Liquid Gravity

[billbedford]

Does anyone know the effective density of Liquid Gravity?

[peter220950]

Does anyone know the effective density of Liquid Gravity?

 

About 4.15grammes/cc according to this:-

 

 

http://web.ipmsusa3.org/content/liquid-gravity

 

if that helps.

[RonnieS]

Lead is 11.34 but I think the lead shot sold by Eileen's comes out about 6 to 7. I did wonder about the liquid gravity and also too if it corrodes after a while?

Edited February 9, 2015 by RonnieS

[billbedford]

Thanks, it appears, then that a block of brass would be just as effective as liquid lead for weighing wagons.

[Black Sheep]

I believe liquid gravity is a lead substitute

[PenrithBeacon]

Does anyone know the effective density of Liquid Gravity?

Is that apple juice?

 

Regards

[Kenton]

 

Thanks, it appears, then that a block of brass would be just as effective as liquid lead for weighing wagons.

It may well be, but a block of brass (or lead) is more difficult to use to fill up those small cavities.

 

Not sure why there is a product called liquid gravity (a slight contradiction in terms) when you can buy lead (grain)shot to add weight.

[Black Sheep]

I'm guessing some people prefer not to use lead, it has been known to cause issues when using PVA glue to secure it in place. 

[darren01]

Hi 

I have used it for some of my kit wagons and have used super glue to hold it in place, the good thing is it's self leaving.

Not had any problem with it and a very neat way to add weight to rolling stock.

Darren 

[sub39h]

If it's for weighing down wagons some people use pennies. Cheap and effective!

[ColinK]

You can pour it into small odd shaped nooks & crannies and fix it in place with glue. Works well.

 

If you've got lots of space eg inside box van, you can glue anything in, I've used old nuts and bolts.

[Darwinian]

Does anyone know the effective density of Liquid Gravity?

Might I suggest:

 

1. Make a 1cm x 1cm x 1cm open topped box out of plasticard off-cuts.
2. Place on set if fine scales (kitchen ones might just do) and record the mass (in grams).
3. Fill with liquid gravity.
4. Level off by sweeping across the top with a straight edge.
5. Place on set if fine scales (kitchen ones might just do) and record the mass (in grams).
6. Deduct the mass of the cube recorded before (2).
7. Mass divided by volume = density.

 

Of course you can use any container that you can accurately measure the dimensions of. The bigger the better as your error will be less, so long as you have enough liquid gravity to fill it completely.

 

 

But then I guess you didn't want to do that so that's why you asked

[28XX]

My father acquired a taste for decent wine in the '50's, long before it became popular in the UK.  In the '60's and '70's (and presumably before) the capsule (seal) over the bottle cork used to be made of a heavy metal foil which melted at low temperature.  I established a foundry in my bedroom to cast rolling stock weights from this stuff (presumably lead) using:

 

A small methylated-spirit burner

A crucible folded from food-can tinplate

A mole wrench to hold the crucible

Moulds made from scraps of hardwood

 

The paint or printers ink burnt off to a slag so the first melt was cast as pigs, from which the slag could be scraped when cold.  The pigs were then remelted and castings made as required.  Happy days. 

[RonnieS]

My father acquired a taste for decent wine in the '50's, long before it became popular in the UK.  In the '60's and '70's (and presumably before) the capsule (seal) over the bottle cork used to be made of a heavy metal foil which melted at low temperature.  I established a foundry in my bedroom to cast rolling stock weights from this stuff (presumably lead) using:

 

A small methylated-spirit burner

A crucible folded from food-can tinplate

A mole wrench to hold the crucible

Moulds made from scraps of hardwood

 

The paint or printers ink burnt off to a slag so the first melt was cast as pigs, from which the slag could be scraped when cold.  The pigs were then remelted and castings made as required.  Happy days. 

As a lad I used to make lead soldiers by melting lead in a spoon over the gas stove and pouring into a plaster mould. I bet the spoon went back in the kitchen drawer! No one had invented Health and Safety then so it was OK for my parents to live to a ripe old age. 

[avonside1563]

You can pour it into small odd shaped nooks & crannies and fix it in place with glue. Works well.

 

If you've got lots of space eg inside box van, you can glue anything in, I've used old nuts and bolts.

Very similar to how the real railways used to add weight to brake vans, the empty spaces between the frames would often be boxed in and old bits of cast iron and steel used as ballast.

[PhilJ W]

You can pour it into small odd shaped nooks & crannies and fix it in place with glue. Works well.

 

If you've got lots of space eg inside box van, you can glue anything in, I've used old nuts and bolts.

 

 

Very similar to how the real railways used to add weight to brake vans, the empty spaces between the frames would often be boxed in and old bits of cast iron and steel used as ballast.

