I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

I have some weights on order which are long pieces of 1.5" square bar
(with a hole through the middle for the cord) which need to be cut to
length. I would also like to drill a 1/2" horizontal hole near the top
of each weight to accommodate a knot in the cord, so that I can use the
existing cords which are not long enough to go to the bottom of the weights.

What's the best way of cutting and drilling lead? I've done some
experiments on a lead 'brick' which I happen to have (which started life
as a counterbalance weight on a drawing board), and not found it too
easy. A normal hacksaw seems to be too fine, and drill bits seem to bind
when they get a little way in.

Any ideas? [Would an angle grinder help? g]
--
Cheers,
Roger
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Roger Mills wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

I have some weights on order which are long pieces of 1.5" square bar
(with a hole through the middle for the cord) which need to be cut to
length. I would also like to drill a 1/2" horizontal hole near the top
of each weight to accommodate a knot in the cord, so that I can use the
existing cords which are not long enough to go to the bottom of the
weights.

What's the best way of cutting and drilling lead? I've done some
experiments on a lead 'brick' which I happen to have (which started life
as a counterbalance weight on a drawing board), and not found it too
easy. A normal hacksaw seems to be too fine, and drill bits seem to bind
when they get a little way in.

Any ideas? [Would an angle grinder help? g]

get a new cheap cross cut saw at a guess.

You need a wide kerf or it tends to clog.

On 06/05/2011 16:47, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Roger Mills wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less
dense iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

I have some weights on order which are long pieces of 1.5" square bar
(with a hole through the middle for the cord) which need to be cut to
length. I would also like to drill a 1/2" horizontal hole near the top
of each weight to accommodate a knot in the cord, so that I can use
the existing cords which are not long enough to go to the bottom of
the weights.

What's the best way of cutting and drilling lead? I've done some
experiments on a lead 'brick' which I happen to have (which started
life as a counterbalance weight on a drawing board), and not found it
too easy. A normal hacksaw seems to be too fine, and drill bits seem
to bind when they get a little way in.

Any ideas? [Would an angle grinder help? g]

get a new cheap cross cut saw at a guess.

You need a wide kerf or it tends to clog.


Do you mean a wood saw?
--
Cheers,
Roger
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Roger Mills wrote in news:92ijc4Foo8U1
@mid.individual.net:


Any ideas? [Would an angle grinder help? g]

TBH I'd cast my own from scrap lead.

Lead will melt on a primus/camping gas stove and you could make your own
moulds from just about anything when it's for single use, even a well
supported wooden box with a peg in it (for the hole) would do for lead.
It's not as though you need a fine finish as they'll be hidden away.

--

All the best,

Chris

On May 6, 4:45*pm, Roger Mills wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

I have some weights on order which are long pieces of 1.5" square bar
(with a hole through the middle for the cord) which need to be cut to
length. I would also like to drill a 1/2" horizontal hole near the top
of each weight to accommodate a knot in the cord, so that I can use the
existing cords which are not long enough to go to the bottom of the weights.

What's the best way of cutting and drilling lead? I've done some
experiments on a lead 'brick' which I happen to have (which started life
as a counterbalance weight on a drawing board), and not found it too
easy. A normal hacksaw seems to be too fine, and drill bits seem to bind
when they get a little way in.

Any ideas? [Would an angle grinder help? g]

Might be easier to tie a knot that will fit down the existing hole,
and wack a nail in the side to stop it coming out. (If necessary split
the cord before knotting.)


NT

In article , Roger Mills
writes

I have some weights on order which are long pieces of 1.5" square bar
(with a hole through the middle for the cord) which need to be cut to
length. I would also like to drill a 1/2" horizontal hole near the top
of each weight to accommodate a knot in the cord, so that I can use the
existing cords which are not long enough to go to the bottom of the weights.

Will that still pull through the centreline of the weight?

An alternative I've used is to drill a smaller horizontal hole and fix a
loop of fixing strap over the top for the sash cord to be tied to. Self
tappers would do for fixing it in the lead.
--
fred
FIVE TV's superbright logo - not the DOG's, it's ********

On May 6, 4:45*pm, Roger Mills wrote:

What's the best way of cutting and drilling lead?

