How to pour lead sinkers, my version.

[DSRTEGL]

It is true that they will be lost easy.

I was referring to brass eyes in picture #7 fo my report.

I understand what you are saying....but they are pretty expensive and I can make something similar easily enough out of recycled materials

Not as expensive as I thought.....and easier to use.....sigh....you were right

 

[DSRTEGL]

So.....The Lee Production Pot is a lifesaver if you want to pour a lot of sinkers fast. About $65 off of Amazon...Flux your lead THOROUGHLY before putting it in the production pot as skimming the lead once it is in the production pot is damn near impossible.....I am using used cooking oil to flux my lead and it is working great....A mini muffin pan casts an almost perfect sized ingot for the pot. My particular pot seems to run pretty hot so at 5 on the dial I am good to go. So far I am using sheet lead for my sinkers as it is readily available at my local salvage yard at $2.50/pound and it is pretty pure Soft Lead......Lead Sheeting from my source is pretty damn dirty...So I unroll the lead and wipe off the dirt as much as possible with my gloved hands before I roll it back up and take it to be weighed

I used lamp black/candle soot to prepare 2 of my molds to cast weights and its working great.....I used WD-40 on another.....Spraying it on and then wiping it off before casting and that is working just as well. For sliding sinkers, I am using pieces of wire coat hanger as pulls and they work great.....Just try finding wire coat hangers these days.....DAMMIT...….I have about a dozen pulls made.....I cast the sliding No Roll sinkers and pop them into water WITH THE WIRE STILL IN and then pull the wires once the lead is cool. For the In-Line/Torpedo Weights I have decided to use the commercial Brass Eyelets and I use the LONG ones. For $2.99 for 100....Why Not.

USE PPE......LET ME REPEAT.....USE YOUR DAMN PPE........One drop of sweat or other moisture into the molten lead and you are SCREWED......I was re-melting a sliding sinker….apparently there was some moisture....Now I am DAMN CAREFUL when adding lead to a hot pot....So when molten lead erupted from the Production Pot like a damn Volcano.....I was safe.....This is EXACTLY why I can never recommend WOOD MOLDS.....They hold moisture....Don't ask me how I know that....

 

[Mahigeer]

Good writeup.

If you are casting torpedo style sinkers to be used as sinker, and not in line between main line and leader; you only need one eyelet ring. Ready formed Brass eyelets save time as well.

 

[DSRTEGL]

Here is a basic idea as to the cost of getting a decent sinker pouring set-up put together.....Minus the Molds and the supplies for them

Lee Production Pot IV...………………………………..………$65
Coleman Butane Stove...………………………………..…….$20
Butane Fuel...……………………………………………………….$20/12 cans
Cast Iron Pot w/Wood Handle (Thrift Store)………$5
Lead (Salvage Yard)……………………………………………..$2.50/pound
Welding Gloves...…………………………………………………$10-20
Respirator...……………………………………..…………………..$25
Safety Glasses...……………………………………………………$4
Flush Cutters (For Sprue)……………………….……………$20-25
Welding Vest...……………………………………..………...…..$25
Ladle...…………………………………………………………………$4
Mini Muffin Pan (for Ingots)……………………………….$7

I use the Butane Stove and Cast Iron Pot with the Wood Handle to Flux my lead for Ingots, and use the ladle to pour the lead into the Mini Muffin Pan to cast the Ingots. My Mini Muffin Pan casts Ingots from 7.5-8oz. I made the Ladle I use out of a heavy gauge stainless Steel Measuring Cup that I added a Wood Handle to. I cast the fluxed lead Ingots to use in my Production Pot because the Production Pot is designed in a way that it is not very easy to skim the impurities off the top.

The Lee Production Pot may be a little pricey for some but it is a game changer when it comes to real production. As I have noted before.....Because of its slow pour rate it might not cast weights of over 6oz very well...…..This is just a guess as I do not have any sinker molds that big.

DO NOT CUT CORNERS ON YOUR PPE...…....PERSONAL.....PROTECTIVE...…..EQUIPMENT..........DON'T DO IT...….Safety GLASSES are IMHO an bare minimum......If there is the slightest chance of ANY moisture hitting your molten lead.......GET A FULL FACE SHIELD...….

 

[DIYLureJunky]

There are a lot of safety tips here:
http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/9969-lead-melting-safety-and-techniques/

I'm also a member of tackleunderground, as I like to make fishing jigs and tying flies.

 

[DSRTEGL]

There are a lot of safety tips here:
http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/9969-lead-melting-safety-and-techniques/

I'm also a member of tackleunderground, as I like to make fishing jigs and tying flies.

I used to lathe turn my own hardwood saltwater plugs back in the day....and still make my own spoons and knife jigs......I have even been know to make special pieces out of silver........

Right now I am trying to decide what sinker molds I buy next......I just got through fluxing and pouring over 40 pounds of lead ingots

I need a mold for egg sinkers but I can't find the shape that I prefer using

DO ANY OF YOU POWDER COAT YOUR FISHING WEIGHTS???

