jamie Posted September 11, 2008 Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 What im wanting to do is pre make my own ballast weight. These are weights that will perfectly fit pre drilled holes with a relief slot for epoxy to escape from when inserting the weight. The weight I want is shaped like a dowel. My question is what material do I make the mold out of that will handle the heat from the lead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassrecord Posted September 11, 2008 Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 The weight I want is shaped like a dowel. What size dowells are you looking to make? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish_rman2000 Posted September 11, 2008 Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 you could use a couple af pieces of 2x4 clamped together and drilled or you could buy a blank mold and drill it to size Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly Posted September 11, 2008 Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 Any metal will work if you make dowels to line them up like two peace molds for plastics. The two halves need to match up with each other fitting flat on each other and not able to see threw them even 1/4 in straping will work. Aluminum is the easyest to work with. Useing althread rod drill the two sides the same size as the threads. thread the one side and drill out the other side so the allthread slides threw. Then use nuts to hold the two halfs together. Just drill a hole the size you want. You might have all you need already in your shop for this project! Metal peace to cut in half, two bolts if you dont have allthread, four nuts, drill bit or two. good luck and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted September 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2008 what im really wanting to do is make a weight that shaped like a dowel but has a tag that you can snip off for the run off, just like when pouring in a factory mold. You may have to cast a mold out of something, because the shape is more than just a cylinder shape so just drilling wouldnt work. I just didnt know if there was something you could make instead of having to go to a machine shop and have it custom made. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassrecord Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 what im really wanting to do is make a weight that shaped like a dowel but has a tag that you can snip off for the run off, just like when pouring in a factory mold. You may have to cast a mold out of something, because the shape is more than just a cylinder shape so just drilling wouldnt work. I just didnt know if there was something you could make instead of having to go to a machine shop and have it custom made. Still don't know what size dowels you want to make. Since many different sizes (cylinders of lead) are sold in various stores, if you could buy the size lead weight you wanted, you wouldn't have to go through the agony of making, buying or otherwise getting a mold built? For example here in the Pacific NW we have slinkies, Mojo and other cylinder-shaped weights. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 (edited) Barlow's Tackle Shop: Browsing Lure Body Will this work I am having trouble seeing what you want. You could pour this mold with out the inserts with a little flashing on the ends where the pins would be. Do-it modal LB-5-A is a lure mold body that slides onto a wire but is in sizes 1/32 1/16 1/8 1/4 3/8 oz. I wish you luck if you draw it on paper and show us we might be able to help more. Edited September 12, 2008 by kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 Are you wanting a belly weight with the eyelet to attach your hook to once it is epoxied into the crankbait? I might suggest that you contact Mavrick, on this site, he carries all sizes and they can't cost very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/soft-plastics/14579-mold-weighting-swimbait-hooks.html#post106880 ref post No2, by Rottweiler., in soft plastics forum. He used bondo to mold lead. Might be worth a PM to Rottweiler to find out more information. Invite him to post in this thread with his experiences. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swede Posted September 12, 2008 Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 I would of used rtv rubber for hot molding the mold will last 1000s of casts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted September 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 12, 2008 I would of used rtv rubber for hot molding the mold will last 1000s of casts never used rtv rubber before will have to do a search on this. Dave I will try and look at the bondo idea also thanks guys. Iwas looking to make a more easier way of weighting and be more consistant with exact weighting instead of hand pouring into the bait or trying to fit a sinker that not a perfect fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted September 17, 2008 Report Share Posted September 17, 2008 (edited) A much neglected form of moulding anything, is the ‘ lost wax process’, where the pattern is made of wax - bees wax, or any wax which is a bit harder (candle wax is a bit soft and crumbly). This, depending on the media used for the negative mould, will give you a perfect duplicates - it’s been around for thousands of years, and what you carve in the wax, is what you get. How’s it work?? You make/carve the pattern from wax, pour your 2 part silicone POP or whatever mould, let it set, put it in the oven and the wax melts and runs from the mould, leaving a perfect mould cavity of your original pattern. Pour