Tool Storage & Boat Building

One half of the keel weight mold.


I've been putting together a little spot down the basement to fart around with my projects this winter. As always though, one thing leads to another. In order to build the little pond sailer and the gas powered airplane I picked up last year, I need a few more tools. Nothing serious, just a few small scale woodworking things but then I'll need a place to keep them. Plus, I need to have a spot to store some of my machinist tools when I'm working on the black powder gun. So in addition to working on finishing up the trim in the parlor, and the dozen other things I'm currently juggling, I'm going to build a small machinist type box of some sort for the basement. I should be able to knock this one out at school without too much trouble. I'm going to work on the design this week and maybe pick up some wood and a couple of the tools I need next weekend.

I did start on the mold for the lead keel weight on the little boat. I chiseled it out of a piece of scrap. The mold needs two matching sides. When it's done, I'll put the sheet iron keel down inside it and then fill it with lead. The book I got the plan out of was originally published in 1935 and was for junior high school kids. It includes the recipe for making lead based paint in addition to pouring lead for the keels of the boats. Probably not the kind of thing you'd want to teach the young'uns these days. Lead exposure isn't healthy for anyone, especially little ones. Needless to say, I won't be mixing up any lead based paint but I will make the keel weight out of lead. I'll paint it up and make sure no one eats it. It should be safe on the mantel or if it ever gets to a pond, it won't contaminate the water. It certainly won't be any worse than someone dragging a lead sinker across the bottom when they're fishing.

When we were kids we made our own lead soldiers. Melted the lead on the kitchen stove, poured them into molds and painted them up. I still have the molds and a few soldiers. And of course, we all used leaded paint and leaded gas back then as well. Fortunately, we're all a little smarter now and the little tykes aren't going to be eating paint chips with lead in them and people living next to busy expressways aren't going to be sucking in lead fumes any more, either. One of the things the home hobbyist has to remember is, you're on your own when it comes to safety. There aren't any OSHA inspections in your garage or studio. You have to be careful with your health whether it's casting lead bullets for your muzzle loader, painting with isocyanite hardeners or putting chemicals on your lawn. Keep it safe for you and yours.