sagacious

Welcome SeaEagle. This may not be an option for The Dutchman, as he was given a bunch of ww's for free, and it would be a shame not to use all that good lead. I pour a lot of large saltwater jigs, and they take considerable abuse from the rocks-- for me, powdercoated ww lead holds up much better than powdercoated soft lead. Dutchman, unless you're pouring very small jigs, straight ww lead works fine. Take note of the suggestions posted above by Oscarsteel, and you should do fine. Good luck!

Like Ledhead noted, be sure to melt 'em down outside. Also, if you flux the melt with wax just before you pour ingots, you'll pour 'cleaner' ingots and save yourself some frustration later on. There's more info available on fluxing if you do a search. Be safe, and good luck!

Sounds good, thanks!

Good stuff Vodkaman! About how much glue are you adding to the plaster mix?

I suspect your fill-out problem probably would not be solved with this technique. But I think there is an easy solution. I also like to use larger hooks in some of my molds. Two problems present themselves immediately when using a larger hook. First, the larger hook draws more heat from the lead as it fills the collar/barb area. It's important that the larger-sized hooks be warmed up slightly (not hot, but warm) before being placed in the mold. Seems like a small thing, but it can make a big difference. And second, the smaller hook has a small gap (tolerance) between it and the hook channel. That gap allows air to vent from the mold. 1/1000" is equal to fifty-thousand air molecules stacked side-by-side, so a tiny gap can be critical, and vent a lot more air than you might have imagined. When the larger hook is placed in the mold, you lose that very tiny vent (gap) and the lead cannot flow fully into the collar/barb area before it starts to freeze-up. That prevents the barb from filling-out. The 1st remedy is to (if your mold design allows it) drill out the hook channel with a wire-guage drill 5 thousandths larger than the diam of your larger hook. This needs to be done carefully, but is fairly simple. If done properly, it should not preclude useing the smaller hook. I have done this to a few of my molds, and it works fine. The 2nd remedy is to scratch a vent line on the surface of the mold (not in the cavity) from the tip of the barb to the nearest edge of the mold. That slight groove will vent the trapped air and allow the barb to fill before the lead freezes. One of these solutions should make your molds pour great with the larger hooks. Smoking the collar area makes a noticeable difference too. Hope this helps, good luck!

Good luck. Hopefully there's a hardware store or machinist's supply in your area that carries wire-guage bits, or bits just a few thousandths over your gate diam. That way you can start small for your smaller molds.

I always try to cover all the bases in my reply, but sometimes I miss a few. Let me back up and explain a little better: Yes, the hole is enlarged slightly. The tapered end is intact, just smoothed slightly by the countersinking bit. The goal is to true-up and smooth-up the gate, not to remove a lot of material. Less is more here. I enlarge the gate about 1/32" on a 1oz jig mold, and about 1/32" to 1/16" on a 3 or 4oz mold. For a smaller gate, I'd probably suggest a smaller increase in the gate aperture, such as the 1 or 2 hundredths increase I use for a small pistol bullet mold. You just want to true-it-up so that the gate is perfectly round and smooth. That has worked well for me, and just a small increase in the gate opening seems to make a disproportionate difference in pouring speed and smoothness. I haven't tried-- and wouldn't recommend-- opening the gate on a mold that drops very small jigs. If your mold is cnc milled, I'd suggest against trying to "improve" it by opening the gate. I'm not really sure if it's a simple increase in the aperture that makes the difference. I suspect it's also (mainly?) that the gate is made perfectly round, and now the tapered part of the gate is very smooth. The lead just swirls down into the mold very quickly, much more so than you'd expect from just an increase in diameter of a couple hundredths (1/32" is 3 hundredths). Precision pour placement became no longer required-- the lead swirls right in. I think it has more to do with what you noticed: That a small burr or eccentricity can cause a flow disruption in a high-density fluid (molten metal) that's great enough to affect how the metal flows into, and fills, the mold. That's just my guess and working theory.......... where's Vodkaman when you need him lol? Good question. The sprue is only about 1/32" wider, which is (I'm guessing) perhaps within the tolerances you'd find in a production run. If a clean sprue break is critical, you may wish to test this technique with a old mold-- and your lead, pouring technique, and equipment-- before you commit more heavily. These techniques have worked very well for me. If you're not careful, you could probably do more harm than good, so measure twice and drill once. Be careful not to drill into the cavity walls!! If you have a mold that's giving you pour hassles anyway, I'd measure the gates, get a drill bit 1/32" larger, a 45* countersinking bit in the right diameter, and give it a go. Hope this helps, good luck!

