If you melt lead..READ THIS*

[PIR8 Hook]

I was reading fyshindad's post onthe 30 pound cannon ball and I HAD to post this. Last summer, I was making 8 oz. trolling leads from weights I had pulled off the reef scuba diving at LEAST 5 years ago. Well as I was melting down one I dropped into my pool of molten lead, it sort of burped then exploded!!!!!! I was COVERED in hot lead and still bear scars on the tops of me feet, forearms, and chest. What I later found out is if the lead has so much as a molecule of water it will do this. If you are re-using ANY lead weights that have been in water....i.e. 30 LBS cannon balls....MAKE SURE THAT YOU place it in a warm oven for several hours to be absolutely certain that there is NO water in any small hidden cavities!!!!! The other fisherman that told me this told me that he had it happen to him with a 30 lbs. cannon ball...THAT IS A LOT OF HOT LEAD ON YOU...IF IT HITS AN EYE..YOU BE BLIND BUDDY!

[FisherJack]

Wow, that is scary. Certainly must have been a painful experience for you. Thank God you didn't lose an eye. Thanks for the warning. I think I will buy my weights already made up and ready to fish.

[Metal Manipulator]

On larger weights I use a large propane tourch to melt the lead into the pot. I set the lead on expanded metal screen and tourch it into the pot. So far I have not had any trouble with exploding lead. I also do it all out side and try to say upwind.

[adobe wall]

Yep, it will happen.

I hate casting lead due to the health hazards, but I can't get certain things otherwise. I always do it outdoors and have a large window fan set up blowing from me to the lead pot.

Used wheel weights are really bad, the two lead explosions I have were both from damp wheel weights.

I always wear safety glasses but a full face shield isn't a bad idea. I like the idea of melting the lead into the pot with a torch/expanded metal screen. Both of the explosions I've had were when "topping off" a nearly full pot by dropping in additional wheel weights.

hth, aw

[KeyWest]

Absolutely must is to have on safety glasses - any glasses. Do not melt lead without glasses. You may get away with it, but it's like playing with a loaded gun. You will get burned eventually.

I received a bunch of scrap lead from a bullet maker about a month ago. I was careful and watched everything I put into the pot, but somehow something got into the pot that caused it to explode. If I didn't have on glasses it would have been a very bad deal. I'm still removing lead from the walls, etc.

[pijon]

All of the above!
Pouring lead is dangerous! The fumes are hazardous, accidental ingestion is hazardous and it can pop, splatter, and even explode!
I have been doin it a couple years and knock on wood I haven't had a serious burn or anything else. I usually dry my lead in the sun on the cement deck for a few days in august. For colder times I use a large pot with a lid and cook it on a campstove for a few hours at something below melt temp. (outside)
When adding lead to the pot for melting a frypan lid makes a good shield but goggles or faceshields and heavy gloves and clothing are a must.
The tire weights I use always hold some amount of water. Especially those foam backed weights. They have to be cooked first at lower than melting temps. And the smell is awful and hazardous. Outside only for remelting scrap.
When I pour using only clean ingots which I have made I will either pour outside or in the front of the garage with both doors open and a breeze or a fan. You may not see smoke but the fumes are still hazardous.
I enjoy pouring lead and making my own weights, leadheads etc. But after reading about all the hazards I sometimes wonder about it.

[Brian penfield]

Very good advice across the board; I have worked with lead for several years including casting my own weights, it can be very dangerous if not handled correctly. I am a lead cable splicer

[Snakebite]

Originally Posted by PIR8 Hook

I was reading fyshindad's post onthe 30 pound cannon ball and I HAD to post this. Last summer, I was making 8 oz. trolling leads from weights I had pulled off the reef scuba diving at LEAST 5 years ago. Well as I was melting down one I dropped into my pool of molten lead, it sort of burped then exploded!!!!!! I was COVERED in hot lead and still bear scars on the tops of me feet, forearms, and chest. What I later found out is if the lead has so much as a molecule of water it will do this. If you are re-using ANY lead weights that have been in water....i.e. 30 LBS cannon balls....MAKE SURE THAT YOU place it in a warm oven for several hours to be absolutely certain that there is NO water in any small hidden cavities!!!!! The other fisherman that told me this told me that he had it happen to him with a 30 lbs. cannon ball...THAT IS A LOT OF HOT LEAD ON YOU...IF IT HITS AN EYE..YOU BE BLIND BUDDY!

Bill! How'd we get to be this old anyway?

[Laguna29]

All of the above and in addition to these comments don't forget to have a go cooling off storage location while you are casting. And remember that your two pound and various other small cannon balls have an incredible ability to retain heat , I got in a hurry and decided to break of the production casting tags and got to comfortable and transfered the cannon ball from the gloved hand to the open hand I did not have the same smile as the dancing bannana but I was dancing.

[San Anita]

Wow, Thanks for the heads up! I havent had any trouble yet.
Bill

[fyshndad]

Thanks for the heads up
Safety warning are always wecome

I have been melting lead and making my own jigs/trolling sinkers/cannonballs/etc for over 35 years

Not once have I had an explosion and only a few small pops

I use a large cast iron pot on my crab cooker and I melt the lead at low temps
I do wear safety goggles and I have a sheet of aluminum that I put between me and the pot when adding more lead

I always melt outdoors at least 10 feet from any structure due to these kind of warnings that I have gotten from others in the past

Just dumb luck?? I hope not as I would not like getting burnt
I do know 1st hand about lead holding heat for extended periods of time though

I could not agree more about being safe THANKS

[fishbait]

Important information.

Always try to have a fan running if you can.

When I use wheel weights I prefer to have them sitting out in my garage spread out and stirred around a few times for atleast a week prior to using them.

And the cannon balls do retain heat. Had a neighbor one time pick up a just poured 32 oz from the cooling table. Before I could say a word to stop him he was dancing like the bannana and saying lots of colorful words.

[TROPHY1]

I learned this in a metalergy class where we poured aluminium, it's the same for lead and I have tried it on purpose with lead and it only takes a drop. Most often in the home use it's the drops of sweat from your forehead that nobody notices until POP goes the weasel. warning!

[pirk fan]

For a lot of molding projects, especially the smaller ones....lead free solder is just a much better material to use.....it melts at a lower temperature, it's non-toxic, it expands as it changes from a liquid to a solid, so it tends to fill molds with no voids. and it stays shiny without oxidation (it's basically pewter...95% tin, 5% copper, sometimes with a dab of silver thrown in). The downside....about 6-8 dollars a pound on eBay, a lot more retail. And it's weight in an equivalent sized jig is 70% of the weight of lead. When you amortize the cost of 1/4-1/2 oz jigs (remember that 70% factor...so you get 30% more product from a lb of solder in the same size lure), you get about 40 jigheads in the 1/2 oz size (really about 3/8 oz in weight_) for your $8...not too bad a price.

[SeaJayOR]

Thanks PIR8,
I haven't done lead in a few years and plan on pouring some jigs this spring. Thanks for the safety remnder and to everyone for the saftey tips.
CJ

[Fish_N_Russ]

yeah and if you do melt lead outside, make sure there is no chance of it starting to rain