) · (c_rundell) **Join Date: Jan 2006** 08-29-2006, 11:55 AM

Chad, the total cost of my bags was $140.

$50 for the lead
$40 for material
$50 for labor

To make it easier on the upholstry guy i put the lead into quart freezer bags. Just so it would be easier to sew up for him, at that time i also picked out all of the trash that was in the buckets. Then i put 6 ziplock bags in each sack. Havn't had any problems with leaking or anything yet.

(rmack) · (rmack) **Join Date: Jul 2005** 08-30-2006, 5:28 PM

I found my lead at a local welding and metal forming shop. I bought 8 65-66lb lead bars and covered them with marine carpet.

(big_ed_x2) · (big_ed_x2) **Join Date: Jul 2004** 08-30-2006, 5:33 PM

Pop-bags here too,easy to move around and form to any shape.I had pop-bags drenched and like Gordon said,no rust anywhere!!

TROY IS THE MAN!!

(jgrunow) · (jgrunow) **Join Date: May 2004** 08-30-2006, 7:31 PM

How tough is it to melt the lead. I have a 150lb sheet and want to cut it up and melt it to a bar.

(gobigorgohome) · (gobigorgohome) **Join Date: Aug 2005** 08-30-2006, 9:01 PM

How tough is it to melt the lead.

It's easy to do (it has a fairly low melting temp) but I believe there are serious health risks involved. Like noxious fumes and toxic airborne particles that settle around the place near where you are melting.

I'm sure someone else will be able to go into more detail.

(superairdawg) · (superairdawg) **Join Date: May 2003** 08-31-2006, 3:51 AM

Similar to Rod, I got all I could carry for free at a local shooting range. I put it in bank coin bags (http://www.generalbanksupply.com) and had my local seamstress (mom) whip up some nicer 'outer' bags. All in all, about 200lbs for <$30.

The pop bags look great if you got the skratch. The nice thing about NOT melting the lead down and leaving it in bags is you can move it around and it'll conform to whatever space you put it in w/out pressure points.

(rodmcinnis) · (rodmcinnis) **Join Date: Sep 2002** 09-01-2006, 10:10 AM

Like Joe said, leaving the loose lead in the bag will allow it to conform to the space. Drop a bag down into spot and after a while it will just settle down and shape itself to the surroundings.

Now try getting that bag back out.......

(jovedawake) · (jovedawake) **Join Date: Mar 2006** 09-01-2006, 10:59 AM

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/344938.html?1152807160

^^^there is another link about lead...