Pourring your own lead jigs & weights

[LucG]

I've decided to try and make my own jigs and weights this year. I've just pickuped up a Lee Lead Production pot, as well as a several DO-IT brand molds. I have all my inserts and hooks and I am ready to go.

 

I've read and watched alot of tutorials and learned alot of tips and tricks, not only on how to pour good quality jigs, but on all the safety precautions as well. But am sure someone here can give some good advice to a beginner.

 

I will be mainly making tube jigs, walleye jigs, and drop shot weights.

 

I'm also looking for a good cheap place to buy some lead. I've read that scrap yards are a good place, but understand that soft lead is recommended as it give a better end result. What kind of things would be made from soft lead?

 

Thanks

 

 

[Muskieman]

Wheel weights , you can buy them new at a pretty cheap price ( Benson's ) many tire shops give the old ones away .

[Fang]

check around at some dental offices. some places still might be using the old film xray system and will have the small lead/tin(?) sheets that come off the backs of the film. I stock piled for years as my wife works in a dental office. This lead is not as dense due to the tin so I can pour bigger heads like 1/2 oz and they weight 1/4 oz.

 

Also this lead does not tarnish or dull after it's poured. I have jigs over a year old in my box and they still have a nickel shine appearance.

 

when I need the weight I just melt regular lead

[LucG]

Wheel weights , you can buy them new at a pretty cheap price ( Benson's ) many tire shops give the old ones away .

 

That is the most common answer I'm getting, but apparently these are made with hard lead, and may not pour as good as soft lead, especially in smaller applications.

 

check around at some dental offices. some places still might be using the old film xray system and will have the small lead/tin(?) sheets that come off the backs of the film. I stock piled for years as my wife works in a dental office. This lead is not as dense due to the tin so I can pour bigger heads like 1/2 oz and they weight 1/4 oz.

 

Also this lead does not tarnish or dull after it's poured. I have jigs over a year old in my box and they still have a nickel shine appearance.

 

when I need the weight I just melt regular lead

 

Thanks, that is a good idea. They've recently demolished an old hospital in North Bay and someone I know managed to get some of the lead they used to line the walls of the X-ray room.

 

What about old lead pipe? I should be able to find this at any scrap yard, right?

[Roy]

Soft lead is just another way of saying clean lead. Used wheel weights for example are not "soft lead" as they have all kinds of impurities mixed in. You can still pour decent sinkers, jigs, bottom bouncers etc...but you'll get more rejects than you would with soft (clean) lead. Most of the impurities in dirty lead will float to the top as the lead melts and can be skimmed off but beware...the more you handle hot lead, the greater your chances of hurting yourself or someone near you. This is not boiling water. Lead won't drip off your skin....it'll stay there and burn its way through.

[aplumma]

I also will add that the vapors from the lead are toxic and it is a poison that accumulates in your system. If you are heating lead clean or dirty make sure you have adequate ventilation. Remember if you can smell the lead then you are breathing toxic fumes. I almost always use old wheel weights the garages are happy to give them to you or charge a small price if they scap them. Once I get them I sort thru them and any that are rubber coated or shiny(aluminum) I set them aside for recycling. Then melt them down till they are liquid. The metal clamps and the impurities float to the top and I use an old spoon that is marked not for food use to skim off the impurities then the shiny lead I either let cool off as a ingot or pour the heads. Don't forget to not smoke while pouring and wash your hands before eating or drinking. Gloves and eye protection is a must if you mix any water or saliva with the lead while melted it will violently splatter from the steam.

 

Be safe I have the scars to prove what carelessness will do to you.

 

 

Art

[Bernie]

I pour my own jigs as well.

I use wheel weights as I have easy access to them.

I melt down a bunch of weights all at once, then scoop the steel locks off the top.

Then turn up the heat to high in the pot after and stir the lead. This shakes most of the impurities to the top.

Skim it off and then pour into a bar for future use.

 

When pouring into the mould, pour some lead into it without any hooks to get it heated up some first.

This will help prevent the lead hardening before it gets to the bottom.

 

Follow the good advise given to you by the folks above.

 

PS, if you want some wheel weights, come to Powassan and I'll give you all you need.

Edited February 14, 2013 by Bernie

[kickingfrog]

Lead won't drip off your skin....it'll stay there and burn its way through.

Ouch. I was burning the end of some plastic rope and some dripped on to my finger. Sort of a small scale china syndrome.

[danc]

Good advice by Bernie. Make sure your mold is good and hot before you expect good results. I used to heat my molds up with a blow torch first, but by making false pours works too.

[LucG]

Thanks for the tips guys!

 

I pour my own jigs as well.

I use wheel weights as I have easy access to them.

I melt down a bunch of weights all at once, then scoop the steel locks off the top.

Then turn up the heat to high in the pot after and stir the lead. This shakes most of the impurities to the top.

Skim it off and then pour into a bar for future use.

 

When pouring into the mould, pour some lead into it without any hooks to get it heated up some first.

This will help prevent the lead hardening before it gets to the bottom.

 

Follow the good advise given to you by the folks above.

 

PS, if you want some wheel weights, come to Powassan and I'll give you all you need.

 

I got a big piece of lead pipe from the scrap yard, but thanks anyways Bernie! I may take you up on that offer in the future though. Good to know wheel weights arent that bad afterall.

 

Also read that smoking your molds under a candle will help get a good pour, and the carbon buildup helps in removing the jigs.

[OhioFisherman]

I always used wheel weights, I got them for free. I also had access to tie rod forgings and drilled a piece of wood to make handles for them to create pre made ingots of lead.

 

For me it was easier to heat and clean the impurities from the wheel weights before I made a production run.

 

As I heated the pot I put the mold I intended to use on top of it to heat also, it speeded up the process.

 

A dremel bit in a small drill press with a piece of wood clamped to the base plate for a guide will allow you to open up the hook slots to install larger hooks if there is a need to. Use caution and test the amount of metal removed frequently.

 

Bees wax was also used, parrifin wax ignited too easily. The wax also seemed to help remove the impurities from the lead.