your lead, resin, foam or whatever media you want to use. Make sure if you are going to pour lead that the mould is dry, and somewhat heated, maybe get a torch, and burn the residue wax off the mould before use (especially POP). I was once in a past life a moulder, and have done a bit of this, and if it needs to be perfect this should work .Pete Edited September 17, 2008 by hazmail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balls Posted September 18, 2008 Report Share Posted September 18, 2008 G'day Jamie What Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted September 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 A much neglected form of moulding anything, is the Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted September 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted September 19, 2008 G'day JamieWhat Balls,welcome to the site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balls Posted October 6, 2008 Report Share Posted October 6, 2008 G'day Jamie I've tried to submit a reply a couple of times & the 1st time majority of the reply disappeared & the two other times it come up as I wasn't logged in & the reply was lost on both occasions, is there a time limit on a reply to a post. Once I know what I'm doing wrong I'll let you know how I make the weights, cheers Balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbor Posted November 15, 2008 Report Share Posted November 15, 2008 Its a pain to make an rtv mold or an aluminum one. Ive made both. It would be 1000 time easier to just buy a do it drop shot sinker mold and then talor the holes you are going to use for it. Fyi if you make an aluminum one you want to use 6061-t6 or harder. Mic6 "Tooling plate" is softer than 6061. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robalo01 Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 I've made tons of lead molds from bondo. It works pretty well. A couple of things you need to keep in mind: 1. Look in the wire baits forum for exact directions on how to make your original mold. I don't want to repeat what has already been covered thoroughly there. 2. Make your mold about 4X as thick as the part you want to mold. It tends to warp if you make it thinner. 3. Once you make your first mold that you like, make at least three replicas of your mold. Do this by pouring a few extra of one side, then then turn it over and make few extra of the other side. It's a lot easier to do them in a series than to do all of the steps for each mold. 4. Keep one mold as a master and don't use it. You'll need it to make more molds when the first ones begin to fail. They crack after about 100 pours or so, depending on the size of the piece and frequency of use. 5. Demold as quickly as you think it's safe. If you let the casting cool down completely inside the mold, it tends to shorten the life of the mold. Try to keep them as cool as you can. Since the Bondo has refractory properties, it doesn't need to be preheated or any thing. 6. Number the three molds and alternate their use. Give them a chance to cool down between castings. They will over-heat and begin to crack if you keep pouring and pouring with no rest. Depending on how many castings you want to do, you might need more molds. I'd say you need to let the mold cool off about 8-10 minutes between castings. If you need any more help PM me. I'm not in this forum very much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted November 19, 2008 Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 That is good advice Robalo01. Especially the multi molds idea and keeping the original unused. Many thanks. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie Posted November 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2008 I've made tons of lead molds from bondo. It works pretty well. A couple of things you need to keep in mind:1. Look in the wire baits forum for exact directions on how to make your original mold. I don't want to repeat what has already been covered thoroughly there. 2. Make your mold about 4X as thick as the part you want to mold. It tends to warp if you make it thinner. 3. Once you make your first mold that you like, make at least three replicas of your mold. Do this by pouring a few extra of one side, then then turn it over and make few extra of the other side. It's a lot easier to do them in a series than to do all of the steps for each mold. 4. Keep one mold as a master and don't use it. You'll need it to make more molds when the first ones begin to fail. They crack after about 100 pours or so, depending on the size of the piece and frequency of use. 5. Demold as quickly as you think it's safe. If you let the casting cool down completely inside the mold, it tends to shorten the life of the mold. Try to keep them as cool as you can. Since the Bondo has refractory properties, it doesn't need to be preheated or any thing. 6. Number the three molds and alternate their use. Give them a chance to cool down between castings. They will over-heat and begin to crack if you keep pouring and pouring with no rest. Depending on how many castings you want to do, you might need more molds. I'd say you need to let the mold cool off about 8-10 minutes between castings. If you need any more help PM me. I'm not in this forum very much. thanks for the tip I wil have to give this one a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IDbasser Posted December 31, 2008 Report Share Posted December 31, 2008 What about using a drop shot sinker mold. The finesse ones which are cylinder shape and different weights. Just leave the swivel out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
