Lead for making jig heads

[sparkleboy]

I've been thinking about buying a melting pot and jig mold for some time now, but I talked with a guy I buy my jig heads from, and he said it's hard to come across lead these days. I got to thinking, well where do the guys who make sinkers get their lead from? I heard it comes in sheets...? I pretty much would like to know where you can get it, and how much it costs. The best option would be if an ifisher had a source I could purchase it from.
Anyhow, any input would be greatly helpful.
Thanks!

[Snapset]

Your local tire store is a good bet. Used balancing weights are mostly lead, but a little harder and makes great jig heads.

[Twitchs_Tackle]

I recently went through 479 lbs. of tire weights from Schwabs. You can purchase them by the 5 gal (only 2/3 full) bucket full for ~$25.

(And in case you're wondering, I was pouring 20 oz. sinkers :grin: )

[SafetyChain]

One of my best friends is a driver for one of the tire manufacturers. He gets me all used tire weights I need. I melt them down in a cast pot on a white gas stove, skim off the dirt and non-lead stuff, pour them into an old muffin pan to make 1# & 2# ingots for storage. When I need to make jigs, I can melt the ingots in my Lee Precision Pot. I can kick out 100 jigs in about 20 minutes (only have a 4 cavity mold).

Sparkleboy, PM me and we can talk about getting you some lead.

[sparkleboy]

Holy Cow, Twitch, 429 pounds for 25 bucks!
I know the owner of the Schwabs in my town, I'll stop by tomorrow and ask him about that. Thanks for your info, too, snapset!
You both say they'd work well for pouring jig heads?

[Twitchs_Tackle]

No, the 479# was the total of several buckets. I was curious so I weighed them on one of those wierd doctors scales. You may have to call around between stores. Some say they don't sell the weights, others will quote you wierd prices like $5/ 5 gal bucket (Madras store) others say $25 for a 2 1/2 gal bucket (Bend). Melt them down as SafetyChain suggests for easier, cleaner storage, but be sure to do it in a very well ventilated area and wear a mask ! There's a lot of grease and nasty stuff in tire weights aside from the wonderful effects of the lead itself that is... :grin:

[SafetyChain]

Theres a little more to know than just putting the weights into a pot. Make sure there is absolutely NO moisture in the pot, weight or mold and preheat molds before pouring into them and oil the hinge often.

Do a google search, or even on ifish as we discussed this about a year ago, and you will find everything you need to know. Or you can ask here.

[fishbait]

Very important that your lead be dry. IT can kill or seriously mame you for life. Double triple check for moisture.....

[Willow Drifter]

I have to agree with Twitchs. Wheel weights are the way to go. Add a little tin and they also make a great 310 gr. LBT out of my 629 for a little Alaskan fishing.

[rileyusmc]

If you know anybody who is a roofer or a plumber you can get all the free lead you want from the demo jobs.Flashing and roos penetration peaks from the roofer and lead pipe from the plumber. And it is always pure lead with NO Babbit!

[Born to be Wild]

Actually lead isn't all that hard to get. You just have to know where to get it from.

I have poured thousands of pounds of it a year for about ten years now in my wholesale tackle mfg business.

Soft lead or pure lead is much better, cleaner and easier to use than tire weights and fills out cavities in many molds better than the wheel weights that have a lot of alloy in it.

If you're going to get serious about it and looking for an electric pot, get you a RCBS Pro Melt.
It is the best on the market and a pleasure to use.
Probably set you back a couple hundred bucks though.

DO-It Molds are usually more user friendly than Hilts molds but sometimes you need a Hilts or other brands.

If you have any questions on pouring lead and don't get the answers you need you might try emailing me.
I've probably poured more lead than all the ifisher's put together. :grin:

Dano

[glassblower]

I am getting ready to build a stand for a propane burner i bought at a place over in salem, it is on the corner of State St. and Landcaster Dr., they are a propane gadget wonder store (kinda like a radio shack for propane toys), anyway this burner I got is about a foot accross and has 3 rings full of holes for the fire, compleatly made of cast iron. I figure I could cook anything on that burner including lead. I figure a guy could make a lift rod like in a lee lead pot to pour with through a spigot, and have a couple dozen ingot molds with long handles on them, just lift the handle and lead pours out the spigot. Imagine melting 200 to 300lbs of lead all at one shot and just pouring up ingots for your lead pot. Once I have the burner ready anyone who wants can come buy and use it to melt large amounts of lead and pour up their ingots is more than welcome to. I have a huge propane tank for my glassblowing torch so I figure propane is the only way to go for me, it is always available. I think I am going to weld up my own lead pot from 1/2 inch steel plate, make a spigot for it and all. I think that burner would 300lbs of lead in about 20min and if your using tire weights like I do, I plan to make a slag scooper for all the garbage that floats up from them. And just incase any of you guys had somthing set up that burnt propane but was set up to work with the old style tank valve, go buy an 11 gallon or larger tank, they still use the old style valve. Only 10 gallon and smaller have the new style valve on them. Just thought some of you guys might like to know that. A frind of mine was going to toss his crab burner a while back cause it would not work with the new valves. He did not know you could get an 11 gal or larger and have the old style valve.

[ 01-02-2004, 11:57 PM: Message edited by: glassblower ]