Great tip, Hawnjigs. Years ago, I had a stubborn pistol-bullet mold that refused to pour well. I tried all the tricks, but it just wouldn't fill well. Not wanting to mess up the mold, I opened the gates by a couple hundredths of an inch. Presto! Problem solved! It made for faster pouring and better fill-out, and the lead would 'swirl-in' and fill the cavities very fast and very consistently. Now I don't even ask questions, I just recut the gates on any new molds, and go from there. Saves a lot of time and hassle in the long run. I also recut the gates on all my Do-It molds. I measure the constriction at the gate, and re-drill (carefully!) with a bit 1/32" to 1/16" larger, just to true and smooth everything up. Be sure to clamp the mold shut while drilling. Then lightly 'clean-up' the gate constriction or funnel with a sharp 45* countersinking bit. Check for any tiny burrs, and remove gently with an exacto knife. The gates will be smooth and will pour faster. Applying a dry anti-friction surface treatment, such as moly disulfide, will further reduce friction and speed-up pouring. (ACTION MAGIC II® at Brownells Apply just part "B" to the gates and cavities with a cotton swab. A little goes a long way and lasts a long time.) I do this with all my molds. Helps make the pours faster, more consistent, and trouble-free. Good luck!

I used to do the solvent soak for a few days or a week, drain then rinse in Simple Green, pour the ww's on a piece of screen and blast with high-pressure water. That stripped all the gum off. The most time-efficient method, of course, is to just melt 'em down as-is. The smoke can be minimized by melting rapidly over high-heat, and fluxing with paraffin during the melt. Light the wax so you have flames, and that'll combust much of the smoke-- as well as decreasing the melt time. You're damned either way. Using solvents isn't good for the environment, and paint thinner is especially bad for fish, for example, since it has water-soluable components. The smoke is also noxious, but if you burn it, the flames will reduce most of the noxious aromatic compounds to simpler less-egregious chemicals, CO2, and carbon soot. If anyone knows a faster/better way, let's hear it!

Spray-can paint has also worked fine for me in the past, with clear powder as a topcoat. Test a few baits before you commit more heavily. Be advised that this technique will NOT work with vinyl paint. Good luck!

Wow, that's a tough one. Maybe you could sell them on eBay, and recoup some lead-buying money? Hopefully someone else has a better idea, but separating lead dust from foam rubber is one tough nut to crack, and perhaps one better left uncracked! Good luck, hope you find a way to profit from your windfall!

I agree with Vodkaman. Test it under the conditions you use your lures, and see what happens. Adjust until you get what you want. These "short" hangers have been used by luremakers around the world for some time, for some tough fish, so they must be acceptable at a certain level. Good luck, and let us know what you learn!

You cannot melt the lead with powder paint on there. If the paint is cured, then the bait is done and cannot be undone. If the powder paint hasn't been cured, you should be able to whack 'em with a hammer and the paint will chip/flake off. You want all the paint off. Melting the lead with a torch needs to go fast and smoothly. Heat the lead with a strong flame, but not so large that the flames hit the hook or frame. Set the torch on it's base so your hands are free. Hold the bait in your hands so you can make sure the hook stays cool enough to touch (use common sense and be careful). When the lead just starts to melt, bend the hook and frame to break them free of the softened lead. Once separate, don't heat any more-- and the general idea is to heat just enough, but not too much. Once cooled-down, clean the remaining lead from the frame and hook with some snips and/or pliers. It should come off fairly easy. The wire frame and the hook shouldn't get hot to the touch. If you want to be extra sure your hooks don't get de-tempered, hold the hook with a damp (not dripping) rag. If the hook gets hot, the water will cool it down. If you get steam, you're taking too long to melt the lead-- which is what you want to avoid anyway. The same goes for the wire frame, you don't want to get that very hot either. This is workeable, and safe (provided you use common sense), but you should probably plan on ruining a few before you get the hang of it. Losing a few hooks & frames won't matter. Maybe. I wouldn't bake the blades. Nickel blades may darken or discolor with heating, and many other blades have a anti-tarnish laquer finish that may be damaged by heat. Yeah, lol! It may take a little time to dismantle your baits and recover your components to make new baits. Making your own gear is an investment in time, and quickest way, as my father would say, is "Measure twice, cut once!" Hope this helps, be careful and good luck!

That's what I figured. He probably forgot/mis-remembered the actual weight. Well at least there's some good news: you don't have to buy a new mold. Your mold will pour 1/4oz baits. I'm not aware of any really good way to increase the weight of the ones you poured, but that also depends on the quality and finish you expect from your baits. Maybe someone can provide an answer on how to increase the weight. If you're really careful, you can heat the heads with a propane torch and melt the lead off. This does require a fair amount of skill, as you can easily destroy the hook temper if you're not very careful-- but it is possible. A better option may be to see if you can sell (or trade/barter) the baits to a local store, or sell some to friends and save a few for yourself. Tacklemaking is like everything else in life-- live and learn.

Couldn't you punch/cut a dozen or more from a plastic coffee can lid? It's flexible but tough, and rigid enough to hold it's shape. I'd give that a try first.

Hard to tell for sure without a comparison pic of your bait, but that looks more like a 3/8oz head, instead of an 1/8oz head. If so, that's a big difference-- a 1/4oz difference-- and enough to cause a noticeable decrease in casting distance.