For vans I've mixed up a small amount of plaster of Paris and poured it in. But remember to wait until its absolutely dry before fixing the roof.

[Il Grifone]

879

Having had problems in the past with warping, I try to avoid gluing weights in place and make a light 'cage' from scrap material  to do the job. I have used double sided tape (long term reliability????) and screws.

 

I weighted some Airfix wagon kits with plaster many years ago. The 'Presflo' is still going strong.

[BlackRat]

For the inside of vans etc, I use tyre weights, the self adhesive ones, much easier to use than liquid lead.

 

As they are worthless, ask your local garage for some.

 

Mind you, the cost of lead beads this day, cheaper to glue in 2p pieces!

[PhilJ W]

 

879

Having had problems in the past with warping, I try to avoid gluing weights in place and make a light 'cage' from scrap material  to do the job. I have used double sided tape (long term reliability????) and screws.

 

I weighted some Airfix wagon kits with plaster many years ago. The 'Presflo' is still going strong.

 

When I made some Parkside containers I glued some pieces of the sprue that the components came on inside to give some rigidity.

[newbryford]

I'm guessing some people prefer not to use lead, it has been known to cause issues when using PVA glue to secure it in place. 

 

 

You can pour it into small odd shaped nooks & crannies and fix it in place with glue. Works well.

 

 

There is a reaction when using lead granules with PVA glue that causes it to expand. The advice is not to use PVA/liquid gravity (whatever) in a confined space.

 

I've often used underneath plastic kit wagons, in between solebars and chassis members with no long term problems using cheap (3 bottles for £1) superglue from the various poundshops.

Johnsons "Klear" is also a good adhesive for holding it in place

 

If possible, I use scrap pieces of lead flashing, as it's more dense than lead shot. Go visit a local builder's merchant or builder and ask for offcuts of flashing. I obtained a piece about 12x9 inches a few years ago - despite weighting a number of kits,  I still have most of it!

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited February 12, 2015 by newbryford

[fender]

I thought part of the issue with using lead shot or liquid gravity was that there is actually quite a bit of space between all the little pellets, so when used on under frames it doesn't weigh quite as much as you'd hoped. I had that issue anyway with the basic 16t wagon I tried it on. Been meaning to get some old roofing lead to cut up as I think the density would be much higher.

 

Whoops. Missed that Mick^^^ had already mentioned that.

Edited February 12, 2015 by fender

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

You can obtain Lead sheet in a 'code' thickness corresponding to pound per sq ft. Code 4 or 5 is easy to cut with two passes of a stanley knife, code 7 needs a little more effort. Far cleaner to work with than shot,  you get full density so you don't have to worry about filling every last corner; and the small surface area will limit any reactivity, never had the slightest trouble with PVA or any other adhesive, I mostly use a small patch of Evostick, so that the lead can be removed.

 

And finally as I had cause to mention elsewhere on this site recently. If you need to get weight into a small steam era flat wagon with vestigial or no body work, code 7 can be used as the floor, and have brass parts soldered on directly for the frame and curb rail.

[RonnieS]

You can obtain Lead sheet in a 'code' thickness corresponding to pound per sq ft. Code 4 or 5 is easy to cut with two passes of a stanley knife, code 7 needs a little more effort. Far cleaner to work with than shot,  you get full density so you don't have to worry about filling every last corner; and the small surface area will limit any reactivity, never had the slightest trouble with PVA or any other adhesive, I mostly use a small patch of Evostick, so that the lead can be removed.

 

And finally as I had cause to mention elsewhere on this site recently. If you need to get weight into a small steam era flat wagon with vestigial or no body work, code 7 can be used as the floor, and have brass parts soldered on directly for the frame and curb rail.

Great advice.  Also good is (from Amazon) Swing Weight Balance Plate Lead   and Self adhesive lead strip 9mm plus (from ebay) Lead Tape 

These are thinner but ideal for areas of limited clearance. Like lining the insides of a taper boiler. On shot I just use it on kit built empty open wagons with ribs under floors. After the glue is set you need to seal it with paint or varnish otherwise the light (in time) makes superglue degrade and become brittle. Then you get lumps falling off! Allegedly!

Edited February 12, 2015 by RonnieS

[Nimbus]

There is a reaction when using lead granules with PVA glue that causes it to expand. The advice is not to use PVA/liquid gravity (whatever) in a confined space.

ISTR reading that 'Liquid Gravity' is formed of Tungsten beads, not lead. So its behaviour in presence of PVA will be different.

 

The Nim.

[billbedford]

With a sg of about 4 they are not going to be tungsten. If they are hard they'll almost certainly be steel and if soft, probably a lead-less white metal.