Making your snapper sinkers
Submitted by randall df223 on Sun, 2011-10-16 17:18
I am thinking of investing in some snapper sinker moulds and making my own. For those who do, do the cost savings outweigh the hassle? Where do you get the lead from, scrap metal yards? How much does it cost? How do you melt and pour? What precautions are needed? Heavy welding gloves? Face shield? What traps do you need to be aware of?
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Fish! HARD!
CCC
Posts: 539
Date Joined: 29/03/10
Sorry cant help but I can say
Sorry cant help but I can say that make sure you do your research on health affects.
CCC
Rig
Posts: 2925
Date Joined: 27/12/06
worth it
If you get your lead for free its definately worth it. I make all my sinkers impact, snapper, ball, star and spoon. last time i brought some 32oz sinkers they were $5 each and made from some crappy lead and alloy mix.
I got heaps off lead sheathed cables but most people cant get this,.
A lee lead furnace is worth getting if your gonna get serious as its alot safer and faster.
long sleeves, boots, face shield and respirator are a good idea as well as some pretty thick gloves. Sure its not good for you but neither is alot of other stuff we drink, smoke and breath in and if you only do it once every 6 months you'll be ok.
do a search it has been covered a few times on here. I think a guy called Grantartic did a pretty good post on it
aalfred
Posts: 669
Date Joined: 13/06/09
Hi Mate,I havent started yet
Hi Mate,
I havent started yet with making my own , we try to get a mould from uk-hooks.com . That are cnc machined moulds and they make apperently nice sinkers. The cheapest lead we could find so far is roofing lead and dive belt weights. We had a look in shootgun lead pellets, cuz there are allready in small units, but that is too expensive. And your PPE should be at least welding gloves, face shield, half face mask with the appropriate filter for heavy metal fumes! And you should never melt your lead indoors!
Bout the best way to melt that stuff I'm not too sure yet.
Hope that helps a bit.
Cheers Seb
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
search
Try a search mate, there are a few threads on the subject, here is one i did with grapnel sinkers, futher down the page there is a picture and info on the lead furnace i bought to help with production.
If you can get the lead cheep or for free its definetly worth making your own sinkers. I make all my own for the boat or surf.
As CCC said , research the effects and dangers of working with lead.
http://fishwrecked.com/forum/grapnel-sinkers-how-i-make-them
Hope this helps ,, Grant ,,,
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
I had a look through that
I had a look through that thread. impressive. There are a couple of tyre shops nearby, I might approach them to see what they have in regards to lead. I don't have any oxy gear, could I use a four ring burner to melt the lead? Would that generate enough heat? Also the pot you were using, is that a special purchase or a home made gadget?
Fish! HARD!
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
Home made
yeah that is a home made pot at the start of the thread. Later i bought a Lee Lead Furnace from Western Firearms online. Was a great investment and worth every cent i paid, being electric it is alot safer. However for pouring very large sinkers i find it pours too slow and i use a homemade pot to pour them.
A 4 ring burner is going to work fine, use an thick aluminium pot to melt the lead. (not too large , like a sauce/gravy pot ) A steel pot will work too .
Then use a soup ladle , dip it into the molten lead and pour the sinker. You might have to bend the handle on the ladle to get the right pouring action. The molds need to be hot to form the sinker properly, i just pour the first sinker and remelt it, this heats up the mold.
I avoid wheel weights as they have a metal insert and they are a pain to remove. Most of my lead comes from friends who keep an eye out for it . In return i make them some sinkers.
Cheers Grant..
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
thanks, but you lost me on
thanks, but you lost me on the remelting the first sinker thing to heat up the mould....are you saying, pouring the first sinker(s) will heat the mould, but will turn out shit, so you put them back in the lead supply and keep the second sinkers onwards? How long do you leave them in the mould for? and what do you tip them out onto / into? a bucket of sand?
