How to Make Lead Acetate

Put on protective goggles and vinyl or rubber gloves. Lead acetate is toxic and hazardous to your health. Work in a well-ventilated area.

Pour thin lead shavings into the petri dish. Use fresh shavings that don't have the gray oxidization coating.

Pour vinegar into the petri dish to cover the lead shavings. Keep adding vinegar, as it will evaporate quickly. The reaction takes a long time, so you may have to continue to add vinegar to the lead for a few months to a year. To speed up the reaction, place a lamp 6 inches or more away from the petri dish. Warming the dish speeds up the reaction, but it still takes time.

Remove a drop from the solution and place it on a microscope slide. Allow it to evaporate and look for white crystals. That is a sign that lead acetate is forming.

Filter the lead shavings out of the dish using a funnel and filter paper, once you are satisfied with the amount of lead acetate that formed. Put the filtered solution into a new petri dish and allow it to evaporate. The remaining crystals are lead acetate.

Store the lead acetate in a tightly closed container in a safe, dry, ventilated area.