Lead Block

[esantoro]

Valerie Michael recommends using a lead block and not a steel anvil for doming the ends of solid rivets. Does anyone know where I can find such a lead block?

Thanks,

Ed

[UKRay]

I made mine myself, Ed. Lead will melt on the top of a stove - although it is best to do this job outside as the fumes are pretty noxious!

I just melt up scrap lead from the junk yard and pour it into a suitable mould. I have a range of old enamel pie dishes that seem to work pretty well for me. When the lead gets chewed up all you have to do is stick it back in your steel pot and put it back on the stove and repeat the process.

Not sure how Valerie is setting rivets with the lead block as I only use mine for punching holes and slots.

[esantoro]

I made mine myself, Ed. Lead will melt on the top of a stove - although it is best to do this job outside as the fumes are pretty noxious!

I just melt up scrap lead from the junk yard and pour it into a suitable mould. I have a range of old enamel pie dishes that seem to work pretty well for me. When the lead gets chewed up all you have to do is stick it back in your steel pot and put it back on the stove and repeat the process.

Not sure how Valerie is setting rivets with the lead block as I only use mine for punching holes and slots.

Another cool little obsession. I can use my backpacking stove and a cheap pot to do all this outside. Now I've got to do it just for the hell of it.

Ray, how thick is your lead block. I was thinking I could get an aluminum, foil, or tin meatloaf pan and make a 4" thick lead block.

Ed

[tonyc1]

I use an 8" ALUMINIUM frying pan and remelt whenever needed. I used one of my wife's cake tins years ago but it became soldered to the tin and couldn't get the lead out, so go aluminium.

Tony.

[UKRay]

I have two, Ed. One is for major thumping with crew punches and huge wad punches and the other I use for smaller tasks like punching oval holes in belts. The big critter is about 8" across, three inches thick and weighs as much as I want to move around. The little critter is about the same diameter but about 1" thick and doubles as a weight for all kinds of jobs. Both were made in an old enamel saucepan - I just poured less lead in for the smaller one. Easy stuff, but you really need to be so careful with boiling lead matie... It is hard to make briefcases when you have no fingers.

I would go for the thickest mould you can find and make sure the finished lead block will drop out easily. I had to destroy a pan to get the lead out once because it had a dent that locked the lead in place...

4" thick is overkill IMHO...

Another cool little obsession. I can use my backpacking stove and a cheap pot to do all this outside. Now I've got to do it just for the hell of it.

Ray, how thick is your lead block. I was thinking I could get an aluminum, foil, or tin meatloaf pan and make a 4" thick lead block.

Ed

[hidepounder]

Valerie Michael recommends using a lead block and not a steel anvil for doming the ends of solid rivets. Does anyone know where I can find such a lead block?

Thanks,

Ed

Ed,

I've been trying to follow along, but I just can't get my mind around what it is you're trying to do. Is the idea to use a solid rivet without the retainer ring? I'm curious because I just don't see how a rivet like that could have holding strength. Have you seen this done already? I understand not liking the copper or brass. Are you just looking for an alternative means of making an atachment. Would a cap rivet or chicago screw do what you need to do?

Also, I don't understand how or why you would dome a solid rivet with a lead anvil ILO steel......

Confused...

Bob

[esantoro]

I have two, Ed. One is for major thumping with crew punches and huge wad punches and the other I use for smaller tasks like punching oval holes in belts. The big critter is about 8" across, three inches thick and weighs as much as I want to move around. The little critter is about the same diameter but about 1" thick and doubles as a weight for all kinds of jobs. Both were made in an old enamel saucepan - I just poured less lead in for the smaller one. Easy stuff, but you really need to be so careful with boiling lead matie... It is hard to make briefcases when you have no fingers.

I would go for the thickest mould you can find and make sure the finished lead block will drop out easily. I had to destroy a pan to get the lead out once because it had a dent that locked the lead in place...

4" thick is overkill IMHO...

Ray,

How long approximately does the lead take to cool?

ed

[UKRay]

Ray,

How long approximately does the lead take to cool?

ed

The big one took ages before I could handle it without burning my fingers. Maybe an hour or two. I just left it in the yard and got on with something else for the rest of the morning.

Edited May 4, 2009 by UKRay

[esantoro]

I've started calling around for scrap lead. Junk yards are yielding nothing so far. But there is a source that charges about $1.50 a pound and free shipping for orders $99 and up. I'd have to ship from California to New York.

Is there a particular type of lead I should get?

http://www.rotometals.com/Lead-Ingots-s/32...CFQazsgodPx0Q9g

It seems like 40lbs of soft lead on Ebay might be the best bet:

http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?s...o%3D2&fgtp=

I gave up one life and a few eyebrow hairs a while back with the lamp fixes. I've got a few more to spare. I can only wonder what project will come after this foray into molten lead. If I had it to do over again, I'd want to be born in medieval Europe.

Ed

[bustedlifter]

I've started calling around for scrap lead. Junk yards are yielding nothing so far. But there is a source that charges about $1.50 a pound and free shipping for orders $99 and up. I'd have to ship from California to New York.

Is there a particular type of lead I should get?

Ed

Go to Eastwood's website. They're an automotive specialty tool and product company. They sell a lead substitute for body work that works like lead but is far less toxic than actual lead.