Who pours their own lead?

[dilbert]

I'm thinking of getting a mold to pour my own football head jigs and dropshot weights. Sometimes it's hard to find jigs with the hooks that I want or in the colors that I want. Plus, I loose quite a few jigs and dropshot weights.

Who else is pouring their own? Any suggestions/techniques/tips you are willing to share?

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

I make my own jigs and dress them up.

I have two tips. One would be to buy the mould, leave it at a friends house (one who pours) and then just call him up and tell him whenever I needed jig heads. He'd never catch on as he'd be so grateful he got a "free" mould.

My second is when making jigs for chums. Use light wire hooks on the jigs I loan to friends. It makes them so excited when a fish straightens out the hook on them. They think it was real big.

Seriously, my tip would be to use powder paint on the jig head and fire it in the oven afterwards per the instructions. I would think that if one used the vinyl paint (and dipped them) that it might react with the worm or grub if it was left on the hook. I've had some get real sticky with vinyl painted heads.

Another would be to use a heavy enough hook if one was making jigs for steelhead or salmon. They can straighten out the standard wire hooks if the user is a little heavy handed fighting the fish.

[dilbert]

I have two tips. One would be to buy the mould, leave it at a friends house (one who pours) and then just call him up and tell him whenever I needed jig heads. He'd never catch on as he'd be so grateful he got a "free" mould.

Hmmm... what kind of lead time are we talking about here? Say I need 10 in each weight by this weekend?

My second is when making jigs for chums. Use light wire hooks on the jigs I loan to friends. It makes them so excited when a fish straightens out the hook on them. They think it was real big.

It was real big!

Another would be to use a heavy enough hook if one was making jigs for steelhead or salmon. They can straighten out the standard wire hooks if the user is a little heavy handed fighting the fish.

I blame the braided line (no stretch!) and my bass fishing tendancies to horse 'em in. I have much to learn about the mighty salmon.

[beresford13861]

ive done my own.

hot tip, take a bucket to your local tire shop, ask them if you can have the old tire weights!
never have to buy lead! just melt it down and your set.

anyways, i dont pour anymore, i order them done with the weight, and hook i want...then i paint them.
its cheaper for someone else (time) to pour them... its very very easy.


i will always paint my own, and eyes and whatnot... but pouring i just dont do...

[dilbert]

Thanks for the wheel weight tip.

I'm surprised you are allowed to own lead in California.

[Shad_Eating_Grin]

My only tip is that you will need to scrounge hard for scrap lead, in WA. Tire shops in the Seattle area have contracts with scrap metal dealers, and so they will not sell you any lead or will sell you at a price that approaches the market price for pure lead, which BTW is very high at the moment and a rip-off since you will not be paying for pure lead at the tire store.

I went through this exercise a couple of years ago and had virtually zero luck finding a supplier of cheap (free) lead.

If you find a small tire shop (which is what happened to me) that will give away tire weights for free, guard that information with your life.

Oh yeah, the most important tip: water + hot lead = explosion. Keep water (including sweat dripping from your forehead) away from the molten lead, if you want to stay out of the ER.

[leahcim_dahc]

dilbert-

We have a couple of tire companies that services our fleet...it probably won't be a week or two before I see them again, but I will sure hit them up and see if they can snag a couple pounds. Sure wouldn't hurt to ask at least.


Chad

[Anglinarcher]

I make my own jigs and dress them up.

I have two tips. One would be to buy the mold, leave it at a friends house (one who pours) and then just call him up and tell him whenever I needed jig heads. He'd never catch on as he'd be so grateful he got a "free" mold.

My second is when making jigs for chums. Use light wire hooks on the jigs I loan to friends. It makes them so excited when a fish straightens out the hook on them. They think it was real big.

Seriously, my tip would be to use powder paint on the jig head and fire it in the oven afterwords per the instructions. I would think that if one used the vinyl paint (and dipped them) that it might react with the worm or grub if it was left on the hook. I've had some get real sticky with vinyl painted heads.

Another would be to use a heavy enough hook if one was making jigs for steelhead or salmon. They can straighten out the standard wire hooks if the user is a little heavy handed fighting the fish.

Solid advice above. I pour most of my own during the off-seasons, keeps me from going crazy. I find that I cannot just buy the types that I need down at the local stores, so pouring is often my only choice.

I advise against using tire weights. I find that the impurities make the lead hard to pour. Some years ago, I found a scrap yard with some plumbers lead. No, plumbers don't use lead anymore, but I have about 10 lbs left for my use. IF I used up my supply, I'd buy the lead from catalogs. It won't be cheep, but it will be pure enough to pour good clean heads. Just my opinion, I have used tire weights before.

[YellowBear]

I agree with Anglinarcher, stay away from the tire weights.

You will need a good pot like the one from Lee and good molds from Do-it.
I use the lite wire hooks, Mustad or Aberdeen's and I have never had a fish straiten or break one.
I use the Pro Tec powder coat.

[leahcim_dahc]

Didn't know tire weights would be that much an issue...thanks for the information. Maybe I won't hit up the tire company for lead...


Chad

[dilbert]

I already have a lead supplier lined up. The plan is to trade mold usage for lead.

[Reel_Nut]

With the amount of Bank sinkers i go through I have to make my own The thing I found that helps me is
1 Melt the lead out side with fresh air.
2 Keep the molds hot so that the cavities fill all the way.

And be safe

[leahcim_dahc]

I already have a lead supplier lined up. The plan is to trade mold usage for lead.

Nice!! Nothing beats a little horse trading. :thumleft:


Chad

[beresford13861]

I already have a lead supplier lined up. The plan is to trade mold usage for lead.

sounds like a good deal!!

[dilbert]

What do you guys recommend for a melting pot?

I'm currently using a borrowed cast iron pot with a 20lb capacity on a camp stove. It works well, but I'd like to get something electric since there's no chance of running out of fuel while I'm casting. I like the idea of a bottom pour pot but hear that there can be problems with the flow not being fast enough to get good castings.

The two pots I'm interested in are:
Lee Production Pot IV - 10lb capacity 500w bottom pour pot
Lee Magnum Melter - 20lb capacity 700w dipper pot

Which would you choose and why? Are there other better pots out there?

[YellowBear]

I use the Lee Production pot IV and it works fine for me.
I like the bottom pour spout but it will leak if you let any slag get down there.
There is a slot at the top of the valve. Just use a screwdriver and wiggle it back and forth a bit to free it up.
I pour around a 1000 a year for myself and my buds and I have been using the same pot for 20 years.
It was well worth the money.

[dilbert]

...I have been using the same pot for 20 years.
It was well worth the money.

That's good to hear. I sure hope they still make them like they did 20 years ago. I may have to use my Cabela's points to get that one.

[Reel_Nut]

I use a small cast iron skillet with the pour spouton the side. Its just a tiny thing, you dont want to much lead.

[Reel_Nut]

I use a small cast iron skillet with the pour spouton the side. Its just a tiny thing, you dont want to much lead.

[HillbillyGeek]

I also use the Lee production pot IV, and it is sweet. You'll get fewer defects if you get the lead very hot and pre-heat the molds before pouring. I set the mold on top of the melting pot for about 10 minutes to warm it up.
If you are pouring small jigs or sinkers, the bottom-pour melting pots work MUCH better than a ladle.