Pouring a Lead Keel (Pt 1) (Tally Ho / EP117) 

Doug's arrival is further evidence that this project has captured the fancy of the boat building community around the world. I've been wondering since the fiasco of the first attempt to increase the size of the keel how it would happen. Who ARE the people who do such things and are they around Port Townsend? But I shouldn't have been worried. Here arrives someone who has been pouring keels for 35 years with a pot to melt the lead. Perfection. There may be a great deal of MacGyvering happening, but that is a mark of the creativity needed to tackle a project like this. Leo has demonstrated OVER and over again that he has the chops to tackle what seem like impossible challenges. THIS is what makes this channel so special. It really is the best viewing on RU-vid for anyone interested in how things are built and how they work. I find myself going back to earlier episodes to keep me going during the time between current episodes appearing, and enjoying them a second, even a third time. When the boat is launched Leo should create a DVD of all the episodes and sell it to his fans. I'd surely buy it. Thanks as always Leo. You are the man!

The lead keel pour, the gateway drug to watching wooden boat building videos.

Rowan’s humble attitude mixed with his great sense of humor is such an asset to this project. He’s honest, sincere and trustworthy in his depiction of the contribution he’s making. The kind of guy everyone would want helping with an overwhelmingly large project such as Talley Ho. Kudos to Leo for recognizing his unique talent and can-do attitude.

My god, the guy who has done the keels for America's Cup boats bringing his equipment and expertise to the job, unbelievable! I am so stoked to see the rest of this!

A big hello to Doug Brower who I shared a boatyard with in Santa Cruz. It was Ron Moore's boatyard called "The Reef". It was amazing watching Doug work his magic and watch an Americas cup bulb ship out of the boatyard.

LMAO!!! At ~17:15, Leo: "The bathtub turned out to be pretty much exactly the right size, which is lucky... I mean, which is the result of extremely careful calculation." Nice catch, Leo!! (Intended or not, a little levity is always good!). Rock on!

Rowan was having welding problems because the pipe he was welding was galvanised. Always grind off the zinc from the weld area first, then there should be no problem. He said spatter was clogging up the shroud, classic result of welding galvanised steel. Then there are the hazard of fumes. No problem if outside, not a good idea inside though. Cheers, from Leicestershire.

I love seeing both Patrick and Rowan still part of the crew. They have both been a delight with their quirky humor. Clearly, they are hard workers and dedicated to this effort. They've left and returned multiple times and I'm always happy when they return. I love all the folks who've been helping out with this great adventure Leo is guiding.

Something I've noticed is it doesn't take much to get a craftsman, regardless of their trade, to come out of retirement to lend a hand and their expertise for a few days. They always seem happy and excited to be able to teach what they know. It's always a really special time.

Potters keep their propane tanks in a barrel of water to keep them from freezing up. The burner flame “lifting off” is caused by excessive air flow in the manifold.

What you need when handling tons of molten lead is an expert! He's Doug Brower from Santa Cruz, preceded by a truck with the necessary equipment to get it done. Brilliant, the way Tally Ho attracts the experts.

I subscribed to this channels within hours of the first video going up. 4 1/2 years later It remains today as captivating as it was then. The monumental tasks that have been successfully conquered are so numerous one is often without words. I think what is most notable is that the presentation of the people and the content is entirely devoid of arrogance and self aggrandizing. I am continually, and joyfully, humbled watching this documentary. Wow. Just Wow.

The Tallyho project has a knack for attracting a most interesting team of artisans and characters ! Well done Skipper !

Watch Leo & Doug Brower speaking ( 8:10 & 9:50 ) . They both have mannerisms of humble confidence in what they know without any braggadocio or affected macho "look at me and how good I am" posturing. It very refreshing and endears Leo's project to me even more, unlike some boat builders I'm aware of.

This is one reason why I like this, among other, channel/s on RU-vid, about boat building. When things go sideways, the folks aren't afraid to ask for or accept help from the pros or guys who spent years doing the very thing that has or is giving them problems. A2A with their fiberglass, and Leo with the Bronze casting and now the lead ballast-keel casting/pouring. I love getting to see and hear from those specialty craftsmen and craftswomen. Guys who run massive sawmill and have access to giant Live oak trees, folks who concentrate on caulking boats for a living, Salt&Tar's visit to their sail makers and welder/welding teacher, really any craft specialists. Even not being there in person, I have learned so much watching these boat channels, among other crafting/maker's channels. So, Leo, for helping in my crafting education, Thank you sir. We viewers, out here around the world, love you, your crew, and your project.

