Sheets/plates of lead

SashaV · 6th January 2009, 01:27 PM

Does anyone know where I could get sheets of lead in Canada or US?
I intend to use it to line up internal walls of loudspeakers.

SpJonesKSU · 6th January 2009, 01:40 PM

http://www.mcmaster.com/ should have what your looking for. A decent sized piece of lead is expensive though. Go all the way down to the bottom, raw materials > metals > lead.

J.R.Freeman · 7th January 2009, 12:58 AM

Sasha,

Use care if you are working with lead, as it is poisonous.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead#Health_effects

You have an interesting idea, but the acoustic properties of lead may not be as favorable as its weight might suggest. If you are trying to dampen the walls of your enclosure, I imagine there are better performing materials for this task which are safer and easier to work with. Thick rubber or something with similar elasticity would do a better job of dampening vibrations in enclosure walls, I should think.

J.F.

SpJonesKSU · 7th January 2009, 02:40 AM

I failed to mention this in my first post, but my brother and I had the idea of using lead sheets for this very purpose.

We would use different layers of material and bind them together through some "rubber type material". We're still working on finding a decent "rubber type material" for the job. We tried some asphalt based roof sealant, and that seems to work pretty well. Other then it took forever to dry, and was petroleum based.

If your not planning on doing some type of layering, to help dampen your added mass, then i would choose some other material as J.F. mentioned.

fredex · 7th January 2009, 02:59 AM

Years ago I worked in a 'shop fitters' factory and they manufactured office partions. Sound proof ones were a lead sheet sandwiched between veneered chip board. Very expensive and heavy but it was the only solution that worked.

Saturnus · 7th January 2009, 08:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by SpJonesKSU
We're still working on finding a decent "rubber type material" for the job. We tried some asphalt based roof sealant, and that seems to work pretty well. Other then it took forever to dry, and was petroleum based.

You can try real tarmac tar. It's basically the same except that it's not even liquid before heated to about 50-60 degrees (celcius) and therefore harden pretty quick.

For those considering using lead plates. Please remember that it's both extremely poisonous and inviromentally hazardous. Make sure you clearly mark your speaker as containing lead and make plans for how to dispose of them safely after you are done with them.

Cousin Billy · 7th January 2009, 10:43 AM

I am a roofer.

I too am building my own speakers.

I too will be lining my speakers.

Any big Roofing supplier has many options.

SBS membrane, soft, 4mm thick, 1 meter by 10 meters, $60.00, smooth surface or granulated, prime your wood (with their primer), use a plumbers propane torch to heat up the back of the membrane, stick it to the wood. Remember to keep the corners really rough and non uniform.

APP membrane, slightly harder, same cost and installation procedure as above.

Peel and Stick flashing, softest, 6" and 12" widths, simple to use, more expensive per square foot then the above, easy to make triangles for all the corners. This is what I will be using. I will also install it really poorly and un-uniform, many kinks and over laps.

Roofmart, Spar Marathon roofing supply, Hermans building products, Convoy roofing supply, and many more.

Cousin Billy · 7th January 2009, 10:46 AM

I forgot, we also use lead sheet for our Marley and Clay tile roofs, they have lead sheets at some of these suppliers. I can't remember the cost.

Bill

SashaV · 7th January 2009, 12:48 PM

Well, I was thinking of applying borosilicate paint to the internal walls, then a layer of lead, followed again by borosilicate paint, and finally by some absorption layer such as the one in the following link:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=260-530
Reasons for borosilicate paint is that many manufacturers use it with apparently good results (for example, Totem, VMPS), same goes with lead, Wilson Audio does it for example.

Now, what do you guys think about the actual installation, how do I make sure lead sticks to the wood and does not come off later on?
Do I simply glue it using some universal “crazy” glue?
Would the borosilicate paint hold it?
Or should I nail it to the wood? Screw it in?

HK26147 · 7th January 2009, 12:54 PM

Quote:

how do I make sure lead sticks to the wood and does not come off later on?

Silicone? or Soft glue like Aleene's or Roscoe Flexbond?

I have successfully used the glues just mentioned mixed with another silicate* as acoustic damping.

Syd

* Sand

6th January 2009, 01:27 PM	#1
SashaV diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Toronto	Sheets/plates of lead Does anyone know where I could get sheets of lead in Canada or US? I intend to use it to line up internal walls of loudspeakers.

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6th January 2009, 01:40 PM	#2
SpJonesKSU diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas!	http://www.mcmaster.com/ should have what your looking for. A decent sized piece of lead is expensive though. Go all the way down to the bottom, raw materials > metals > lead.

7th January 2009, 12:58 AM	#3
J.R.Freeman diyAudio Member Join Date: Aug 2008	Sasha, Use care if you are working with lead, as it is poisonous. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead#Health_effects You have an interesting idea, but the acoustic properties of lead may not be as favorable as its weight might suggest. If you are trying to dampen the walls of your enclosure, I imagine there are better performing materials for this task which are safer and easier to work with. Thick rubber or something with similar elasticity would do a better job of dampening vibrations in enclosure walls, I should think. J.F.

7th January 2009, 02:40 AM	#4
SpJonesKSU diyAudio Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas!	I failed to mention this in my first post, but my brother and I had the idea of using lead sheets for this very purpose. We would use different layers of material and bind them together through some "rubber type material". We're still working on finding a decent "rubber type material" for the job. We tried some asphalt based roof sealant, and that seems to work pretty well. Other then it took forever to dry, and was petroleum based. If your not planning on doing some type of layering, to help dampen your added mass, then i would choose some other material as J.F. mentioned.

7th January 2009, 02:59 AM	#5
fredex diyAudio Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New Zealand	Years ago I worked in a 'shop fitters' factory and they manufactured office partions. Sound proof ones were a lead sheet sandwiched between veneered chip board. Very expensive and heavy but it was the only solution that worked.

7th January 2009, 10:43 AM	#7
Cousin Billy diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	I am a roofer. I too am building my own speakers. I too will be lining my speakers. Any big Roofing supplier has many options. SBS membrane, soft, 4mm thick, 1 meter by 10 meters, $60.00, smooth surface or granulated, prime your wood (with their primer), use a plumbers propane torch to heat up the back of the membrane, stick it to the wood. Remember to keep the corners really rough and non uniform. APP membrane, slightly harder, same cost and installation procedure as above. Peel and Stick flashing, softest, 6" and 12" widths, simple to use, more expensive per square foot then the above, easy to make triangles for all the corners. This is what I will be using. I will also install it really poorly and un-uniform, many kinks and over laps. Roofmart, Spar Marathon roofing supply, Hermans building products, Convoy roofing supply, and many more.

7th January 2009, 10:46 AM	#8
Cousin Billy diyAudio Member Join Date: Nov 2008	I forgot, we also use lead sheet for our Marley and Clay tile roofs, they have lead sheets at some of these suppliers. I can't remember the cost. Bill

7th January 2009, 12:48 PM	#9
SashaV diyAudio Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Toronto	Well, I was thinking of applying borosilicate paint to the internal walls, then a layer of lead, followed again by borosilicate paint, and finally by some absorption layer such as the one in the following link: http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=260-530 Reasons for borosilicate paint is that many manufacturers use it with apparently good results (for example, Totem, VMPS), same goes with lead, Wilson Audio does it for example. Now, what do you guys think about the actual installation, how do I make sure lead sticks to the wood and does not come off later on? Do I simply glue it using some universal “crazy” glue? Would the borosilicate paint hold it? Or should I nail it to the wood? Screw it in?