Diver's weight belt weights?

[Ad Astra]

Ah, long-time lurker [smilie=1: and new caster making a first post, with a question.

Like many, the recent market shortages have made me re-think things. I had an old Palmer Hot Pot that I'd never plugged in; got it at a garage sale. Bought a Lee .452 mold and started making slugs for my Ruger Blackhawk. Shot them and was hooked! Have since bought a Lee 4-20 pot and several other Lee and Lyman molds.

Last week I tried out some 8mm Mauser reloads topped with my first throws from a Lyman 323470, gaschecked. Super happy with those, too.

So, like all here, I scrounge lead now. Tire store said no, with a smile. "Lots of people want my wheel weights for bullets and sinkers," he said. They use lead not zinc, but when they cannot reuse WWs, a guy trades them out one for one.

However. A buddy just gave me some dive belt weights. They sure look like pure lead. Before I throw them in the pot, thought I'd ask if anyone else had done the same. Last week I used some weights from an old cast net, fluxed with sawdust, and poured. They went downrange nicely.

So. Dive belt weights. Any hidden surprises?

Many thanks.

AA

[L1A1Rocker]

I've seen this question come up from time to time. Dive weight has no standards needed as their only job is to be heavy. As a result it is a total cra* shoot as to what the alloy is. Your weights are going to be cast from whatever was cheapest the day the maker called the smelter to place an order for lead.

[fishhawk]

Watch out for water filled voids in dive weights you never know!

[383]

Watch out for water filled voids in dive weights you never know!

Well wouldn't that make a memory!

[Artful]

Way back when (1970's) the dive shop had molds to make their own weights - and a pipe end pot and plumbers furnace - you could bring in whatever lead you found and make your own (it was a once a quarter or so gathering - people back then would bring in wheel weights, lead pipe, sheet lead from roofing - so total random mix.

[Ad Astra]

Well, thanks. Guess I will put them in a cold pot and survey, from a distance, with my full-face and welder's gloves, of course ...

They give all appearances of pure lead. Gotta try.


AA

[Sensai]

Although there is no published standard for diving weights, the molds are designed for lead. You can use this to your advantage in estimating the composition of the metal. If the weight is very close to the molded in number on the weight then it's likely lead. If the actual weight is lighter there is something in it besides lead. You can use the acid test to see if there's any zinc in it. Diving weight manufactures avoid zinc because it corrodes in salt water.

[Tar Heel]

Actually there are standards for these weights. Most commercial weights produced today like those by Sea Pearls and other large weight providers use Antimonial lead typically at 5%. In other words, 95% lead, 5% Antimony. Pure lead is too soft to stand up to the dropping the weights are subject to. Bang them together and you will hear them "clink" not "thunk". As a dive shop manager and professional diver, I am aware of the alloy used in commercially produced dive weights. Home made weights are another story.

[Smokepole50]

As a diver also, I thought all modern dive weights were lead shot in multiple sealed pouchesattached by velcro, not the old type weights that you feed the nylon belt thru. I would think that if your buddy gave you some old dive weights that were designed to be worn on a belt, that they are very old, possibly worth something as antiques and made of pure plumbers lead or COWW from the 1960's or 70's.

[Pmc]

I picked up a dive belt this week at the thrift store. Formed lead weights on a nylon belt. About 12 lbs for $4.99. Scratched with my thumbnail. I haven't tested them for hardness yet, but for .50 a lb it was worth a try.

[CGT80]

I have two dive weights that are stamped 5 pounds. They ring pretty good when dropped on concrete and they are bright, like some of my other ingots that ring well. My pure lead just drops with a thud and is very dark and dull colored.

[Sensai]

I stand corrected on the alloy standard. Thanks. The last time I had any dealings with them was a while back, and mine were all soft lead.

[2wheelDuke]

Like others said, dive weights can be anything. I got some that were made by a guy in a print shop when he borrowed my dad's mold. Those are my good stuff for blending. I have range scrap weights to dive with now.

[Artful]

As a diver also, I thought all modern dive weights were lead shot in multiple sealed pouchesattached by velcro, not the old type weights that you feed the nylon belt thru. I would think that if your buddy gave you some old dive weights that were designed to be worn on a belt, that they are very old, possibly worth something as antiques and made of pure plumbers lead or COWW from the 1960's or 70's.

Oh, that makes me feel younger :brokenima

[Sensai]

Wow, sixties or seventies is antique, I must be a living fossil! ;<)

[Bucking the Tiger]

I have used cast diving weights( the old style with belt loops) bought at my local scrap yard with success. I had never tried it before, but they made a nice "cling' when bumped together, so they went into the pot. The paint floated up to the top, but poured fine.

[Ad Astra]

These weighed three and four pounds, could be scratched with a thumbnail- and melted nicely. Fluxed with sawdust and skimmed. Looked pure to me, so I added some lino metal and poured a couple hundred .323 and .358 projectiles. Many thanks for help.


AA

[jhalcott]

I got some weights from a retired diver. They were all over the map on BHN, some "thumped" when dropped, some rang! I melted them all in one BIG pot, stirred the melt and fluxed it. Then made a bunch of 3 pound ingots. The handgun bullets made from this mix shot VERY well in my .44 mag and .45acp's. I added a few pounds of Lino to the pot when making rifle bullets. That was in the late 70's and I STILL remember lugging those weights to and from the car!
Guess what happens when you put sixty or seventy pounds of lead in a cardboard box!

[mold maker]

I still have the mold to make dive weights. Used to supply 2 dive shops (70s), and always used WW and plumbing lead. It was cheap and plentiful then.

[Ad Astra]

Here's a pic of today's work.

Lyman 8mm/.323 mold 323470 (165 grain) and Lyman .38/9mm mold 358212 (147 grain).

All Aloxed; 8mm's gaschecked too.

http://www.ramanon.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=27001&d=1368915068

My modest setup:

http://www.ramanon.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=27002&d=1368915083


Mike

[CGT80]

I don't see anything. Is it me, or is it your post?

[Ad Astra]

I don't see anything. Is it me, or is it your post?

Well. It's cross posted from another place, but I can see the pix with an ipad and a windoze machine, so.

AA