Best way to cut lead

[glennster]

Ok, it’s kind of weird, but. I scrapped out an abandoned sail boat. (Never let friends store their junk on your farm). I ended up with several slabs of lead approximately 3 inches thick, 15 inches wide by about 30 inches long from the keel as ballast. I want to melt it down and make weights for scuba diving. I would like to cut them down to about 5 pound chunks or so. Sawzall maybe??

 

[old]

Ok, it’s kind of weird, but. I scrapped out an abandoned sail boat. (Never let friends store their junk on your farm). I ended up with several slabs of lead approximately 3 inches thick, 15 inches wide by about 30 inches long from the keel as ballast. I want to melt it down and make weights for scuba diving. I would like to cut them down to about 5 pound chunks or so. Sawzall maybe??

The best way would be a shear that way you don't end up with a lot of lead dust in the air to make you sick

 

[Stan Coryell]

Ok, it’s kind of weird, but. I scrapped out an abandoned sail boat. (Never let friends store their junk on your farm). I ended up with several slabs of lead approximately 3 inches thick, 15 inches wide by about 30 inches long from the keel as ballast. I want to melt it down and make weights for scuba diving. I would like to cut them down to about 5 pound chunks or so. Sawzall maybe??

Circular Saw. Candle wax on the bade. Probably 48 or so TPI.

 

[Stan Coryell]

The best way would be a shear that way you don't end up with a lot of lead dust in the air to make you sick

It's 3" thick.

 

[Duner Wi]

Would a metal shear work. Just asking?

 

[a49deere]

An Axe!!

 

[Fixingfarmer]

It’s $ .35 at a minimum per lbs sell for scrap assuming you own it now and then buy weights to your hearts content. I turned in 5 small car batteries today and got 60 bucks.

If you are dead set on melting it just get a bigger fire and pot and keep yourself upwind

 

[560Dennis]

For your own well being ,take fixing farmers advice and peddle the lead and buy the weights.

 

[joeysmith]

Band saw

 

[scootergmc]

Chain saw and band saw

 

[Stephen Newell]

I think a sawzall with a coarse blade would be my first choice. Another option might be to sell it to a salvage yard as is and use the money to buy scuba weights. At least you wouldn't have to fabricate molds.

 

[Hobo,NC]

Ok, it’s kind of weird, but. I scrapped out an abandoned sail boat. (Never let friends store their junk on your farm). I ended up with several slabs of lead approximately 3 inches thick, 15 inches wide by about 30 inches long from the keel as ballast. I want to melt it down and make weights for scuba diving. I would like to cut them down to about 5 pound chunks or so. Sawzall maybe??

Sawzall is what I use.

 

[DaveBN]

What ever you use spray the cutting area with WD-40. Then the lead won't stick to the cutter as it melts from the heat of being cut.
Dave

 

[Loosehandle]

Ax

 

[glennster]

It’s $ .35 at a minimum per lbs sell for scrap assuming you own it now and then buy weights to your hearts content. I turned in 5 small car batteries today and got 60 bucks.

If you are dead set on melting it just get a bigger fire and pot and keep yourself upwind

A 4 pound scuba weight is 18 dollars.

 

[glennster]

I think a sawzall with a coarse blade would be my first choice. Another option might be to sell it to a salvage yard as is and use the money to buy scuba weights. At least you wouldn't have to fabricate molds.

I already have the molds. We made them years ago with a scuba club I was in. The lead came from salmon fishing tackle salvaged from Lake Michigan.. these slabs weigh about 1500 pounds each.

 

[Mule Meat]

You should have no trouble cutting lead with a Sawzall. May need to experiment with a couple of different blades to find the one that works best.

Most dangerous part of working with lead as you should know is the melting and pouring process.

 

[TheBartman47]

Maybe a hammer and chisel, wedge, punch, etc. Break off chunks to put in the crucible for melting. I would avoid any kind of sawing, especially high-speed saws, to prevent flakes and dust from getting everywhere.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

A 4 pound scuba weight is 18 dollars.

And you just got 500 easy bucks a slab. Again that’s a minimum I’ve seen up to 85 cents. For no work. I’m not sure how many the club needs but I think you are good.

There are people that will mold a new battery post instead of purchasing a new battery too and the 150 bucks you would save there doesn’t make me setup a mini foundry. Lead is lead why go breath that? There’s a reason they all wear tyvek suits with a breathing apparatus in the battery plant and let us visitors/service techs walk through no problem it’s the amount of exposure over time there is no way I’d set up smelting at my house there are much better things to do with one’s time.

 

[scootergmc]

Couple points- dust is fairly negligible if cutting and can be mitigated.

Secondly, based off his posts I assume OP knows the cost of vinyl coated weights or bags. But time and materials is money too. I too would go the scrap and buy route. No sense reinventing the wheel. This boat of someone else's is already costing you plenty, no matter how you cut it- no pun.