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Indigo Blues · 03-08-2011, 07:59 AM,

I can't be oxidation because as lead oxidizes it goes from shiny to a dull gray color - not white.

arcFlash · (This post was last modified: 03-08-2011, 11:58 AM by arcFlash.)

I could be wrong but lead in paint was used to make it opaque and I thought it was white. That works out well when you don't always want gray paint. They now use Titanium Oxide and it too is white I think.

UPDATE: Thanks to Wiki. Titanium dioxide is white. Lead Oxide is a soft yellow. Paint used Lead Carbonate, it's white. It's formed from lead(II) acetate and carbon dioxide but I don't know if it would form on our weights. Suffice to say, all of it's probably harmful enough to not rinse it off on your sidewalk or living spaces. Everything oxidizes so what ever runs milky out of the weight has to be an oxide of some form.

Arkman · 03-08-2011, 02:45 PM,

I could be wrong but lead in paint was used to make it opaque and I thought it was white. That works out well when you don't always want gray paint. They now use Titanium Oxide and it too is white I think.

UPDATE: Thanks to Wiki. Titanium dioxide is white. Lead Oxide is a soft yellow. Paint used Lead Carbonate, it's white. It's formed from lead(II) acetate and carbon dioxide but I don't know if it would form on our weights. Suffice to say, all of it's probably harmful enough to not rinse it off on your sidewalk or living spaces. Everything oxidizes so what ever runs milky out of the weight has to be an oxide of some form.
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Thanks for the follow up arcflash. I'm not sure how to dispose of the wash water when I clean the lead. I could drink it, then it doesn't end up in the river. ;D Just kidding. This is another problem, at least for me, that I'd like to solve. I'm just not sure how yet.

I'm thinking about ways to make my weights so the lead doesn't come in contact with water at all. I just haven't developed it yet. Fixing this would also solve the milky white substance issue too.

arcFlash · (This post was last modified: 03-08-2011, 05:12 PM by arcFlash.)

I wouldn't clean it. It's lead, it's never going to be clean. Take the lead or pouch out of the BC and just wash the BC and consider the pouch to be too toxic and leave it in a pail that will never be used for anything else.

Some time ago on a project I coated lead shot with epoxy for a book end. Maybe you can coat it somehow. Fill a nylon bag, sew it shut and then coat it with that rubber they sell for tool handles?

DiverQueen · 03-08-2011, 07:02 PM,

SeaPearls makes a formed curved weight with a T handle on it. Then it's coated with a plastic substance like "Plasti-Dip". Good luck with whatever shape yours come out to be!

arcFlash · 03-08-2011, 08:19 PM,

If we asks nicely maybe, possible, LeadKing will tell us how it all works.

leadking · (This post was last modified: 03-09-2011, 12:21 PM by leadking.)

The white milky product IS lead oxide!!!

The amount of lead oxide created by a product can fairly well be summed up by the amount of surface area exposed to oxygen. Lead shot has a HUGE surface area. We used the largest shot, #4, vs. the 7.5 shot to greatly reduce the surface area. The post on washing the shot after each dive is what I would recommend, although it may be overkill. Understand that shot will oxidise rapidly under the following three conditions.

1. Use in a chlorine treated pool. Chlorine is a super-oxidizing agent. Washing lead after immersion in chlorine treated water and allowing to dry will greatly reduce oxidization.

2. Use in salt water. Salt residue on shot will actually pull moisture from the air and again increase oxidization. Rinsing in fresh water is recommended and will reduce oxidation.

3. Leaving the shot in your bc or belt will also increase oxidation. Always remove and spread out your weights on a clean dry surface to dry as quickly as possible.

Remember that lead is like iron, rust is iron oxide. Practice prevention by keeping the product clean and drying as soon as practible will provide a long produtive life of the product.

Clean dry shot is very stable and just practising good hygiene will prevent lead exposure. Lead is gathered in your body because your body thinks is is calcium (another metal). Your uptake of lead is not quick. It is not short term exposure but repeated long term exposure to be most concerned about.

Hopefully this answers most of your questions.

Gravybird · (This post was last modified: 06-25-2011, 09:15 PM by Gravybird.)

What is the avg price of lead shot bought in bulk? I am interested in making my own soft weights. And the best material to make the sacks out of? ??? thanks

SCORE! I got a 25 pound bag of lead shot for 20$ yesterday:-) now, to find some material to make the pouches out of...

I got the pouches made out of trampoline felt, they look, and feel very durable. less than 50 bucks wrapped up into 25 pounds of soft weights. not too bad compared to what I have seen them for sale:-)

popolarbear · 08-19-2011, 06:37 AM,

I too would like inexpensive alternative to lead. in fishing Ive converted about half my weighting to steel weights. I have made "ghetto" home brew weights out of odd metal pieces, also I would mention that glass balls(like glass marbles) might be a good alternative, not quite the density of lead, but enough. once in awhile you can find them sold in quantity for cheep. i would look at garden suppliers as some use them in bulk to fill flower pots with. those are not perfect rounds and are cheaper.