Moulding Lead

[Lee]

Right, i want to mould some lead into the shape of the cell slots in the X6, what i want to know is, is there any way i can do this without melting the chassis, im thinking about using some tin foil over the slots so i still get the shape but it wont mark the chassis, i would only pour it in bit by bit so there is less heat.

Anyone had any experience?

[bodgit]

try making a plaster of paris mould of the battery slots first then imprint it in sand and pour the lead in the sand

[bigred5765]

i use plastercine and pour it in that,

[Lee]

I imagine it sets pretty quick.

Carl, do you press the plastecine into sand or something to make the indentation?

[Si Coe]

You don't actually have to melt the lead. Pure enough lead is pretty soft stuff, which is why it gets used for roofing etc, you can bend it to shape.

The point is that warm (but not molten) lead is about as pliable as plasticene so you should easily be able to squash it into the cell slots.

[bigred5765]

Originally Posted by Lee

I imagine it sets pretty quick.

Carl, do you press the plastecine into sand or something to make the indentation?

press plastercine into chassis so it gets the shape you wont, freeze it then use it to make a female mould of it with more plastercine, what ever you do dont pour lead near water or wet plastercine it can react badly

[Lee]

i have tyre balancing weights for now, they are not very pliable at the minute as they are little lumps

[Lee]

Originally Posted by bigred5765

press plastercine into chassis so it gets the shape you wont, freeze it then use it to make a female mould of it with more plastercine, what ever you do dont pour lead near water or wet plastercine it can react badly

Good thinking batman!!

[bald eagle]

My bro used to melt lead in an old tin can on a fire to make leqad weights for fishing... I have had this sort of idea to melt the lead and place it in the bulkhead/front end of the x6. never got around to asking if it would melt the plastic first though..lol... top of the class Lee-mag!!!!

[Lee]

Originally Posted by bald eagle

My bro used to melt lead in an old tin can on a fire to make leqad weights for fishing... I have had this sort of idea to melt the lead and place it in the bulkhead/front end of the x6. never got around to asking if it would melt the plastic first though..lol... top of the class Lee-mag!!!!

I'm only asking because its Steve's chassis

[bald eagle]

now if that were me, i wouldnt have asked.....LMAO!!!!!

[stegger]

Originally Posted by Lee

I'm only asking because its Steve's chassis

FARRER NOOOOOO!!!!!!!

[bald eagle]

LMAO...... DO IT >>>!!!!!!!

[stegger]

I haven't even payed kecky for it yet

[Lee]

Originally Posted by stegger

FARRER NOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Do not fret my friend, I'm going to make a cast with some play doh

[dave g]

im pretty sure lead gives off some nasty toxins when melted so dont breathe the vapours in.

as said above,why not get some lead sheeting from a plumbers/building suppliers,it bends like soft toffee so easy enough to get the shape you want,just put it in a bowl of boiling water for a minute.

[rcdunk]

bald one. ask winston bet he has done it probabley with fully molten lead stright into the chassis I seam to remember him saying he had melted lead into his xxx front

[blue_pinky]

I thought about doing this to begin with, but instead I've used thin roofing lead in the battery slots, cut into the right sized little rectangles so they fit in closely, they work out as 16-19g blocks, and you can get up to 10 blocks in in total if you really wanted (in the central slots you can fit 2 layers).

Battery holds them all in place nicely, or use small sponge pads to hold loose ones/single layer ones in when needed.

Works nicely for me as it means I can take them in and out and move them around, 1 by 1 to get the right balance adjustment on the car...really quick and easy, and no messing around with hot/molten lead!

[bald eagle]

Originally Posted by rcdunk

bald one. ask winston bet he has done it probabley with fully molten lead stright into the chassis I seam to remember him saying he had melted lead into his xxx front

LOL>. winston...! only winny would do such a thing... bom barra bom!

[Ben Turner]

I poured molten lead into the moulding webbing of a TC3 chassis a few years ago, worked really well. Only did a little bit at a time tho stop the chassis getting too hot and tweaking. I would give it a go a small bit at a time, just making sure the chassis is kept cool. Its worth noting that leads melting point is quite low, and doesnt need to be made stupidly hot to melt it, so if your gonna have a go only heat it enough to just melt and not boil etc. Might have a go doing on my B4 if i could be bothered...... LOL

If you dont fancy using molten lead though I think ull be suprised how easy lead can be beaten into shape, just use a bit of wood and a hammer/mallet, maybe a piece of wood rounded like a cell would be a good idea??

Ben