Propane tanks are… well, lets just say that when you drive past a rural property in -40 weather and see for the first time a gallon pail of gasoline on fire under the tank to keep it warm enough so peoples houses don’t freeze is pretty striking.

One of the great things about Doug's arrival, as well as the arrival of the old equipment, is that Doug can share his wisdom of 35 years of pouring keels with the much younger Leo who can take that knowledge forward to a new generation of boat builders and those who wish to restore old boats like Tally Ho. I won't be surprised if Leo's phone doesn't ring off the hook when someone is looking for an expert who knows how to pour very large lead keels.

Great job Iam from the desert But I felt like Iam with you guys Much fun Thanks

You need to connect the legs otherwise if the ground shifts with all that weight in the pot, it will break one leg off and the pot will tip. Connect them legs with each other in a cross with some fairly tall plate steel.

It's really quite amazing the number of highly talented and experienced craftspersons who have been drawn to this project - Doug being the latest one. My hat's off to Leo for having moved this project along so nicely, for without his vision and perseverance, this would not have been possible. Good going, Team Tally Ho and Captain Leo!

Great way to learn to sail in a dingy teaches you all the elements and you can instantly see what happens to the boat as you trim the sails adjust balance and trim centre board and tiller. Great show and to get the most experienced people on board fantastic, this is for the world and for the future what a legacy. In 100 years someone could be watching this for reference.

If you're going to use a shop vac as a fan/air flow source, have a backup on standby. Shop vac motors probably aren't meant to run for several hours straight.

About the propane flow problem, see 'The Art of Boat Building', Bob Emser deals with the same problem by rigging tanks in series to increase the 'vapor yield' while reducing the freeze up...

Would somebody tell Doug that he is a rock star. He seems so humble and camera shy. A Tally Ho kind of guy. One of the best aspects of the channel is forcing these old geezers to look square into the camera. Men can be proud without being proud men. At the end of a good week, when I have my chores done, I like to think to myself "did I Tally Ho?" The honest answer is never, but the truth is that I aspired. Thank you all, every single participant, my life is much better because of all the hard work you individuals do. I want to reiterate that. When I do simple home renovations I aspire to do it the Leo way. Well planned, well hired, well underfunded and start. And start. None of those steps require anybody else but me. Some of us are idiots that buy a rotting dream on an Oregon shore, some of us are just fixing a windy door. The part that your team probably does not realise is the simple mantra: If Leo can do that, I can do this. it is inspiring . My shop door was fussy for four months, my mower needed a new belt and that little ditch needed a cleanout. I like to stand in front of my imaginary Go-Pro and say "My name is Bruce, I am a home owner and a retired tug boat mate" And I am doing home improvements in my own back yard. One good small task at a time. Mower, door, and ditch, all fixed. Did I Tally Ho? Yes I think so! It is not a job or a chore anymore, it is just simple small steps towards a grand goal. It is a Tally Ho! So thank you Doug, for allowing Leo to present you as an exceptional dude. I have spent many years of my life relying on fellows such as yourself who create stability charts. Honestly, Us guys on boats never thank the stability engineer even when we are falling off waves. So thanks for your stability, or at least your stability calculations. When men at sea say "oh Jesus" It is actually you that they are talking to.

Hi Leo, not sure if you’ve looked into it yet. But as someone who has worked in the propane industry and witnessed oversized burners on undersized tanks many times. I would recommend contacting your local propane company and see about renting a larger capacity tank for when you do the big pour. That way you have more surface area for the propane to vaporize and hopefully not frost over and cause you all to have to stop mid pour. I would think a 325 or 500 gallon tank would suffice. The company I worked for would allow tanks to be rented and the money for the remaining propane when you are finished would be credited back to you. Just a thought I had. Loving the progress and good luck!

Glad an old master stepped forward. Cool the Port Townsend yard lets us do what must be done to build and maintain boats.

When I was a youngster I would have loved the shavings to make my lead soldiers, I used to pour and paint and make working cannons, and sit and chew the heads off soldiers lead painted and all, today the panic over lead and children wow, I'm 93 next birthday and going strong. Great vid Leo thank you for filling up my time.

