Thread: making your own weights?

If it were me, I would pick some other type of material to learn to play with that had fewer potential health problems associated with it.

Some folks may be more disciplined, but I can easily see myself forgetting to wear gloves when picking stuff up on occasion. I guess it's not really much worse than welding. Everything has its hazards, but lead doesn't seem like one I would prefer to deal with.

Originally Posted by crosshairy

If it were me, I would pick some other type of material to learn to play with that had fewer potential health problems associated with it.

Some folks may be more disciplined, but I can easily see myself forgetting to wear gloves when picking stuff up on occasion. I guess it's not really much worse than welding. Everything has its hazards, but lead doesn't seem like one I would prefer to deal with.

Good point, for those wanting to pour lead- please read up on it. I wear welders gloves and a high quality mask. Lead isn't necessarily harmful to touch but melting it down runs the risk of breathing the fumes which are. I leave the door open in my shed and run a big fan to move air out.

I think the melting temp is just over 600°. It cools super fast but if it splashes on you, it's gonna be a bad day for you. Wear long thick gloves!

Originally Posted by SNAKE

I think the melting temp is just over 600°. It cools super fast but if it splashes on you, it's gonna be a bad day for you. Wear long thick gloves!

I knew a scuba diver in Okinawa that was pouring lead for dive belt weights. Somehow he spilled molten lead on his jeans. They ended up having to medevac him to a burn center for the third degree burns he got on his leg. A leather apron or a good stand back posture when pouring is a good idea too.

Have you ever heard that a boat is a hole in the water into which you can pour an infinite amount of money? Well, a mold is a hole in a block of metal into which you can also . . . .

I've been collecting items needed for this for years when I find them on sale -- purchasing brand new means you are unlikely to ever recover your investment. I agree that the right person with the right equipment and the patience can probably make a profit over buying retail. That is particularly true if you want something special (or uncommon in your area) and hard to find. On the other hand, I find bulk bags of 10 surf sinkers in a Cabelas Bargain Cave for the price of 1 on the retail floor. Someone is getting a mighty markup on these items.

A better return on investment is buying plain jigs in bulk, painting them and tying tails. Still not cheap but certainly cheaper to get started. Of course, I find that plain grey lead jigs work just fine too.

I mold different sinkers that I can not buy in retail stores plus the the ones that are common .( egg, pyramid , walking ) I could most likely purchase them much cheaper ,but I'm not doing it to save money . I do it because ,I enjoy it , get a satisfaction from making my own ,and to have something to do during down times . Everything in life is not always about cost or cutting cost . IMHO .

Originally Posted by usa

I mold different sinkers that I can not buy in retail stores plus the the ones that are common .( egg, pyramid , walking ) I could most likely purchase them much cheaper ,but I'm not doing it to save money . I do it because ,I enjoy it , get a satisfaction from making my own ,and to have something to do during down times . Everything in life is not always about cost or cutting cost . IMHO .

Couldn't agree more!! Most I make is shared (given away).....needing to finish some now due to giving all I had away recently.....sure could have used them for this spur of the moment trip coming.....oh well.....time to get on it ......tying......alot of small ones for Buckets mom ( Kim) , for her spec rigs, catching 2 spanish at a time......might have to try that myself

Wheel weights are now zinc instead of lead. No reason you can't make weights from the new zinc ones. Zinc doesn't fill out a mold as nicely as lead does but with fishing weights that is not a problem.
We make fishing weights by pouring molten lead into a kitchen spoon and letting it harden. Drill a hole in the spoon-shaped casting and viola', you've got a fishing weight.
I've been making my own cast lead bullets for several decades. I cast for 30-06, 30-30, 44 mag, 38 special, and 22 hornet.
But yes. You definitely want to read up on how to cast with lead/zinc. There are dangers but if you read up you will be fine.
Given the price of sinkers I think it's a good idea to cast your own from zinc. People around here are casting from zinc because I've been finding them in the river where they snag for spoonbills.

Originally Posted by sknhgy

Wheel weights are now zinc instead of lead. No reason you can't make weights from the new zinc ones. Zinc doesn't fill out a mold as nicely as lead does but with fishing weights that is not a problem.

Given the price of sinkers I think it's a good idea to cast your own from zinc. People around here are casting from zinc because I've been finding them in the river where they snag for spoonbills.

Without getting into the politics of environmental issues, anyone familiar with the lead-free shot discussions knows that public paranoia about lead and other metals will not be going away. Only some Canadian provinces and states have taken action, but the day may some sooner than we like that small lead sinkers/jigs are restricted.


Separately, just as metals other than lead like titanium are attractive because they are denser and have smaller profiles than lead of the same mass, there are reasons when a jig of a less dense metal is appealing because it allows a larger profile than the equivalent mass of lead. Your experimentation with something other than lead may someday be the equivalent of Tom Mann's Jelly Worm -- a breakthru approach to better fishing.

Or it could just be fun.

I was given several hundred pounds of sheet lead from a hospital xray room that was torn down about 30 years ago and I am still using it. I have many types of molds. There is a special satisfaction of catching fish with something you make yourself. Just be careful and watch the fumes.

Do not have any water anywhere nearby when melting/pouring. If water hits the molten lead, instanious steam explosion sending lead drops in a 360 arc.