Bazza 0 #1 March 9, 2006 I am looking at making some home made weights for a weight belt and am wondering what the best material to use in place of lead. I don't know all there is about it but I have been told lead may not be the best on the environment or whatever. Any recommendations? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,149 #2 March 9, 2006 If it stays in the weight belt, I doubt there's a lot wrong with lead. As a skydiver, it's probably best because you get plenty of weight for not too much bulk. That's a good thing. And making your own weights with lead shot can be a pain in the ass, but it's quite doable. Wendy W.There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
IanHarrop 37 #3 March 9, 2006 Maria and I made a bunch of additional weights for her belt using lead. We used a machine to sew 3 sides of "pocket", turned it inside out to hide the seams, added the lead, then I folded over the last "flap" and hand sewed it shut. The process wasn't that bad. We weighed each portion of lead in advance and used denim as our material. Edit to add: Russell's sports in Calgary sells lead shot"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
darkwing 4 #4 March 9, 2006 Depleted uranium would work better than lead. Heck our military shoots it all over the world. Maybe go collect some. Seriously though, a friend uses a steel chain and wraps it around his waist. The rod the links are made from is about 1/2 inch thick. The practical reality is that if you aren't using lead, probably steel is it. -- Jeff My Skydiving History Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masterrig 1 #5 March 9, 2006 I don't think, you will be damaging the environment or the 0-zone, with a lead weight belt. The lead shot will be contained... unless a seam splits open and that, isn't too likely. The lead shot is readily available at any gun shop or, if yo know someone who re-loads shotgun shells. I' prefer #-6 shot. You can really pack it in and the end result is smoother pouches. I would suggest, tapping the bottom of each weight as you fill them to settle the lead-shot. Use a small funnel to fill your pouches. Trying to pour lead-shot from the canvas sack it comes in is really messy. Chuck Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggermick 6 #6 March 9, 2006 QuoteDepleted uranium would work better than lead. Heck our military shoots it all over the world. Maybe go collect some. Seriously though, a friend uses a steel chain and wraps it around his waist. The rod the links are made from is about 1/2 inch thick. The practical reality is that if you aren't using lead, probably steel is it. Gold would work too and it would look stylish as well!! Mick. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
riggerrob 561 #7 March 9, 2006 Sure depleted uranium would work. Tungsten has similar density. All you tree-huggers and salmon-huggers can relieve your guilt by using re-cycled lead. I use a mixture of lead shot, old lead tire balance weights and old lead reserve seals. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ripcord4 0 #8 March 9, 2006 Any dive shop will sell you five pound hip weights which are slightly curved to fit onto a belt at your hips. Two pound weights are also an option. For you eco-freaks out there, you can buy vinyl covered lead weights. Much less messy than lead shot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FrogNog 1 #9 March 9, 2006 Nobody mentions that uncoated lead shot rubs against itself when stored in a flexible fabric container, and the result should be lead dust, which is long-term toxic. Steel shot or steel bearings are an alternative that might be cheap. Then there's gravel... -=-=-=-=- Pull. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kallend 1,649 #10 March 9, 2006 QuoteDepleted uranium would work better than lead. Heck our military shoots it all over the world. Maybe go collect some. Seriously though, a friend uses a steel chain and wraps it around his waist. The rod the links are made from is about 1/2 inch thick. The practical reality is that if you aren't using lead, probably steel is it. Iridium is very dense and quite benign, Jeff. I made a nice weight belt out of Reebok ankle weights sewn together. Total cost around $28, including the weights, and about an hour of my time.... The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rehmwa 2 #11 March 9, 2006 Easy to buy lead shotgun shot or steel shot at any "sportsman's" store. My wife makes and sells lead skydiving weight belts. Best to make the belt to take several 1 pound bags in individual pockets. Be extra sure of your closure, don't want a bag to come out. Nylon bags slide in and out of the belt nicely. Brightly tie-dyed (white originally) denim is very strong and easy to find the individual packs in your locker or bag. Have more than just one buckle, you don't want to lose the belt due to one break. Dense weights at high altitude make me nervous, design your belt to stay put and not lose parts...... ... Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pchapman 262 #12 March 9, 2006 Years back I made some weights myself using steel shot from a hunting store. It had the advantage of avoiding lead dust, but because of the lower density, I ended up with pouches of less than the standard 1 pound per bag. The steel wasn't perfectly clean either, as it was rusty coming out of the bag. I put the shot in small plastic bags before it went into the pouches, but that also increased bulk. There are weights made with about 1 inch square plates of lead, avoiding much of the lead-on-lead grinding problem. I don't know the source of the lead. About four are sewn in a row into a pouch, making a beautifully flat weight, which is very comfortable in a vest. (Bulk isn't as critical for the often superior weight belt.) The flat weights I saw were built & sold by John Moore of Alberta. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bliston 0 #13 March 9, 2006 Maybe the easiest is getting two inch tubular webbing from REI or EMS, cut it into lengths, sew one end & turn it inside out, fill with lead, use hemostats to keep it from spilling out, sew (and bind if, you want) the top. Minutes per weight....Mass Defiance 4-wayFS website sticks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bob.dino 0 #14 March 9, 2006 QuoteAny dive shop will sell you five pound hip weights which are slightly curved to fit onto a belt at your hips. Two pound weights are also an option. For you eco-freaks out there, you can buy vinyl covered lead weights. Much less messy than lead shot. I used lead shot from a gun shop, but if they'd been in stock I would've simply bought the soft weights that scuba divers use. Much easier & you don't have a big lump of lead on your hip. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azureriders 0 #15 March 9, 2006 QuoteThere are weights made with about 1 inch square plates of leadThese would be very easily made with the proper (or make shift) tools. Lead can be melted on a gas cook top and smelted in a variety of molds. Check with some hard core fishermen that make their own sinkers. Quotesew (and bind if, you want) the topI keep seeing comments like this one, or "fold and sew the top" but if looks are really important to you, check some sewing sources for the technique of blind stitching. If you know how you could sew across the last side of a pouch by hand in only a minute or two and make it look exactly like the other end that was sewn and then turned inside out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sprtdth 0 #16 March 15, 2006 There are weights made with about 1 inch square plates of lead These would be very easily made with the proper (or make shift) tools. __________________________________________________ Ken Oka has some of these molds. He may want to get rid of someCRW Skies Frank CRW Diva #58 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mjosparky 3 #17 March 15, 2006 QuoteQuoteThere are weights made with about 1 inch square plates of leadThese would be very easily made with the proper (or make shift) tools. Lead can be melted on a gas cook top and smelted in a variety of molds. Check with some hard core fishermen that make their own sinkers. Quotesew (and bind if, you want) the topI keep seeing comments like this one, or "fold and sew the top" but if looks are really important to you, check some sewing sources for the technique of blind stitching. If you know how you could sew across the last side of a pouch by hand in only a minute or two and make it look exactly like the other end that was sewn and then turned inside out. Some folks haven’t seen the ball since kick off. Sparky SparkyMy idea of a fair fight is clubbing baby seals Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vectracide 0 #18 March 16, 2006 Hey Bazza, I just finished making my first weight belt with 8 2lb individual weight pouches that have pull tabs on them to make them easier to get out. You interested in someone making you a belt, or the pouches themselves? Give me a PM if you want. As far as alternatives, you can get Bizmuth shot from a reloading store. Its almost as dense as lead, but much more expensive. Read about it herehttp://www.theodoregray.com/PeriodicTable/Elements/083/index.s7.html ------------------------------ Controlled and Deliberate..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AEsco48 0 #20 May 1, 2006 If you can get your hands on some "Mallory"...about 50% denser then lead... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