Bob, at "The Art of Boat Building" has a video where he had to use two propane tanks fitted with a 'Y' hose to provide enough gas to his crucible. It might work for you. He also solved the icing problem using this method.

Great to see you are so careful and cleaning up after the work. Amazing that the man who made the keels for the American cup is helping

Guys, I catched up! ~120 days ago RU-vid suggested this wonderful channel to me and I've been watching one episode per day since then. I cannot imagine I now have to wait weeks for an update :'-( Keep going Leo, awesome project, awesome team, looking forward to each video :)

Leo, everyone out here in RU-vid land is rooting for you!!!!!

5:24. Most sympathetic welder maybe? You have got my vote.

Really glad you found the guy who knows how to make this happen. It's the real power of doing a big project like this publicly, including showing when things don't work.

This is by far the most interesting project I have ever watched on RU-vid. I hope your sailing plans will make Season Two equally interesting. I know it's a bit early, but I'm looking forward to the episode of Leo's vision of Tally Ho's return onto the oceans.

For anyone interested in arcane skills, this is the place to be. Thank you very much for sharing your project with those who do.

how this channel is not already at 1 or 2 million subscribers is a mystery to me.

When using “Bulldog Clamps” to clamp wire rope, such as that used on the little winch to lift the lid on that Lead melting pot, the cast saddle of the clamp should be placed on the “live” cable and the U-bolt oriented to the tail, or “dead” side. The theory is that the U-bolt can put such a point-loading on the cable that it can compromise the strength of the cable, whereas the cast saddle spreads the pressure and the connection retains nearly 100% of the tensile strength. In this situation, there is not that much loading on the cable, so it doesn’t really matter.

Once again the craftsmanship going into Tally Ho never ceases to amaze me! Adding Doug to the mix is just one more piece of the magic happening in Port Townsend.👏👏👏👏⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️

What a great experienced guy to come and help you build a new ballast/ keel ! Three cheers for Doug !!!

I worked for 3M selling respirators for 7 years. When working with lead there are perhaps two hazards (well that and getting burnt too). The metal fumes from the molten lead and the organic fumes from the contaminants. The metal fumes are tiny metal particles in the air (think 0.3 microns and less) and as such require a welding style filter (P3 or N99) with a half or full face mask. The organic vapors require the carbon filled filters you often see when people are painting etc. I believe they have changed the codes now but the international color code is Black. So you need both. The particle filter over the organic filter. Leo's mask was correct and Doug's mask was wrong.

Just when you think you can see the light of day, you have to build a foundry to pour a new keel

Thank you Doug & Scott for your help with this project. We all (esp Leo) appreciate people like you who will share their skills/craftsmanship and lifetimes of knowledge. That last keel attempt hurt to watch.. Leo will conquer and succeed. I’m stoked to see the mold & pour. Cheers from snowy Ohio.

The metalurgy stuff is almost an art (watching the fella check for antimony) now obv there are more scientific methods, but my grandfather (on mothers side) worked in a large steelworks in scotland (He passed due to asbestos , they used it as a pillow to get a sleep during split shifts) anyways he told me the fella(s) incharge of the steel composition used to know what to add based on the color of the sparks from the dewar when throwing additives in. It was one of those jobs you learned and got a feel for, you couldn't quantify with measurement.

If you dip the galvanized pipe into some muriatic acid from your local pool store it will remove to galvanize material making it much easier to weld.

I started watching Acorn to Arabella because the lead keel pour showed up on my feed for whatever reason, which lead me to this build as well as several other boat-themed channels. Ive been so looking forward to this part of the process!

Leo using "heavy metal" (well hard rock) music while cutting the lead was an excellent audio pun. I also enjoyed the "sacrifice it to the gods of heavy metal" joke from Pete. Great episode.

It's cool to see how a job changes when one guy comes on board with the expertise. The bathtub trick and casting in a chain. It's things like those are so simple, yet would take you so long to figure out on your own. Amazing.

Sorry I haven’t memorised your name but you, mister leg welder have the most good natured and optimistic attitude ever, it is sheer pleasure to watch and listen to you, and your work skills have advanced so much also.

