Molding Lead Sinkers

[hotspur]

Hello.

Just wondering if there are any people here that mold there own lead fishing sinkers.

I had a few ball sinker molds,but very recently purchased some pyramid sinker molds,and a 'egg' sinker' mold and 'snapper lead' mold from the U.S,A (the prices worked out good due to AUD/US dollar rate.)

Its been many years since I cast sinkers,I eventually worked out a way to get nice smooth sinkers,but have forgotten how I did it,I did a few yesterday,but the results a bit rough.

I suspect my lead might have been a bit dirty,I am wondering if anyone here might be able to give a few pointers.I feel the new molds have too small pour holes,I have re drilled some of them,but still feel the could be bigger,one of the snapper leads is 14 oz so it a lot of lead to get in quick,before its starts cooling.

Also,where in the greater Brisbane area would I find a scrap metal merchant the would sell clean scrap lead for sinker making.

Thank you for reading,and any pointers-Chris

[Grommett]

I remember when I made my own that I got the best results when the molds were heated up. If starting from cold the first few were discards and the it seemed to go OK.

[NCArcher]

Hi hotspur,
the lead being dirty wont matter although you should give it a bit of a clean to get rid of visible dirt. The scum will rise to the top of the molten lead and you can scoop it off.
The sinkers come out not properly formed if they cool too quickly. Meaning the moulds are not pre heated or you are pouring too slow. I usually do a couple of pours, that I drop back into the pot, just to pre heat the moulds. If the pouring channels are very small you can clamp the mould together and drill them out to let you get the lead in faster.
I usually spray a bit of WD40 or similar onto the rod that goes through the middle of the sinkers to allow them to slide off a bit easier.

[Kody]

I find that a far safer way to treat the rods for making the holes in the sinker is to pass them over a candle flame. The candle flame will coat the rods with a thin layer of carbon. The lead won't stick to the rods and there is no danger of a mishap.

[hotspur]

Thank you all who replied.

I found this Lee Pro 4-20 pot made for molding lead bullets and sinkers.I followd up some reviews.It has a spout underneath and you put mold in line with hole,press a leaver and it gives constant flow into mold.Certainly would make the job easier

here is a link Lee Pro 4-20 Lead Melt Pot Cast Bullets Fishing Sinkers (eBay item 260760405025 end time 28-May-11 23:15:50 AEST) : Sport (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260760405025&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT)

Has anyone here used or own one?,I think I will get one,the reviews really give it the thumbs up,pouring nice smooth sinkers.

The only problem is it only has 4 inches underneath pot,SO I will have to mod it,one bloke in the fishing forum had to do this,as my molds are also about 5 inches high.

If anyone has any thoughts or suggestions or links.that would be great,but for $157 delivered it will be a great asset for fishing sinkers.

Cheers Chris

[China]

Hi Chris I have been using the Lee Pro 4-20 for a couple of years for various bullet moulds I have never had a problem with it, when you lead is melted add a small amount of candle wax and stir it in all the impurities will float and you can skim it off and as above make sure you moulds are heated and smoked.
Have a look at you tube there is quite a bit of info

[hotspur]

Thanks @china,

Do you put wax as a solid,or have it melted first?I did have a quick look on utube
and some of the reviews,all the reviews really speak very highly of it,but its good to have direct message from someone such as yourself.

The only comment I can find,is sometimes it drips,but it fairly easy to adjust the pour rate,its abit hard only looking at images,I'd like to look underneath it.

But,I will just buy it,as it sounds it will really improve my sinkers,Thanks Chris:2tsup:

[glock40sw]

Hi Chris I have been using the Lee Pro 4-20 for a couple of years for various bullet moulds I have never had a problem with it, when you lead is melted add a small amount of candle wax and stir it in all the impurities will float and you can skim it off and as above make sure you moulds are heated and smoked.
Have a look at you tube there is quite a bit of info

+1 to what China posted.
I too cast my own bullets and use a 4-20 pot.

When I cast Sinkers, I warm the mold on a hotplate and hold the 2 halves together with the Vicegrips that have the horseshoe type gripers on it. I use 0.9mm Aluminium Welding wire grapped around a 1/4 inch bolt for the handle. The Aly wire slides out real easy.

