# Weights for Shop - Railroad Track Steel



## Ardubya (Apr 8, 2015)

Every once in a while you need to hold down large pieces while glue dries or other reasons, and maybe you start piling on whatever you have on hand that has any heft. I've heard that small lengths of railroad track steel make excellent shop weights. I have no idea where to get any legally though, and I live in a major city.

So, can anyone suggest where I can buy a few chunks of railroad track steel?

Or, can anyone suggest other cost-effective alternatives? I'd like to avoid cinder blocks.

Thanks!


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

Just take a small section out of any old track, nobody will notice it gone ;-)

I have a railroad behind the house and found a 8" piece when they were replacing the main track once and kept it as a anvil. It is super heavy. Most rails are set in quater mile sections these days so the only place the are likely to be found is near road crossings and switches. Even then if found I would have no idea how I would cut to size.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

several years ago, I came across a few hundred pounds of ballast lead from a sailboat.
I melted a lot of it down and put it in soup cans with an eye bolt for easy handling.
each can weighs about 22 pounds.
I also have a bucket full of 3 and 5 pound lead scuba diving weights.
so the lead may be more readily available in your area than train track.
at my local scrap yard, lead sells for $1.00 a pound.
also, my local family owned battery shop sells it for the same price.
check with your local tire shops to see if they sell scrap wheel weights.










.


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## ChefHDAN (Aug 7, 2010)

You may have better luck finding Elevator Counterweights a couple of the shops in buildings where I do business have them left over from reno projects, but they won't give them up, no matter how many meals I've offered. I've wanted one for the weight use but also for an anvil when needed. I have a bunch of plate weights I found next to a dumpster and 2 1.5 gallon buckets filled with concrete that I use when they are easier than clamps.


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## Planeman40 (Nov 3, 2010)

A good lead source is your local service station and auto shop. They remove wheel balance weights when re-balancing a tire and usually throw these old lead weights in a scrap bin. Just ask.


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## BlasterStumps (Mar 13, 2017)

I found track at the local scrap yard. 
I made a small anvil out of one piece. Cut the other one in half for weights.
Also picked up several barbell pieces at the local Habitat Restore. They make good weights to use in the shop also


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## SMP (Aug 29, 2018)

I used to have a home gym, which was great, 45 pound plates for larger panels, 25s or 10s for smaller stuff. Now I have to find heavy stuff around the house. Personally I stay away from lead nowadays though. Trying to keep the brain cells i have left lol.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

I brought a bag of gold nuggets back from Alaska. It is better than lead.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

I just use aluminium bronze castings left over from my boat building days. They are 15-20 lbs each and work very well.


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

There's usually track on eBay but you're gonna pay for it…

They often replace sections of track around here and usually throw the old track on the the side and leave it. If you see them doing maintenance, swing by the area after they're done and see if there's anything in the weeds. Be careful to observe any posted signs though concerning trespassing. Most railroads take liability issues very seriously.

In lieu of finding some track, go to a local scrap yard and just look around for big hunks of whatever. Also watch the free section of Craigslist in your area. There are often weight benches listed.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Rail scrap is one of the more costly and desirable scraps for steelmaking. I got a couple of pieces when I was working in the steel mill. It makes a great anvil.


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## WalkerR (Feb 8, 2017)

Personally I just use the round barbell weights. Easily found at walmart or sports stores.

You could try to find some counterweights used in theaters for the ropes fly systems. They're rectangular and flat, a good shape for glue ups. You could try to find some at a local school or theater, they often have spares that get used as door stops. I'm not sure where to buy new, but if you have a theater supply shop locally, they could probably order through a catalog for you.

**I just looked at Ebay for "Railroad Track" and there is way more results than I expected.


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

If you go to the auto repair shop ask them if they have old brake rotors. Truck rotors are even bigger and heavier and they are flat so they stack easier.

Don't know how you'd cut a rail unless you live near a track repair facility that might have "cut off's"?


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I bought bricks at Home Depot for about 60 cents apiece and wrapped them in duct tape so they won't scratch anything. They weigh slightly over 5 lbs each and stack easily when more pressure is needed. I use them all the time.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

Good for large surface areas is a 50 pound sack of "play" sand. The sack conforms to curved surfaces and is cheap.


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## Andybb (Sep 30, 2016)

Don't know where to get railroad track but I sure picked up some good ideas for weight. I just dumped a 50 lb bad of play sand that I have been tripping over for years. :-(


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## TarHeelz (Sep 13, 2012)

> Good for large surface areas is a 50 pound sack of "play" sand. The sack conforms to curved surfaces and is cheap.
> 
> - splintergroup


Instructions unclear. Do not open the sack.


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

I'm sure it's a lot easier to find some one looking to give away weights they no longer need for working out than to get a piece of rail road track.


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## jbmaine (Nov 8, 2019)

My shop is in my basement, which also were my pellet stove is, So, for extra weight I use bags of pellets, at 40 lbs. each they work great.


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

Companies that build and install over head cranes use rail for their projects and may have small pieces to sell.


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

I use a five gallon bucket filled with scrap metal and a two gallon bucket filled with quick-crete. Rich's method of duct taping a brick or two would be easy to store. Several good ideas above.


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## splintergroup (Jan 20, 2015)

> Good for large surface areas is a 50 pound sack of "play" sand. The sack conforms to curved surfaces and is cheap.
> 
> - splintergroup
> 
> ...


Good point 8^)

Also, one needs to leave the sand in the sack. Just a sack won't cut it…..


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## PaulDoug (Sep 26, 2013)

Well if you lived in SE Washington I would say stop by, I have about an eight foot long piece of it I'd give you. Don't know how you would cut it into usable pieces but ,,,, I used it to drag it behind my tractor to level ground…


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## corelz125 (Sep 23, 2015)

One of these with an abrasive wheel will cut a piece of track. https://www.stihlusa.com/products/cut-off-machines/professional-cut-off-machines/ts420/?rev=BVSpotlights


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## BurlyBob (Mar 13, 2012)

I cast my own bullets and have several coffee cans with cast bullets that I use for weights.


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## jacww (Aug 23, 2015)

I'm not sure how much it would cost but I've seen buckshot "bean bags" used as weights. The cloth is soft and kind of thick, almost like velvet. They can be made as heavy as you need and are flexible.

TonyC


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## Scap (Aug 7, 2018)

> Good for large surface areas is a 50 pound sack of "play" sand. The sack conforms to curved surfaces and is cheap.
> 
> - splintergroup
> 
> ...


But I needed to sand it anyway….this saves a step.
Lol


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## Jackryan (Apr 7, 2013)

I had a weight set and saved about 50 pounds of various discs for use in the shop like under the new wood lathe stand and donated the rest to Goodwill. My wife is happy to see me finally get some use out of them.


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## MPython (Nov 30, 2018)

This works:


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## ibewjon (Oct 2, 2010)

There is a piece of rail for sale on Chicago Craigslist for $75


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