Weights

[Don]

Has anyone tried a round ball or mini-bullet mold to make sinkers. We probably have a couple in the fam and they are just sitting there. Do you think more sophisticated shapes like handgun calibers would draw unwanted attention when going though security at an airport?

 

[Don]

Has anyone tried a round ball or mini-bullet mold to make sinkers. We probably have a couple in the fam and they are just sitting there. Do you think more sophisticated shapes like handgun calibers would draw unwanted attention when going though security at an airport?
Cabelas sells the lead in spools of 1/8, 1/4 and 3/16dia. Has anyone put these on tubes for weight?

 

[Solitario Lupo]

I’ve stuck bullet weights in tubes and just on line with a barrel swivel.

 

[Don]

In Calironia early 80's the steel head dudes tied a piece of surgical tubing onto the end of their lines and then slid an appropriate length of the above spooled lead into the tube. If you got stuck and yanked hard enough the lead would slip out of the tubing thus saving the rest of the rig.

 

[Melvinp]

You can stuff a normal jig in them just have make sure you don’t poke the eye through before your ready

 

[Solitario Lupo]

No need for surgical tubing anymore that's what paracord is for. Put bbs or rocks in it.

 

[A-5]

 

[HenryDavid]

Used tube jigs quite a bit for Susquehanna smallies, they would rip the tube right off the jig, tear it to pieces, shred it.

 

[Don M]

Okay so I want to make my own saltwater weights and jigs. Now I've never done any of it before! So I stand before you for your opinions, thoughts, and do's & don't.
The jigs will be for 4" gulp mullet.
Things I have
1. A Coleman propane stove.
2. Old cast iron skillet.
3. About 40 lbs. of lead wheel weights
Things to get
1. Cast iron ladle
2. Molds
3. Hooks

 

[pabassman]

First thing is a good work space. Ventilation is important. A strong, stable, solid surface to work from. Keep the area around you open and uncluttered. Safety goggles for sure. Gloves are optional only because they are a pain to work with when putting hooks into the mold. Paint if you're so inclined. If you are painting with powder an old toaster oven to cure in.

 

[Don M]

Yep forgot to mention a $12.00 Target oven.

 

[Don]

I'm watching Don309. Brother just gave me a pot, ladle, and a couple balls to go with this .424 lee mold. .424=115grains is about a quarter ounce.

 

[Melvinp]

The old camp stove isn’t really going to cut it it will take forever to melt the lead. I used a cast iron pan and a torch to melt the first batch,after that I cleaned it then poured it into small muffin tins to make ingots then when needed I place the ingots in a smelter . Watch what your doing it’s wicked hot and will stick to you like glue no less start fires

 

[Don]

are you only smelting outside? When we were kids we simply placed the smelting pot ( the very one in the photo above) onto our kitchen stove and it melted fine. Made me wonder if it made toxic vapors in the house. Thoughts?

 

[truecrimson]

Yes, it made toxic vapors. If you were doing small batches then maybe not much damage was done, or if the room/house was big and drafty.

Really you need to be outside or someplace well ventilated. I've also seen videos of guys making their own fume hoods to pull the fumes out using AC ducting or clothes dryer vent tubing and a fan.

A lot of guys work in a garage, if they have one, with the garage door open and a fan. A barn or shed where you could leave the door open and have a fan would be good too.

Outside, make sure there is 0 precipitation. Hot lead and water don't play well together at all.

 

[Don]

I have an open porch with a breeze.

 

[Solitario Lupo]

It’s lead I wouldn’t do it in the house.

 

[Don M]

I plan on doing this next season, either outside or in a garage door open. Just doing all the research, and building up the the equipment now. The only mold I know I'll get 1st is the egg sinker shown at the start of the post.

 

[Don]

Nice.

 

[A-5]

6’2 325.


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