Fish! HARD!
grantarctic1
Posts: 2546
Date Joined: 03/03/11
correct
Correct, the first one will be no good, leave it in the mold for about a minute, this will heat it up nice. I use a G-clamp or a vice to hold the mold closed then pour the sinker, it will set within seconds, the larger the sinker a bit longer.
I just open the mold ( wearing welders gloves ) and tip out the sinker onto a steel bench or the ground and let it cool by its self. I used to drop them into a metal bucket with water ,but i found out the hard way when i spilt some lead into the water that they dont mix well. ( it exploded and i wore it all )
I wear saftey glasses and a face shield, respirator, gloves , long sleeves, boots ,etc. Well ventilated area with a fan to blow fumes away from me as i work.
As others have said it's nasty stuff , but handle it right and you will be ok.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Great advice, thanks. i had
Great advice, thanks. i had heard about the molten lead exploding when contacting with water, good to know about that in advance!
Fish! HARD!
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Thanks guys
Thanks guys
Fish! HARD!
wayneleech
Posts: 362
Date Joined: 27/06/08
hey fellas - I have some left
hey fellas - I have some left over lead at my house from a job we did. I live in Mindarie so if someone wants to swing by and grab it PM me for address...
Paul_86
Posts: 1449
Date Joined: 27/03/09
Hey mate, ive got some
Hey mate, ive got some snapper molds i can lend you if you like. Cant remember what size they are but ill dig them up and let you know. From memory they were between 8 and 16oz
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Thanks
Thanks
Fish! HARD!
chris raff
Posts: 3257
Date Joined: 09/02/10
We make them
We make them ourselves...using a gas wok burner outside ...biggest drama for us was the lead solidifying too quickly ...have to be quick and make sure moulds are nice and hot ...we just used roofing lead ...also just be sure water doesn't come in contact with the molten lead..
“Intelligence is like a four-wheel drive. It only allows you to get stuck in more remote places.”
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
yeah, i was told today that
yeah, i was told today that it explodes!
Fish! HARD!
fisho-ron
Posts: 2539
Date Joined: 26/09/09
matei use steel reo bar,
mate
i use steel reo bar, anywhere from 16-32mm in dia, the 32mm is cut to lenght and a washer welded to the top, can paint them if ya want.
for the 32mm in the same weight as lead(28oz), they genarlly end up shorter as well.(no shape to them)
plenty of off cut reo gets thrown out on job sites, even if ya get smaller reo and weld 4 peices together.
i have only done this for deep stuff, but i dont see why they wouldnt work of the beach.
pm sent
ron
smash
Posts: 434
Date Joined: 01/12/10
If ya dont have kids yet?
Without being funny, if you havent finished makin babies I wouldnt do it. When it accumulates in your system it passes to your offspring resulting in learning disabilities etc.
I know of one tragic case of an acquantanence told not to concieve for 2 years at least-his missus is 40 already...
But number one is plenty of ventilation blowing fumes away.
Ive done mine on a small camp gas cooker, works a treat but make sure its all preheated.
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
Thanks, but having four kids
Thanks, but having four kids already I have done my bit for the population growth of Australia! and took steps to make sure of no more! but seriously, it is something younger folk need to be mindful of!
Fish! HARD!
499
Posts: 181
Date Joined: 07/12/08
stay up wind if u know what i
stay up wind if u know what i mean of the lead in a well ventialted area...........also drink lots of milk, it puts a lining in yr stomach and reduces some of the absorption.....yesyes i know air goes into yr lungs
a trick we learnt as young biolys welding hot dipped galv shite and the like....it does help
scottnofish
Posts: 1617
Date Joined: 28/08/07
I used to build radiators
for a living and worked with lead all day everyday ,I had blood test every 6 months to check lead levels ,started to get to high so ileft that job , it took 12 years after that before i could have kids that was the only side effect that i suffored
fisho-ron
Posts: 2539
Date Joined: 26/09/09
thats a bit weird mate,you
thats a bit weird mate,
you even had more lead in your pencil...lol
sorry coundt resist.