Shot Put

[Richiew]

Well anything can be a tool.

It's not a small moon. It's a Death Star shot put.

I want to use this as a sheet metal stake/former/anvil or whatever it might be called this week.

There's a lead plug showing. I can scratch it clean with a nail. Does anyone know how they are constructed? I guess I will drill and find out. I am thinking of tapping the lead plug and screwing a bolt in there. The bolt will be welded to something suitable first to be held in a vice. It's only going to get hammered from above so I'm not bothered about the lead being a poor material for threads etc. It must easier than welding the thing.

Good idea? Silly idea? No harm in trying idea?

Thanks

 

[James1979]

Can you get the lead molten with a torch and drive a metal bar in? Instead of tapping it I mean. Like they do with railings on brick walls.

No idea what’s in there.

A no harm in trying idea in my book

 

[Maker]

Calibrated weightlifting plates are cast iron with a little disc of lead added to get to an exact weight, that might be the same, or it might be a steel shell filled with solid lead, doesn't look like there's a standard size or material, just standard weights.

I think even just hammering from above you'll knacker the thread first use.

 

[MattF]

Lead won't hold a thread for five minutes, in use. It's way too soft.

 

[Richiew]

I might try drill and tapping and if the thread gets mashed then just ram something in there, interference fit style. The thread only needs to accept the bolt once. I won't be removing it afterwards. As long it doesn't come loose and falls on my toes I will be happy. I had a google around shot put construction and as you say there's no standard method of making them.

I have a lathe so there's always a fall back of making a bar with a shouldered end the same diameter as the hole and drilling out the lead.

 

[MattF]

I'd personally just get the lead out & see what you have beneath/behind it to work with.

 

[slim_boy_fat]

I want to use this as a sheet metal stake/former/anvil or whatever it might be called this week.

I thought you might be getting married and was planning attaching a chain and shackle to it......

 

[Richiew]

Too late for that. I got the third degree when it arrived in the post.

"What have you bought that for?"

"I'm taking up the shot put and gonna **** up the lawn!"

 

[Richiew]

Well no battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. Lead turns out to be extremely grabby. I've never drilled it before. Two small snapped pilot drills removed. The plug is going to get drilled out to the full diameter and I'll stick a shouldered bar up there if I can get deep enough in.

 

[MattF]

Gouge it out with a thin chisel or suchlike.

 

[h-dom]

My not chop off a section so you have a flat spot and mount it like that?

 

[Parm]

Tapped holes and hammering isnt a good combination.

Slightly undersize hole and a slightly oversize stake. Heat one, cool the other and apply BFH. Job jobbed

 

[Richiew]

Yeah. Turns out the steel case is roughly 10mm thick. The middle is all lead. Should be good for absorbing shock, hammering and vibration. I've drilled out to 13mm to around half depth. I've got some 25mm round bar, I would prefer some square bar but I can grind some flats on it for holding. Will turn one end down to some sort of interference size and bang it on.

 

[mike 109444]

Another good chunk of steel to work you metal over is an old steel shoe last if you can find one.

 

[mike 109444]

Good grief £14.00 delivered !!

Proops Cobblers Anvil, Last, Cast Iron, Shoemaker, Boot Repair, Cobbling Repair, Cobbler. (S7418) Free UK Postage : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders. Shop Proops Cobblers Anvil, Last, Cast Iron, Shoemaker, Boot Repair, Cobbling Repair, Cobbler. (S7418) Free UK Postage.

www.amazon.co.uk

 

[Richiew]

Here's how I got on.

Drilled out to 13mm. Done with a hand drill so we're not talking engineering tolerances here.

25mm EN3B weldable steel. Turned down to fit the hole. Rough finish for extra grip Camera lens has got greasy. Sorry.

Two bits of 10mm flat bar. The bottom part is gripped in the jaws. The top bar sits over the jaws so it doesn't get knocked through. I forgot to take a pic of the welds I did before drilling. They were a bit rubbish. The welder was set up with 0.8mm wire for thin stuff, rather than 1mm for thick. I used the 1mm voltage and wire speed settings I was familiar with. It got a bit spray transfery and I hadn't practiced beforehand. Nice and hot though. 26.2v 14.6metres per minute.

Drilled out in stages to 63/64ths as I don't have a 25mm drill.

Pressed on as it was too tight to hammer on. Took about a ton of pressure each stroke.

Welded in four segments. Scruffy but hot.

Made sure I had clearance for the vice underneath. The shot put was knocked onto the spigot. It won't fall off but it does spin round. A square rather than round peg might have prevented this. I think I may have a try at welding it. I have some nickel rods that might be suitable. An impulse buy, bought without doing my research as they were cheap. Greater than 67% nickel, 20% chrome, other bits and pieces make up the rest. Do you think they are suitable?

https://www.alruqee.com/Userfiles/Product/TablePdf/18042016000000T_Thermanit%20Nicro%2082_tig%20rod.pdf

Anyway, qualified success so far. Looks like a nice ornament if nothing else. The surface is very rough though and I'm not sure how smooth I can get it. Plenty of sanding ahead.

 

[Richiew]

Another good chunk of steel to work you metal over is an old steel shoe last if you can find one.

Got one of these.

There was also another one at my mother's place with feet coming off in six directions but I think my has sister binned it as I couldn't see it last time. It didn't seem very heavy duty to be fair

 

[pedrobedro]

Got one of these.
View attachment 333381

There was also another one at my mother's place with feet coming off in six directions but I think my has sister binned it as I couldn't see it last time. It didn't seem very heavy duty to be fair

I have a broken hobbing foot on the hearth in the living room, they were not made to take a lot of hammer only for tacking soles on shoes. They are usually cast iron not steel.

 

[Richiew]

I think you're right. That thing in the vice is a bit of a crummy casting.

 

[Richiew]

Just remembered TIG brazing. I have some silicon bronze rods. Decision made. The braze only needs to stop the ball from rotating, Braze will keep the heat down too.