Sailboat Keel

[BallisticExpansion]

I picked this up this weekend. Thoughts on lead extraction? My best idea yet is to buy a sawzall (reciprocating saw) from harbor freight with several blades and cut into chunks and burn in a big pot over a fire/furnace. Will try and cut as much fiberglass off as possible.

Also, isn't this type of BB lead/shot mostly pure lead?

[BallisticExpansion]

Dang it I can't get the pic to attach. The site keeps failing. Anyway its a 6ft keel wrapped in fiber glass and has a 3/8" piece of steel running through the middle of it.

[JimB..]

Have heard that keels are a little better than race car weights in terms of being closer to pure lead.

I don’t think you’ll burn off the fiberglass, but of course it will float.

I’m sur that a sawzall will work, but I bet a hair saw would be better.

[BallisticExpansion]

What is a hair saw??

[BallisticExpansion]

Have heard that keels are a little better than race car weights in terms of being closer to pure lead.

I don’t think you’ll burn off the fiberglass, but of course it will float.

I’m sur that a sawzall will work, but I bet a hair saw would be better.

Apparently the fiber glass is quite flammable. I'd rather not burn it so if the lead just melts out thats even better.

[BallisticExpansion]

I've also got a circular saw with a 16" blade. It's the giant makita one.

[JimB..]

What is a hair saw??

It is what apple products apparently call a chain saw. I don’t know why, it’s just what it iThing decided I meant,

[Conditor22]

IF the picture is too large it won't attach. I've had good luck with http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...es-using-IMGUR

That steel bar is troublesome.

A chainsaw would be quickest.

I've got an old clawfoot tub and figured If I ever got a large chunk of lead I'd put the tub on blocks use a tractor to load the lead and build a fire under it.

[cat-mechanic]

I would probably try to score the fiberglass and try to chisel it off of the lead. Maybe set up a circular saw at the depth of the fiberglass and make several passes and get the fiberglass off, then whatever you can do to cut the lead into smaller chunks that would be easier to handle.

[15meter]

I've cut lead with a Skil saw using a coarse blade. It was 2-1/2" thick blocks of range scrap. I have an old propane tank that I cut in half then took the top, flipped it over and welded legs on it. I took the valve out, threaded in a street ell then into an 10" nipple. fill the pot up with range scrap, put a Goodwill pot under the pipe, build a fire and walk away. Two hours later I have a 50-60 lb. chunk of lead. I typically don't stir the pot or stay near it while it is cooking. I take what ever drains out the bottom and scrap the rest.
I take the Skil saw and cut those slabs into smaller chunks that I can melt/flux/skim then pour into muffin sized ingots that fit into my casting pot.

When cutting the big chunks down, I'll set them on wood slats inside a large cardboard box set on it side then cut them with the saw blowing the chips into the box. I wear a heavy long sleeved shirt and safety glasses. Those chips coming off the saw can be sharp! You would be surprised at the number of boolits that are in that saw kerf.

And fiberglass is burnable, takes a little to get it going but it burns nasty black smoke, don't want to think of the chemicals coming out of the resins.

I did not get any kickback when I cut mine, that was a concern before I tried it. I was afraid I was going to get either kickback or binding, I had neither.

[Tom W.]

Might out to check and see that it isn't zinc infused.....

[Chainsaw.]

Is it raw shot or shot with epoxy mixed in?

A chainsaw will cut through the fiberglass and lead, but will dull in short order due to the fiberglass.

[Winger Ed.]

Wear a mask, the fiberglass dust ain't good for ya.
And gloves too. It'll cut ya if it gets a chance.

Another way to separate it is chop the fiberglass with a ax. Then get under it with a decent size pry bar and peel it away.

[BallisticExpansion]

I would probably try to score the fiberglass and try to chisel it off of the lead. Maybe set up a circular saw at the depth of the fiberglass and make several passes and get the fiberglass off, then whatever you can do to cut the lead into smaller chunks that would be easier to handle.

I like that idea. The lead separates easy enough with a chisel and hammer it should work. I'm going to lay it on a tarp to catch the scrap.

[BallisticExpansion]

Might out to check and see that it isn't zinc infused.....

How do I tell? It just looks like lead bbs glues together with epoxy.

[Tom W.]

Get a bit of muriatic acid and pour a little on to the lead. If it has zinc it will bubble.
You may have to do some cutting and digging to get some exposed if it's encased in epoxy.

[pete501]

I did a fiberglass coated keel. Used a hatchet to get the fiberglass shell off. Then hung the keel and used a propane torch. Water filled buckets caught the liquid lead.. the area under the buckets was covered with a canvas tarp.

This keel was only 190 pounds

[F_L]

I've cut a few sailboats and salvaged some keels. A sawzall works on fiberglass buts beats you death and wears out blades. My favorite tools for cutting fiberglass are a 4" angled grinder and skil saw with the diamond blades.They look like this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Diablo-4...102P/305506537
These blades have a small kerf so less dust. They cut fiberglass easily.
The keel sounds like lead shot encased in resin. The resin is probably brittle. You should be able to break it into chunks with a hammer and chisel. The resin is flammable. LOTS of black smoke!
Good luck.

[Plate plinker]

Wonder if a hammer drill with a chisel but set to only hammer would peel off the fiberglass.

[JimB..]

I haven’t seen the picture, but I bet that a draw knife would strip off the fiberglass in short order. Bet I have one around here that I could lend, just shoot me a pm with your address if you want to try. Also have a woodworker’s hatchet, it’s ground flat on one side, that might be worth a try.