Rowan, if you should ever find yourself having to weld above your head again, switch to stick welding. There's no nozzle to clog that way. There's a bit of a learning curve, but what better chance to learn than on something where pretty doesn't count?

Stemming from Doug Brower's involvement, likely other top names in the industry may too help with Tally Ho. Doug's major contribution must raise the profile of the restoration in the boating world. The restoration now is well beyond being just a RU-vid channel, but a significant piece of boating history. Leo has made it happen, and that is no mean feat. One day in the future I can imagine another young RU-vid boat builder announcing, that none other than the great master boatbuilder and sailor, himself "Leo" is coming to help with a restoration.

"We were able to open and close the valve, that was a big relief." Haha

Hoping once Tally Ho is on the move, she puts into port here in Santa Cruz. Lots of followers and supporters here. Go Doug!

It’s amazing how Tally Ho manages to attract the top expertise from around the globe: ultimate best practice for this heart warming project! It’s amazing what a difference youtube can make to create a global reach-out to experts, sponsors and interested people. This is the epitome of how to build an truly global community. Keep them coming!

“The valve works, that’s a relief.” Does that mean it’s a relief valve?

He stood up from the welding and he finally looks and sounds like man.

Dear Doug Broward, Your contribution is great for all shipwrights everywhere in the world. As an old sailmaker who hand stitched rings , I thank you. Sincerely, Mike

Ahhhh..... there's nothing like watching a Tally Ho video down here in New Zealand on a Sunday morning! Great video as always!

My wife walked in while Rowan was welding up the legs, and said "Why is Ed Sheeran building boats??" Hahahaha!!! Keep up the great work fellas!!

Not to take anything away from Rowan's experience as a welder.....but there is going to be a TREMENDOUS amount of weight on those rusty pipe legs welded to rusty curved steel plate. Before anymore weight is added to the pot....I would weld on a couple of gussets using a stick welder. I can't imagine the horror of that pot collapsing or leaning over while completely full of 600 degree lead. I believe that one can't take too many preventative measures. It's a fantastic project...can't wait for the Part Two Video.

I was certainly worried about Dougs... Sweet Mont-Bell Down Jacket ...for a bit there....

When welding upside down, put a dime in your ear. It will keep the big chucks out and cool the smaller chunks.

Propane is a heavier gas so when using it in cold temperatures the pressure in the propane tanks will drop so basically causes it to freeze up. So gas that you use in a propane tank is the gas that evaporates to the top of the tank. So when that gas doesn't evaporates quick enough because of the demand of btu's a solution is to have a larger area of evaporation. Solution you can switch to another tank or use a manifold and use two tanks which gives you more surface area of evaporation. Therefore using both tanks will enable you to keep up with the demand of btu's . Hope that makes sense.

Being able to open the valve definitely gives you relief

Never incur the wrath of the keel meister. Reminds me of iron casting with sand molds in a foundry.

The comments I read are so well written and express a deeper appreciation for the many awesome qualities of Leo's mission. Leo documents well and interestingly. I was laser focused on this video, especially having waited an extra week. It was worth the wait! I would have thrown in and helped any way I could if I was lucky enough to be there. Doug, thanks for offering your invaluable expertise to the creation of Tally Ho's keel! You see what others see in Leo and the Tally Ho. Leo works SO HARD! He deserves every helping hand he gets. Take care all. I can't wait to see the pour!

"Doug seems to think it will be okay..." Famous last words there Leo!

Am I the only one who wanted an hour long video this week... can't wait for your next one

Leo, I am loving your project. I have used propane tanks in brewing for a while now and the burner is use causes the propane tanks I use to freeze up. One solution that has worked for me in the past is to put the propane tanks in a water bath to prevent them from cooling too quickly. Weigh or strap the tanks down so they don’t float. It works surprisingly well. Good luck to you!!!

The mark of experience and knowledge, estimating the antimony content of the keel by jabbing it with a knife. I love it.

Having Doug's name added to the list of great boat builders on the Tally Ho project is priceless. His background and experiences will definitely teach the up and comers and hopefully encourage future boat builders to enter the trade. Keep up the good work. Cheers!

Came for the lead. Stayed for the music. Again.

Loved it! In my workshop watching. Storm raging outside with a fire going in the stove and a beer in my hand. Couldn't be better!