Cast it into a mould made from beercans and origami. Use a Chinese
supermarket ladle and a gas blowtorch.

On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger Mills wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

On 07/05/2011 06:59, Matty F wrote:
On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

Plus the added bonus of your window frames glowing in the dark :-)


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 07/05/2011 06:59, Matty F wrote:
On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

Plus the added bonus of your window frames glowing in the dark :-)


DEPLETED uranium is NOT radioactive.

On 07/05/2011 10:07, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 07/05/2011 06:59, Matty F wrote:
On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less
dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

Plus the added bonus of your window frames glowing in the dark :-)


DEPLETED uranium is NOT radioactive.

Yes it is.

"It is weakly radioactive and remains so because of its long physical
half-life (4.468 billion years..." according to the World Health
Organisation, and also Wikipedia and the BBC


http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs257/en/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Depleted_uranium

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1101447.stm

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 07/05/2011 06:59, Matty F wrote:
On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less
dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

Plus the added bonus of your window frames glowing in the dark :-)


DEPLETED uranium is NOT radioactive.

Shhh you don't want to tell everyone.
Especially as it is radioactive with a half life of about 4.5 billion years.

Ah look at that a radioactive natural element that lasts "forever" I wonder
how we should store it for safe disposal. ;-)

In article , dennis@home
scribeth thus


"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 07/05/2011 06:59, Matty F wrote:
On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less
dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

Plus the added bonus of your window frames glowing in the dark :-)


DEPLETED uranium is NOT radioactive.

Shhh you don't want to tell everyone.
Especially as it is radioactive with a half life of about 4.5 billion years.

Ah look at that a radioactive natural element that lasts "forever" I wonder
how we should store it for safe disposal. ;-)


Is that the same grade of metal that thy use as stabilisers on the tail
of a Jumbo jet?..
--
Tony Sayer

On 07/05/11 10:07, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
On 07/05/2011 06:59, Matty F wrote:
On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less
dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

Plus the added bonus of your window frames glowing in the dark :-)


DEPLETED uranium is NOT radioactive.

Citation? How about http://www.grip.org/bdg/pdf/g1861.pdf ?

blockquote
Depleted uranium typically has around 0.3% to 0.2% 235U by mass,
although the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in the US defines DU as
uranium in which the percentage of 235U is less than 0.711% (NRC, 2000)
/blockquote

Depleted uranium
Sources, Exposure and Health Effects
Department of Protection of the Human Environment
World Health Organization
Geneva
April 2001

Matty F wrote:
On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger Mills wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

With full dust collection faciliites. Highly toxic material.

"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...

Matty F wrote:
On May 7, 3:45 am, Roger Mills wrote:
I need to replace the weights in some of my sash windows, because the
existing ones aren't heavy enough. I need to use lead because less dense
iron or steel weights would occupy more space than is available.

Depleted uranium takes even less space, and is probably cheap. I'm not
sure how it should be cut though

With full dust collection faciliites. Highly toxic material.



What about a long cylinder full of Mercury (see other posts about mercury
container!)

On Sun, 8 May 2011 10:34:48 +0100, DerbyBoy wrote:

What about a long cylinder full of Mercury (see other posts about
mercury container!)

B-)

Mercury is only 2g/cm^3 denser than Lead so the added agro is
probably not worth it. Hg 13.5g/cm^3, Pb 11.3g/cm^3.

Gold would be better 19.3g/cm^3 that's higher (just) than uranium.

--
Cheers
Dave.

On 08/05/2011 15:13, Dave Liquorice wrote:
On Sun, 8 May 2011 10:34:48 +0100, DerbyBoy wrote:

What about a long cylinder full of Mercury (see other posts about
mercury container!)

B-)

Mercury is only 2g/cm^3 denser than Lead so the added agro is
probably not worth it. Hg 13.5g/cm^3, Pb 11.3g/cm^3.

Gold would be better 19.3g/cm^3 that's higher (just) than uranium.


Now there's a thought - turn all my gold ingots into sash weights.
No-one would think of looking *there* for them! g
--
Cheers,
Roger
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