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Thread: How to make sinkers ?

  1. #1

    How to make sinkers ?

    Hi all, i'd like some advice on how to make sinkers. I have the molds and led but not sure if i have it all sorted :

    1. melt led in a pot
    2. clamp molds together and soap up a bit of wire and thread it through mold
    3. drop mold into pot with led to heat it up ???
    4. wait for how long before led is ready ??
    5. use ladel to pour led into molds
    6. drop molds into bucket of water and crack em open and presto !!

    Is this how its done

    cheers

  2. #2

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    I approach it slightly differently. I heat my lead in my pourer and don't use a pot and ladel. I pre-heat my moulds with a quick wave of the oxy but you can do this in the oven also. After the first pour it isn't really necessary after that. Once the lead is moulten and flows around easily its ready to pour. Once its poured you only have to leave it for 30 seconds or so before you crack open the moulds. Don't worry about throwing it in water as it isn't required and if there is any water in the mould when you pour the next time it could blow back in your face. That's the way I do it anyway. Plenty of ways to skin a cat. One thing I will say is that welding gloves, safety glasses and a face mask or respirator of some sort are essential.

    Cheers, Clutter

    Cheer

  3. #3

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    Thanks Clutter, sounds like a better way to do things, yep got the gloves sorted and face mask. Will give it a go tomorrow night.

    Thanks again for your advice

    cheers

  4. #4

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    smelly,

    you'll find it is a bit of a pain juggling the two separate halves of the moulds, they're b-----y hot even with gloves. Put a hinge at the back, plus some handles on the sides with small self tapping screws, wood keeps the heat out, and you'll find the process is a bit easier. i just use an old baked beans tin, squished to make a spout, to melt the lead; use pliers or vice grips to lift it off the heat and pour. Make sure there is a bit of air circulating so you're not inhaling the fumes all the time. You'll save packets of dough compared to buying the sinkers.

  5. #5

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    Thanks Jim just getting the gear all sorted at the moment and going to give it a go over the weekend.

    Cheers

  6. #6
    Big_Kev
    Guest

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    Good ventilation for sure, lead will build up in your system and give you health problems down the track.
    Even handling lead will in your bare hands has an effect.
    I clamp my moulds in a vice, heat the mould with an oxy and pour the molten lead with a ladel. I also heat the lead in the ladel with the oxy if it needs it.
    I use a cast iron pot I bought at one of those discount stores for 15 bucks.
    It took a couple of goes to get it right but learn't from mistakes.
    I used a alloy pot at first and melted the arse out of it.
    I think that it is only worth to make the bigger sinkers and get the smaller ones in bulk at the markets on sundays.
    Make sure you wear the gloves and eye protection as molten lead is fxxxxxxx hot.
    Cheers Kev.

  7. #7

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    I have considered buying moulds and making my own but where do you get the lead? How much cheaper is it really.
    Any fishing is good fishing (should probably say Any fishing is...probably going to be illegal soon)

  8. #8

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    Hay all, gave it a go the other night and wasnt all that successfull. I think the problem was we couldnt get the moulds HOT enough. We dont have an oxy and tried the oven but by the time we got the lead poured only was getting half sinkers. So may light up a weber BBQ with those Heat Beads in it and keep the moulds hot in it.

    nonibbles we get our lead from tire places that use lead to balance tires. I have heard of getting lead out of car/boat batteries but didnt want to mess with acid and cutting em appart..I think it is worth it for the larger sinkers eg. 7,8,9 ball and offshore sinkers as i find these are the ones that cost allot more and i loose allot more of (funny that ) But as for the smaller ones those $2 shops you can get em pretty cheap..

    Cheers

  9. #9

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    smelly,

    look up scrap metal dealers in the yellow pages, and find one near you. For about ten bucks you'll get enough scrap lead to last you a year or two in sinkers.

    I use a little LPG gas camping stove to melt the lead, also have an LPG/air torch to speed things up and heat the mould. Once you pour a couple the mould stays hot enough to fill right up. The hinges and handles cut down on dropping mould halfs when the heat comes through the gloves. That means the mould stays hotter.


  10. #10

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    hi all,
    ask your local plumbing supplier if they have any damaged rolls of lead, sometimes you can get them at a greatly reduced price.
    cheers
    dazza

  11. #11

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    Just ask your local plumber, we pull out lots of WC bends made of lead

  12. #12

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    As Reelhard said be careful with it. It is more ingested than breathed so don't smoke and make sinkers. In any case lead poisoning is reversible but not so much with growing bodies. Lead tastes sweet so don't let kids come in contact. I also heat the moulds to get true shape. I use an old bike spoke sharpened and soaped like you say.

  13. #13
    Harry_In_Toowoomba
    Guest

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    G'day all. My 2 bobs worth.

    Cheap moulds can make life difficult and you'll often get cheapies that have pouring holes that are too small.
    This can be overcome if the lead and the mould is really hot. Best done with a gas bbq or burner.

    Don't use battery lead....a lot of slag will is formed, a lot of extra toxins deployed into the air etc. The sulphur dioxide it lets off is very very toxic to animal and plant life.

    Use a small stainless steel pouring laddle.

    Soap's a fair lube for the wires and as mentioned above, use a stainless bike spoke for a wire. It should come free easily.

    When melting the lead do it in a well ventilated area like an open carport with a fan going close by to suck the air out into the open.
    No kids within coo-ee.
    Wear heat resistant gloves
    Wear a heavy apron that can be ripped off quickly
    Wear safety glasses and heavy boots
    Get a canister style face mask from a safety shop-they'll tell you which ones are suitable for lead in the air
    Don't have any moisture (stubbies or water) close by to the pot or moulds. Just a few drops of water can make the entire contents explode out of the pot and over everything within meters.

    Lead poisoning can be achieved fairly quickly from breathing the air and from handling the stuff......and it doesn't go away easily once you've got it. It can cause neuromotor, encephalic and cardiovascular problems. For kids it dramatically decreases growth, learning difficulties and easily causes multi systems organ failure.

    Trust me on this, spend a bit of time making it safe.

    "Harry"
    paramed64@bigpond.com




  14. #14

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    Hi there just a thought on lead making , when creating a wire loop in the lead for attachment I use 18 guage stainless wire either in ready made loops or as bought in 5m coils and formed myself, which ever, always make sure the loop is twisted together inside the mould to stop it pulling out when casting . In this hemisphere (northern) the emphasis is on distance casting a lot of the time and the pressures on the loop can the severe when trying to achieve long distances with 5 and 6 ounces of lead. Even if your not casting far better safe than sorry .
    Cheers bob

  15. #15

    Re: How to nake sinkers ?

    Gday mate,
    As little jim says use the gas cooker
    .Everyone Forgot to tell ya to gt a box of beer as it is bloody hot work and helps keep the blood pressure down.
    I just drop the mold on the floor and everything comes out.The idea of puttin hinges probably has merit.Save trying to get them together again.
    Go to the tyre shops they have buckets of old weights they will sell ya
    Good Luck!!!!

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