1st attempt at making sinkers

[longtail]

Hi all , thought i would share my 1st attempt at makig my own sinkers/slugs. Even though not very productive was a learning experience ::)

Learnt a great deal about how to do it , but will still take some time to master i think.

To those people far more experienced at this than me , why did the rejects only half pour ? ( see pic 2 ) the molds were hot but the pour hole seemed to block easily .


Thanks
Jason.

[timddo]

Use the pot to pour into the mold. The lead is ready to pour when the layer on top is yellow.

[Horse]

Jason
Just not hot enough. I run a few lots of lead through the mold without wire etc to get them very hot before getting serious. The lead wants to be hotter than just melting point for it to pour right as well.

Neil

[Timmy94]

Its not so much the mould, its the heat. Most Tackle Shops sell them for about $20

[pommy]

Hi!

Horse is correct, I think. The lead must be much hotter than you seem to be using or it will solidify as it hits the mold, even if the mold is hot.

Heat it for a little longer and you should have fewer problems.

Regards, Rob.
Ballina

[Lucky_Phill]

Jason, I use the exact same moulds. The pouring holes have to drilled out.

The making of these things takes time ( experience ). Basically you have to keep the moulds pretty hot and the lead very hot, and a fast production line is required.

Another hint, when you finish with the moulds, lay them on concrete ( together ) and place a brick on them to stop them from warping while cooling.

more info for you later.

Phill

[Lucky_Phill]

Some pics of my equipment.

Phill

[Splash]

lUCKY PHIL -
WHAT BRAND OF EQUPIMENT DO U USE?

[Jeremy87]

i have the same sea horse slug mould. something is not hot enough, either the mould or the lead, or you are taking to long to pour the lead. when i make up slugs i use a 2 burner high pressure stove, lager burner on flat out for th lead and the smaller burner on about half to keep the mould hot. the slug that turned out looks distorted. make sure your lead is klean, the crap will float to the surface, scape it to one side and remove it. Adding a small amount of solder to your mix can help make the lead runnier for the slugs.

[4x4frog]

I have never personally poured lead for sinkers but have friends who used to do it years ago.
Experience as a dental technician tells me that a few things can be improved...firstly you can use some 'flux' to help clean the metal before you pour it. Ring a jewelery or dental supply company and ask what they sell for gold casting flux. Secondly, have the moulds got an air hole to release trapped air form the void? It needs to be at the highest point when the moulten lead is poured in so the air is forced out via that hole. Also, you can use this to know when the mould is full then.

The moulds may have cooled too much, or not been warm enough to start with.

[msagro]

pour it slower

[Crestcutter]

Jason sorry for not ruturning your call mate as i had a few dramas at the time. I have a setup the same as Phils. The first couple are sacrifice pours. Just throw the half lures back into your led melting pot so they dont go to waste. Heat your lead in the pot and dont be scared to put a lot in there. I find when there is sufficent led in the pot pour from the led pot into the laddle and leave on the heat until it has like a rainbow colour on the top skin of the led.

Once you have this colour simply poor into your mould. The secret is to be quick so that the moulds have a constant heat in them.. Just leve your led in the laddle to it get this colour and dont worry about rehaeating your moulds as after a couple of poors they are hot enough to keep goin all day as along as you have heaps of led in the pot yo back you up mate. Call over on the weekend and we will knock a few off if you like.

With te sinkers throw a bit of grease on the wire you are using too mate before you pour.

[Timmy94]

I use Vaseline on the wire.

[tunaticer]

If you have a candle handy every 10 mins or so just touch it to the top of the lead in your pot, this will flux it and let it handle better. (bees wax works better again but is harder to source)

I have a pair of long tong vice grips with the swinging feet that i have attached to the mould so they are clamped well together and are hinged via the vice grips, makes the whole process easier to do and lots quicker.

Be sure to have your mould hot before you begin your pours, a cold mould will rapidly chill your pour and leave that lamination in your pictures.

I also use a Lee Lead Pot that has a pin valve in the bottom that feeds directly from the bottom of the pot. Simply hold the mould under the spout and lift the handle to fill the mould and drop the handle again. Best invention in the world. Holds 10lbs of lead, runs on 240v and takes about 5 mins to melt down 10lbs of lead.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Lee-Electric-Lead-Pot-for-bullet-casting-NEW_W0QQitemZ330168795126QQihZ014QQcategoryZ383QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

ALWAYS HAVE A FAN BLOWING THE FUMES AWAY, LEAD POISONING IS ACCUMULATIVE AND DANGEROUS. Once the body gets traces of lead in its system you will have it for life, the body does not excrete lead in any way or form.

Jack.

[Bin455]

Mate.....not sure if this will apply but, I make my own snapper sinker and the lead i buy comes from used metal yards. When the lead is melted there is always some crap on the top surface of the melted lead that has to be laddeled away or the pouring will be inturupted. And like has been said before, the mould has to be heated at least on the first pour. On the other pours the previous pour has heated the mould if you do them close enough together.

Bin455

[Splash]

great thread guys keep it going!

[rando]

I haven't poured lead , but Ive poured bronze ( lots of it) & as has been said a sprue or vent hole, helps the mould fill quickly, a good sized sump at the top of the pour hole lets you get plenty of metal into the mould quickly. Pour as quick as you can, that is dont try and run it in , dump it in (carefully)If you keep the sump full you get a good pour. Make sure the melt is real hot. And as has been said be very careful of the fumes .

A word of warning. I was in a workshop pouring bronze into a sand mould when the pour back fired. Gas in the mould could not escape and came back up the pour hole showering liquid metal everywhere(like a volcano). I dont know if this is possible to happen in a metal mould but if it is ,,, you can see where Im going.
So,,, fire fighting equipment close to hand and a means of burn treatment(cold water) ready for that unforeseen circumstance.
By the way no-one got hurt, but the undies needed changing after the fires were extinguished. ;D
Cheers
rando

[fish_outta_water]

hi mate
everyones tips are on the money , just a few safety tips for ya , have as much extraction as you can get , use a low heat if ya gotta use gas (to avoid vaporisation) , and dont let yer house mates catch you destroying their pans and melting little holes in the kitchen lino

[jman2016]

ALWAYS HAVE A FAN BLOWING THE FUMES AWAY, LEAD POISONING IS ACCUMULATIVE AND DANGEROUS. Once the body gets traces of lead in its system you will have it for life, the body does not excrete lead in any way or form.




Do not underestimate the poisoning factor of lead. i knew a man who died of lead poisoning.

Use a mask. :whip: Always have a fan sucking and/or blowing and preferably do it outside. Safety first, always.