 

[DSRTEGL]

This Do-It Mold is originally intended to make bottom bouncing sinkers.

But it would be just about perfect to make sliding sinkers with a slight mod......I like the shape of these. They would also make interesting torpedo type weights with slightly longer than usual eyelet wires.

 

[DSRTEGL]

Pardon the Russian.....But this is a pretty interesting video that shows the step-by-step process of casting an aluminum sinker mold in Green Sand

REALLY wish I had the skills and equipment to do this

 

[jcool3]

here is similar russian video making torpedo sinker

Anyone can translate Russian as to what is the white powder he is using???
Looks fairly simple to make a mold using his method.

 

[DSRTEGL]

here is similar russian video making torpedo sinker

Anyone can translate Russian as to what is the white powder he is using???
Looks fairly simple to make a mold using his method.
View attachment 295

Don't know about the "White Powder"......Maybe some form of mold release that comes as an aerosol spray......But I do know that this process is far from simple. Just being able to make Green Sand of the right consistency to cast the aluminum is an art for in and of itself.....You have to mix sifted fine sand with the right proportion of powdered Bentonite Clay and mix water or oil in the proper proportion so it packs and holds well.....There are little tricks in this video I am missing for sure because I don't speak Russian. Then you have to be able to make a proper foam mold for the lost foam process....Believe me.....No simple trick to get all the air bubbles out of the foam to render a good form for casting.....Furthermore....You have to have the ability to smelt aluminum......Not NEARLY as easy as melting lead......and the precautions necessary because of the temperatures involved are no joke........If my GF ever gets done helping her family out........SHE DOES SPEAK RUSSIAN......I might be able to figure some of this stuff out

 

[jcool3]

I guess you are right, the white stuff is just the form to make the actual mold. I didn't watch the whole video before ... it is a more
complex process.

 

[DSRTEGL]

I guess you are right, the white stuff is just the form to make the actual mold. I didn't watch the whole video before ... it is a more
complex process.

Very Much So........If you could draft with CAD and find someone with a CNC Milling Machine who is bored.....you could turn them out pretty fast. I actually know someone with all the equipment and software but they wanted an INSANE amount to produce the first prototype......even with me providing all the materials

 

[DSRTEGL]

So....I revisited Cardstock Paper Tubes to produce Pencil Sinkers.........They worked GREAT.......My earlier issues were resulting from lead that was just too hot......Now that I have my Lee Production Pot "Dialed In"........PUN INTENDED........I am producing completely usable pencil sinkers using nothing but Cardstock Paper, Masking Tape, Recycled Wire, and MAYBE a #7 Crane Swivel. All you need to do is roll the paper around something like A PENCIL or similar object of the diameter of sinker you are going for and you are good to go. This could come in handy if you needed cheap weights in a hurry. My Next Experiment is going to be Cone Shaped Sinkers poured in Paper Cones as seen on YouTube. WORDS OF WARNING.......Paper Collects MOISTURE.......Make sure your paper is TOTALLY DRY before pouring your lead OR YOU ARE SCREWED.......

I really need welding gloves with more fine manipulation....These Harbor Freight ones are slowing me down.

http://instagr.am/p/BqGG4V7AfwV/
Just a little update.......if you make the straight pencil sinkers thin enough......an entry level PVC Pipe Cutter cuts right through them like butter making it really easy to custom trim the sinkers to weight.

 

[DIYLureJunky]

Nice.

 

[DSRTEGL]

http://instagr.am/p/BqN5FPKhAPf/

 

[jcool3]

This Do-It Mold is originally intended to make bottom bouncing sinkers.

But it would be just about perfect to make sliding sinkers with a slight mod......I like the shape of these. They would also make interesting torpedo type weights with slightly longer than usual eyelet wires.

View attachment 294

Bottom bouncers keep the bait off the bottom and are less prone to getting hung up. I made some up with torpedo sinker mold and
just a straight wire (no arm) 8-10 inches. Use them for rockfishing. I think they are less prone to getting hung up than regular torpedos
and other traditional shapes.

 

[DSRTEGL]

My next flips of basic fishing sinkers will be turning 4oz Torpedo sinkers into spider sinkers and 3/4 and 1oz inline sinkers into micro jigs........

I also plan to experiment with powdercoating some of my sinkers

UPDATE......Trying to turn inline sinkers into micro jigs was an epic fail

 

[DSRTEGL]

Proof of Concept

4oz Spider Sinker?Grip Lead from 4oz Inline Sinler



I KNOW IT IS UGLY.......BUT IT IS A PROTOTYPE

Made Some More of These Today.........This Time with Copper Wire.......

 

[DSRTEGL]

Another Lead Casting Session.........Cone Sinkers with Swivels in 90# Cardstock Paper Cones......

I was recently contacted by a fellow tackle crafter in Russia and he swears by these......Because the tops bend easily......This either pops the sinker over snags......or breaks them off, saving the rest of your rig and maybe your fish.......He sent me video of this in action and it was compelling.

 

[jcool3]

video??