scrubs Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 So now that more states are banning lead what are you using for weighting cranks? I was looking at doing one with a brass hook hangar weight but drilling brass etc turned me off. I'm thinking of trying Water Gremlin Eco Steel barrel weights. bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 I don't think internally weighted hard baits are what is banned. I think it's lead sinkers and shot, stuff that waterfowl can easily eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Personally I use uranium in my baits. I hear it kills those politically correct tree hugging monkeys that stand on the shorelines! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrubs Posted June 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Personally I use uranium in my baits. I hear it kills those politically correct tree hugging monkeys that stand on the shorelines! That be me Jdeee. bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim2199 Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) I know in canada some of the regulations on lead are in line with what Mark had to say. Sometimes there is weight limit too for the size of lead (ie. Nothing under 1.5 oz), however it doesn't apply to the use of lead when it cannot be ingested by wildlife. Some alternate options are steel shot, and bismuth and tungsten powder/grain. The powder can be mixed with epoxy to create a solid weight in any way you choose to mold it. The challenge is finding something that is both dense and cost effective. Tungsten is super dense, therefore heavier than lead for a given volume, but you empty your wallet for it as well. Edited June 10, 2015 by Tim2199 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrubs Posted June 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Yup, I'm sure you guys are right on the can't be ingested thing. Matter of choice I guess. bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 You could just use some brass round stock in the size you need it, and cut it lengthwise with a dremel to fit just inside your through wire bottom hook hanger, in the center of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 (edited) I am a lot more worried about the plastic microbeads from toothpastes and other cosmetics that are finding there way in our water systems by the tens of trillions that are clogging up fish and animal systems and the hormones from birth control pills that are causing mutations in fish and amphibians. Lead that is enclosed in a bait will never hurt the environment as it sinks to the bottom and quickly gets covered up by silt and will probably only be exposed by some future form of mankind in a couple of million years from now. I suspect the epoxies and topcoats that some guys use are more dangerous than any lead as they leech there chemicals as they breakdown over time. Some of these chemicals that we use are downright nasty. Edited June 10, 2015 by Jdeee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted June 10, 2015 Report Share Posted June 10, 2015 Ive never heard about the toothpaste or hormone thing, especially birth control finding its way into rivers, but i do agree with you! the only lead i have a problem with is lead bird shot for our migratory birds but my state has banned it so its ilegal either way to hunt with. Other than that i dont think lead sinkers are an issue. esp.when deep in silt or in 30 feet of water, much further than most animals can go. i also read an article saying that scientific research has found lead to not effect fish. If you just prefer not to use it, tin mixed with a hair of bismuth pours nicely and weights or can weight as much as lead. P.S. Jdeee, i dont have to worry about the plastic toothpaste bubbles, i buy natural toothpaste lol 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 JDeee - I read a few days ago of an application of Uranium used as a ballast material and it surprised me. I think it was on aircraft somewhere. As ballast it certainly is a good choice with the same density as Tungsten. Interesting thought. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scrubs Posted June 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 You could just use some brass round stock in the size you need it, and cut it lengthwise with a dremel to fit just inside your through wire bottom hook hanger, in the center of it. Thanks, I think I'll go that route. bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Just dont mix that Uranium with Deuterium. It would create an "explosive" reaction with the fish. Hahaha. Maybe even destroy a city, or two,,, or three. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Dave, I'm pretty sure that, if you use depleted uranium as a ballast material in your lure, you're gonna get a knock on your door from Homeland Security, at least here in the U.S.. Overseas, it will probably be from that country's version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdeee Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Think I'll call them Blinky Baits aka three eyed fish from the Simpsons 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted June 11, 2015 Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 They would have a nice UV glow. Besides maybe mutilating some fish, killing off a country, and potentially awaking the dead. Id say go for it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 jonister, That sounds like a new TV series to me....Rise of the Zombie Bass! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonister Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 Mark, maybe we should present this idea to some director. Arent you close to Hollywood? LOL. The canals are already nasty enough on their own! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whackett Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 So do most people prefer to use lead or brass when weighing their crank baits, as uranium is out of my price range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 9, 2015 Report Share Posted August 9, 2015 If you are building low numbers, brass rod is very convenient. I used it a lot on my early cranks. I was working in Sweden and could not get hold of lead, also with no workshop, melting and molding lead was not an option. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I bought some ounces of tungsten shot a few years ago that is .01 oz per shot and use it to tweak ballasts on baits. Not cheap but not that expensive either. As far as depleted uranium goes, if you drove an M1A1 tank in a previous life, you were surrounded by it in the tank's armor. If you flew an A-10 Warthog, the GAU-10 30mm cannon it carries shot rounds with depleted uranium cores. So if you work for the right defense contractor, maybe you can snag a few pounds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whackett Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 Well I didn't drive an M1A1 tank And didn't fly a warthog I guess I'll stick with brass. Thanks for the information. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted August 10, 2015 Report Share Posted August 10, 2015 I'm going to stock up on 3/16" and 1/4" lead wire. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benton B Posted August 11, 2015 Report Share Posted August 11, 2015 I use tungsten balls in certain baits to adjust ballast or add extra ballast to certain parts of the bait. It works very well and is not super expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
