Toxic musky lures Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 I am curently weighting my musky glide baits by hot pouring lead into the bait with the holes in the bait drilled to a predetermined depth. The problem I am having is having to sand the excess lead off making the the hole flush with the bait. Should I be prepouring into a mold and then glue the lead to the bait? I have a demand for this type lure and looking from a production standpoint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Don't sand, use a file, it worked much better for me. I used to have the same problem, it also allows for better control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Another way of weighting your baits is to use lead wire. Don't remember exactly how many sizes it comes in, but I know you can find 1/4" lead wire at McMaster-Carr because that's where I bought mine. I'm pretty sure it comes in larger sizes as well. By using lead wire you can figure out how long of a piece of the wire you need for a given amount of ballast. By using the wire you can just drill your hole, cut off how much lead wire you need and epoxy it in. That way there's no need to melt and pour lead which means it's a lot safer as well. You won't have to worry about filing the dome off the poured lead either. Just drill your hole slightly deep than the length of wire and fill it to the top with epoxy, bondo, etc. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toxic musky lures Posted November 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Thanks Rayburnguy I think that might be the way to go, I just ordered 3/8" od from Amazon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Thanks Rayburnguy I think that might be the way to go, I just ordered 3/8" od from Amazon My pleasure. Here's a little tip for using the lead wire. I use the 1/4" wire for the cranks I build so I drill a 1/4" hole for the wire. The reason I don't drill a slightly larger hole is that it is possible for the wire to lean to one side in a bigger hole which can make your lure sit crooked in the water. Sometimes the lead wire doesn't want to slip into the hole because it has flat spots or kinks in it. The way to remedy this is to go ahead and cut you wire to length and then roll it between two flat surfaces. I just use the top of my Formica covered workbench and a piece of metal that is wide enough to cover the full length of the lead wire. By rolling it back and forth a few times it will take out any flat spots and kinks. It will also straighten the wire if it has a slight bend in it. good luck, Ben 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 (edited) Double post. Please remove. thanks................. Edited November 5, 2014 by RayburnGuy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 I don't think pouring hot lead into a wood lure is the best method of ballasting. If the lead is hot enough to burn wood, you have a very weak bond and slapping the lure on the water to clear off weeds can cause the ballast to shoot out of the bottom of the bait. I know this from personal experience! In terms of production, I think gluing in pre-cast lead ballast or lead wire is more accurate and more secure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 If you want to continue to pour lead in to your baits the second the lead scabs over on top flip the bait over and press down compressing the lead into the whole.It makes for a tight fit and you won't have so much lead to get rid of..Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine_studios Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Could you drill the hole slightly deeper and leave a bit of space at the top for epoxy to seal things off? I guess that would be a little harder if you're using the hole to measure how much lead goes in... Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Remember lead fumes and dust are toxic. Prolonged exposure can lead to impotence, and brain damage. It is nothing to play around with. The less you melt or sand or file the better. Lead wire, with a bondo cap, and sealed in with runny super glue, is much safer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aulrich Posted November 5, 2014 Report Share Posted November 5, 2014 Though not 3/8" another source of lead wire is in the salmon/steelhead section of your fishing tackle store the sizes I have seen are 1/4 and 3/16. It's used for drift rigs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbxr400 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 I drill and glue in the small (1/32 oz or 1/16 oz) bullet shaped worm weights along the bottom of my lures. I space them as needed to get the best orientation and action in the water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markbxr400 Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 I then use Durham's water putty to fill the remaining hole, and file/sand to shape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