I've heard two possible explanations for the price rise in the metals market. The first is a simple demand-driven (supply & demand) price increase due to overseas markets aggressively buying scrap and refinery output. The second may seem less obvious, but I think it may play a considerable role here, and that is: the economy of perceived scarcity. Again, overseas markets increase demand, buy that doesn't itself drastically increase the price. Instead, buyers become willing to pay more-- much more-- if they're afraid the supply will decrease precipitously. Ask yourself, "What am I willing to pay for lead, vs what I think it's actually worth?" And yes, suppliers will actively capitalize on that perception. What to do about it? Not much can be done, except to not "hoard" lead-- which means don't buy more than you need for a while. That's the only thing that may eventually reduce the price, since it's probably unlikely that any increased output from lead mines will dramatically increase supply any time soon.

Thankyou for the kind words, Bruce. Very sage words about the safety gear. The risk of a serious burn never goes away completely, and one should always keep this in mind. Have a plan for what you'll do if you get burned, or have a serious lead spill. And keep your access to a source of cold water unblocked, as you'll need to get cold water on a burn ASAP. I pour with a full-length heavy canvas apron, high-heat gloves, eye protection, long-sleeve cotton shirt, jeans, and boots. NEVER EVER approach molten lead without eye protection-- a burn on the hand is one thing, your eyesight is quite another. In addition, long-handled pliers (channel-locks) are always at hand. When refining scrap, I add a baseball cap to the list-- that flux can flame up quick! More safety stuff is located in the sticky at top.

Yes, very true. I'm not saying there's free lead everywhere, but there are still deals out there for the finding. Make friends with the guys at the tire shop. Call ahead for orders, and then show up with a bag of deli lunches. I can virtually gar-on-tee that every time you show up with an empty 5gal bucket, you'll be greeted with smiles. Take the tire shop manager fishing. That works wonders. Bring a few fish by, if you know he likes fish. Etc, etc. There are a couple local tire shops that give me free weights just so they don't have to lug 'em around. There's a local tire shop that charges others $20+/bucket, but they charge me $0/bucket because they know my face, and I send business their way. I shoot at a local range-- often just before they close-- and I occasionally help sweep the range at closing. That = as many buckets of lead as I can carry whenever they've got 'em (there's a guy with a flatbed truck that buys/hauls-away their lead and brass, but they're happy to give me whatever lead I can take). My contractor friends bring me lead pipe whenever they find it. A fishing buddy of mine is a diesel mechanic. That's good for easily 75-150lbs of lead a month. A printshop friend occasionally gives me linotype lead. He knows everyone in the business, and knows who has old lead lying around. If you drive by a tire shop and don't ask-- nicely-- you may be missing out. I know there are some very tight markets, but that's not the case everywhere. Even in this day and age, a smile and a handshake still works. I was the one who mentioned in an eariler post that an indoor 22 rimfire range was a gold mine (or lead mine). Never hurts to ask! You may get lucky, like Ghost did.

Then I definitely shouldn't say this: Over the past few years I've poured several thousand lbs of lead, and never paid a dime for any of it. There is so much free lead around (here anyway...) that I wouldn't even consider paying real cash money for lead. The deals are out there. Shooting ranges that are happy to have you haul off their lead, tire stores that will give you free lead, etc. Bring a couple 5gal buckets to switch-out with their buckets of lead. Tell all your friends that you can use any scrap lead they might see. Finding the best deals is just a matter of keeping your eyes open.

That just may be... Can you post a pic of your bait, so we can see the head, blades, and skirt?

If I could, I'd swing on by and pick up all the 'fool's gold' you've got! A gold mine requires the correct mining equipment. How are you melting down this windfall? If you're melting it down in a small pot, you're making a lot of work for yourself. Get a large (at least 4qt) cast iron pot. Get enough heat, like a turkey fryer burner. It is essential to flux scrap lead before pouring ingots. You will recover more lead, melting/pouring will go easier, and your ingots will be 'cleaner'. I use paraffin wax to flux with-- specifically old candle ends or any other source of free hydrocarbons. Anything with hydrocarbons in it will work. Load up the cast iron pot with bullet scrap, turn up the fire, and let it melt. Add a couple more scoops of scrap lead as the melt proceeds (an old garden trowel works well as a bullet scrap scoop). When you see the melt is almost all melted, add a chunk of wax about 3/4" square. It will melt and eventually flame up. Stir the melted max into the melt (an old large stir-spoon bolted to a wooden handle works well). You'll see the crud separate from the lead. Immediately skim off the crud, and prepare to pour ingots. If you're doing this on a large enough scale, you'll need a lot of ingot molds, because you'll be pouring a lot of lead. Spent 22lr bullets makes very good lead for pouring, and the 22 bullet scrap lead you get will be very consistent. I'd suggest you get your hands on those free buckets of lead, and let your new friend know that you'll take all he's got! Anyway, good luck!

They do seem to all go away, but not always. Your first post indicated that the later bubbles were just like the tiny ones initially mixed into the clear-coat-- only larger. That sounds like bubbles in the clear. Subsequent solvent outgassing of the paint will cause delamination, and often blisters, but bubbles are usually there from the beginning. Your close-up photos of lures have been very high-quality. Delam, large bubbles, or blisters should show up clearly in your photos. Like Mark said, I hope you can manange a pic or two. That will clear up the mystery.