Jump to content

Lead making etc


thejollysinker

Recommended Posts

Anyone make their own leads? I’ve been at it for years now and really enjoy making a whole host of different types and weights. Been getting low on 5’s 6’s and 7’ozs (I still do a lot of shore fishing) lately so had a couple of hours spare this afternoon and made a few up. Got a new watch lead mould last year and finally found time to christen it 😅 found some thinnish chrome pipe in the garage so poured some lead into that to make some small pirks. All in all a good couple of hours setting up. Will spend my day tomorrow making a shed load more for future adventures 😊

54A3B531-8D8C-41B3-96CF-F199BC025DE6.jpeg

994D9E24-BF73-404F-9FB1-8BA4FCE61D83.jpeg

81B79A0A-9EB7-4CF1-AA10-66DDE9530497.jpeg

13C49179-E644-4981-8E0B-B03170E0B411.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

y'see, I don't even know what you mean by that?

I've done this on my phone and tried to select the smaller  size options which i thought was the way to go 🤷‍♂️

Obviously, old people are shit at these things 😐

When you say crop, what do you actually mean? I take a photo with my phone, add the file and I get an option to select the size..... I select the smaller sizes because of the restrictions on size of file, don't see an option to crop?

Obvs a sore point so sorry if I'm not very good with the pictures..... 😞

thank you for the compliment, no hard feelings here 😬

Link to comment
Share on other sites

51 minutes ago, thejollysinker said:

Obvs a sore point so sorry if I'm not very good with the pictures..... 😞

More a pet peev!!

When you look at a pic on your phone you can edit it yeah? So cropping means physically reducing the size of the photo by a mm or tu. Then save and continue as norm! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@thejollysinker, do you find your first pour in a mould throws a sub-standard lead? I find I need to heat up the moulds with a blowtorch to get them up to temp before pouring otherwise the lead is crap as it cools too quickly around the mouth of the mould and closes up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, I use an aluminium pan for melting the lead which isn't great for heat retention. Sometimes I have to heat the sides of the pan with a torch before pouring to stop the lead from cooling too much. Iron is likely better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, Saintly Fish said:

More a pet peev!!

When you look at a pic on your phone you can edit it yeah? So cropping means physically reducing the size of the photo by a mm or tu. Then save and continue as norm! 

Andy the spelling monitor will also be along to correct your spelling of "peeve".

#musttryharder

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve got a small induction pot… 500W and just keep topping it up and it’s dead easy 🙂 

Need to get back in garage and make some more this winter as my stocks are getting low sadly! 
 

Quite satisfying looking at nice load of shiny new leads 🙂 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Andy135 said:

@thejollysinker, do you find your first pour in a mould throws a sub-standard lead? I find I need to heat up the moulds with a blowtorch to get them up to temp before pouring otherwise the lead is crap as it cools too quickly around the mouth of the mould and closes up.

First lesson I learned when I started years ago. I let all the moulds I’m going to use warm up on the edge of the big steel tray overhanging the left side of the burner so the first pour will be as good as any.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, Andy135 said:

Also, I use an aluminium pan for melting the lead which isn't great for heat retention. Sometimes I have to heat the sides of the pan with a torch before pouring to stop the lead from cooling too much. Iron is likely better.

Get a nice deep steel ladle 👍

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Odyssey said:

I’ve got a small induction pot… 500W and just keep topping it up and it’s dead easy 🙂 

Need to get back in garage and make some more this winter as my stocks are getting low sadly! 
 

Quite satisfying looking at nice load of shiny new leads 🙂 

I like the sound of one of them but I can’t have it all 😅 besides, the big burner has dual use as main cooker for family camping trips.

 I must admit to finding it very satisfying too, looks like treasure 🤣

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, GPSguru said:

 

Too much effort...........

I just buy them trade in 50's, probably cheaper than making them, and I don't have the danger of climbing the church roof 😊

I only really use cannon balls in 8, 10, and 12, and Aquapedo's in 6.

 

I pay small children to do the climbing 🤣

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, JonC said:

I used to make my own when I was into shore fishing, I could easily lose 10-15 in a session on some marks but now I mainly fish the Thames over clean ground I rarely lose any kit. 
 

Easy to lose a few fishing rock marks. Takes some of the pain away if you make your own 😅

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, suzook12 said:

We use 10,12 and 16oz uptides, but finding moulds is quite difficult, I have 50kg of lead (flashing offcuts) waiting to go........

 

Wow, 16oz… what rods do you use for casting that?

 I am wanting to get into aluminium casting at some point (something else to cram in 😅) and it wouldn’t be too difficult to make moulds for things like that, but I have no time as usual.

you could always make an 8oz piggy back lead with a wire that goes all the way through so you end up with 2 grip leads in-line…. You can use 8oz as your main gripper and any combination of piggy back to suit the tide run.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, JonC said:

I also made a few small pirks using chrome finish 15mm copper pipe but I’m not a great fan of fishing with pirks, they seem a bit industrial for me. 

I watched a guy haul a 25lb and 18lb cod on a wrecking charter many years ago with a big fat chrome homemade pirk…. Sold it to me.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, thejollysinker said:

Wow, 16oz… what rods do you use for casting that?

 I am wanting to get into aluminium casting at some point (something else to cram in 😅) and it wouldn’t be too difficult to make moulds for things like that, but I have no time as usual.

you could always make an 8oz piggy back lead with a wire that goes all the way through so you end up with 2 grip leads in-line…. You can use 8oz as your main gripper and any combination of piggy back to suit the tide run.

Just a standard 10oz uptider

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I make my own mainly 2-4oz bombs for the kayak and also have 3-4oz pear shaped watch moulds. I need to make up some more but will have to use my daughters garage as its too cold outside to get good pours and my shed is too small. 

I also have 2 jig head moulds which are good. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have never cast anything in lead. I do have a white metal casting facility (made hundreds of different items for my miniatures). I have thought about cast lead weights. I have 2 centrifugal casting machines and a vulcanising press for making moulds. I have mould cans of 9&11" diameter and 2 temperature controlled melt pots. To make the moulds I place an original (master/pattern) in between 2 silicone "rubbers" placed in a mould can, place the can in the preheated mould press and cure the silicone at about 29t pressure for 45 mins. The moulten lead is poured into the middle of the clamped spinning mould spun for about 60 secs. I then open the mould and have nice cast items. I can insert a blank or tube to form a holes. or could cast in metal eyes etc. It would also be possible to stamp in some kind of identity ("OO"?) if wanted. Does anyone fancy having anything made? I am not interested in trying to make anything out of this, but just floating the offer of a facility if wanted. Geoff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...