[joe greiner]

Around here, lead is considered hazardous waste. Tire dealers usually replace old balance weights on new tires, because the clips don't work well a second time. They're usually happy to give the old ones away, to save the cost of disposal. The clips, and other impurities, float when melted. I think antimony is included in the alloy, but it doesn't seem to affect function.

I've made flexible molds for lead casting in high-temperature silicone - sold as sealant for chimney pipes and such. Ordinary silicone sealant is less robust, but may be suitable for only a few castings. For either material, I encase the flexible mold in a two-part plaster of Paris jacket.

Cheers,
Joe

[graemet]

The antimony makes the final casting more rigid. I cast keel bulbs for RC yachts and those made from old tyre weights are much more resistant to bending or deforming when treated roughly.

[glock40sw]

Wheel weights are great for Higher velicity bullets when they are water quenched. It takes the hardness up around the 15- 20 BHN I think.

I have heaps of pure lead. I have to buy the Linotype from a Manufacturer, as nobody has it anymore as scrap.

I lucked into a 50Kg haul of Wheel weights at Xmas for nix.
I'm gunna hit the radiator places this week to try and source some solder drippings.

If anyone has some 50/50 or 60/40 solder for sale, Give me a Cooee:2tsup:

[Kody]

I guess I'm too much of a scrounge. I reckon $150.00 is far too much to spend on a tool to melt lead for sinkers. I made a "ladle" from a piece of 5" steel pipe x 4" high that I then welded a bottom plate onto plus a handle from 1" RHS x 24" long. I heat the ladle and lead in a fire made with "BBQ Heat Beads" and blow air in with a compressor. I have also used our vacume cleaner to blow the air but the owner of the vac objected. Just the heat beads will work great. They are much cheaper than an oven/furnace and cheap to use. I dip the lead out with a smaller ladle that I made for pouring 12 gauge solid canon balls, .629" diameter. It's a great way to spend the afternoon and of course, it's strictly an outdoor job and best if there is a very light wind to blow away the fumes (which can make you just a little bit dead!)
Good luck with your project
Kody

[China]

Wheel weights are ok for one peice molds I found out the hard way that you only use pure lead in two piece molds i.e. 1oz solid 12g they get stuck in the mold. I use to use Ladle but when casting lots of bullets it just takes too long. Down this part of the world the tyer dealers have woken up and the all look up the current lead price and charge accordingly, I find it simply very often just to buy 25kilo ingots

[hotspur]

Yes,lead a'nt cheap no more:no:
I used to scrumage a bit here and there,for nothing or very little.
Yesterday I found 15 kg of old diving weights,but $20 I thought
was a bit harsh.(but they were clean and good ingot size)

re price for melting pot I have seen the Utube videos of it in use,and well
to me it looks like money very well spent,will save a lot of time ,and sinkers
will look a lot smoother,and will be much quicker get a higher amount done,and if for some reason one wanted to sell it,it would
take less than a day to sell on forums such as this.

Thanks for your thoughts and tips.Cheers Chris

[Harry72]

To clean lead you add caustic soda and stir, antimony and arsenic harden lead.
I refine lead for a living...

[miterdunnit]

Hi hotspur,
the lead being dirty wont matter although you should give it a bit of a clean to get rid of visible dirt. The scum will rise to the top of the molten lead and you can scoop it off.
The sinkers come out not properly formed if they cool too quickly. Meaning the moulds are not pre heated or you are pouring too slow. I usually do a couple of pours, that I drop back into the pot, just to pre heat the moulds. If the pouring channels are very small you can clamp the mould together and drill them out to let you get the lead in faster.
I usually spray a bit of WD40 or similar onto the rod that goes through the middle of the sinkers to allow them to slide off a bit easier.

An engineer gave me a surprising tip many years back. Instead of using a metal rod for running sinkers use a cotton string or shoelace MUST be cotton. Surprisingly this doesn't burn ,as there is no oxygen in the lead once it's poured in. The cotton lace is pliable and can easily be pulled out, unlike steel or wood, and as you say "Heating the mold sufficiently is a must"

[AndrewOC]

Hi all,
Slightly off topic, but has anyone had success pouring lead onto 'lost foam' patterns in greensand? I have a plot to make some repousse blocks with a Tee to be held in a vice and another with a square peg for hardy hole.
regs,
AndrewOC