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What do you use for balancing your gliders ...


MikeDaBike

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Hi All,

I've found that small (no 12) bits if lead seem to be an easy way of achieving your CoG and avoids having to start a small foundry in my back garden in order to mould complex nose shapes (e.g. my Mini-Vector).

I was curious as to what other people use ?

Alternatively, what's the cheapest way to buy small (+/- 1mm diameter) lead shot ?

Mike

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Depends I the model mate. Some needs lots some don't.

Lead shot (not lead most likely), lumps beaten with hammer, molten lead poured in, bits of lead glued to the keel. Etc etc

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Depends I the model mate. Some needs lots some don't.

Lead shot (not lead most likely), lumps beaten with hammer, molten lead poured in, bits of lead glued to the keel. Etc etc

Thanks, Tom. Where do you buy your lead ? Mike

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Dive shops sell shot. Or get friendly with a builder and get some lead flashing in exchange for beer tokens.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Mike

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Old lead water pipes, or lead sheathing around old electrical cables. The modern lead flashing seems to produce quite a lot of dross when melted, I'm told fishing weights produce less dross but haven't tried yet.

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Yes out does produce a fair bit of scum.

I just wet poured molten lead in to a nose.

Bean tin over a camp stove and nose of model in water.

Mike -I am near bd if you want some.

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Personally i use 4mm lead flashing ,

but it depends which church i go to at the weekend :eek:

Only Kidding , try asking on site for a few ounces , tell them what its for and i doubt any money will change hands ,

If not Wicks/ travis Perkins or any builders merchant . There is some dross , but it depends how old the lead is , because its the Oxidised layer that creates it , scrape the lead before melting , and use it all

Bob

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Yes out does produce a fair bit of scum.

I just wet poured molten lead in to a nose.

Bean tin over a camp stove and nose of model in water.

Mike -I am near bd if you want some.

Hi Tom, I'm stuck at home for at least the next week but will give you a shout in a week or so if that's okay ? Mike

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I had a guy who worked for me come into work one day with scars all over his face, had been using molten lead and water got involved in the equation somewhere, caused lots of flying molten lead, hence the scars.

This is why I cringe every time I hear of people pouring lead near water :eek:

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I had a guy who worked for me come into work one day with scars all over his face, had been using molten lead and water got involved in the equation somewhere, caused lots of flying molten lead, hence the scars.

This is why I cringe every time I hear of people pouring lead near water :eek:

I'm sure I read on one of the forums to make little shaped pellets, the person let molten lead drip drop-by-drop into a pot of water ? Mike

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I'm sure I read on one of the forums to make little shaped pellets, the person let molten lead drip drop-by-drop into a pot of water ? Mike

Maybe it's ok with small drops of lead ? The problem comes I presume when the lead surrounds the water and turns it into steam.

My dad taught me to make sure plaster of paris moulds were thoroughly dry before pouring lead in, as I recently did for my Willow nose.

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I'm sure I read on one of the forums to make little shaped pellets, the person let molten lead drip drop-by-drop into a pot of water ? Mike

To make proper lead shot originally they dripped molten lead from a very tall tower into water - surface tension pulled it into spheres on the way down then the water set it into shape. Anyone know if they still do it that way now?

Pouring molten lead into a dunked nose scares me witless - I think I'd always prefer to mix fine shot with epoxy and pour it in cold really. It's not quite as dense that way though, so takes more volume for the same weight.

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