Don't forget about shrinkage when building the positive template. For sandcasting lead it needs to be about 0.6% bigger than the intended size. So if your keel is for example 5000 mm long, the template needs a lenght of 5030 mm. Same goes for widht (and height if the mould is closed at the top). Dunno if it matters for you. Just wanted to mention it.

I discovered this channel nine days ago and have been binge watching it in between my day job and sleeping. Not sure what i am going to do tomorrow. Great entertainment and very uplifting.

I love it wen PanchO goes into his 'JAZZ' mode and bobs up an down to the music frenetically.. Go PanchO 💕 👍 😂

And remember! Go fishin when you can, because it's good fer ye!

FYI on the welding, next time you find yourself having to weld overhead like that, you should buy a welders cap. Specifically designed for wearing while doing this job. The floppy bill of the cap is used to cover the ear that is facing up ⬆️ to prevent slag from going down in your ear. A large enough piece of slag could cost you your inner ear. Just something to consider next time. 😉👍

Right On Leo, let's get the Lead out. Nothing but the BEST for Tally-Ho!

At 13:59 Leo talks about trying to keep the propane tanks from getting too cold and reducing the tank's pressure (PV=nRT). Hot air ballon-ers have the same problem and use electrically heated blankets around the tanks to help this issue.

You will get a better propane flow rate if you make a manifold to draw gas from both tanks at the same time. The propane flow rate is limited by the temperature and the surface area of the liquid propane. Hooking the tanks together doubles the surface area.

It is so awesome that senior experts are willing to share their amazing knowledge to help this project! 👍👍

Susan & Tony here, We feel so much better this time around for your safety. Really looking forward to the next few weeks video's

"Experience": That which allows you to recognize a mistake you made before.

Cutting lead with a chain saw , good stuff Leo , Tally Ho !

This channel have never made so big cliffhanger for me, can't wait for the pouring!

I'm always waiting impatiently to for two weeks for a new episode. Excited when the video drops and then sad when it ends too soon. Such is life I guess.

I appreciated the bumper music from Demolition Ranch when they fired up the burner.

Gotta gang multiple tanks together with a manifold to increase propane vaporization surface area.

it seems the pressure of propane is proportional to its surface. So instead of using one after another bottle of gas you could hook up two in parallel and double the surface. with three you'd triple the amount of gas available.

Jesus, the whole Lead pour is one long tease, LOVE IT cant wait for more!

Seeing lead gush out of a pipe does not get old. What a boon to have Doug and his friends join the effort! Perhaps one of the Tally Ho crew even decides to buy the kit off Doug and become a part of Port T’s collective as a resident lead slinger?

A tiny correction: anything with a density higher than lead's 11.3 will sink in it: mercury 13.6 uranium 18.7 gold 19.3 platinum 21.4 The list goes on. It is not short.

A propane tank heating blanket is available. Widely used in the hot air balloon industry.

Overhead wire welding works better with flux core wire. It takes knurled drive rollers and runs electrode negative, however. It's generally better if you're welding in the wind, too.

Leo, I dont know if this is too late or not but.... one of the ways that i prevent my propane tanks from freezing up on my metal forge is that i run two tanks in parallel, its a cheap and very effective method. I bought the parts from tractor supply. You could also place each tank in a 55gallon drum and fill it with water to help with heat transfer. Best of luck!

At the power plant where I worked they had 2 4,000 Gallon Hydrogen tanks. Hydrogen is used in the generator to cool it. Every year they would have a safety barbeque and would set up a couple are grills right next to one of the hydrogen tanks. I would look at it and think some how it doesn't look like a good idea to have barbeque grills running right next to a 4,000 gallon tank of hydrogen. Just reminds me of the Hindenburg going up in flames.

Pretty amazing that so many of the "I's" in intro and outro are now "we". Beautiful to see such an effort become a team effort and team success. Super excited to see the next episode. Good luck this week.

As a kid back in the 80's, I used to collect up lead from our home gun range, melt it down in the woodstove, and pour it into little ingots. In hindsight, way more sketchy than even Leo's first pour. Glad to see you have an expert helping out now. Super exited to see the next episode.

“Feels painful …”, takes a long pause, cheeky grin “… but I’m loving it!” What a great team you’ve got there Leo!

FYI Leo, never use teflon tape on gas fittings. Use thread compound. The tape strands will get into the controls. It is also against code.