Can u make lead molds?

[youngbuck307]

Would really like to find a way to poor my own lead cheap... Don't really want to go buy all the different molds I need so was wondering if u can make them? I need split shot and then just normal 8oz any shape really for sturgeon... Anyone got any ideas?? I get all the lead I want from what my grandpa has left of his old sturgeon day on the big c. He has 5 gallon bucket full easy

 

[Drew9870]

Ceramic would be too dangerous I think, you would need some high quality clay as well.

You would probably need to have a factory and molds for the molds if you get the drift, I'd imagine you'd have to melt steel and pour that into a mold that would cause it to harden into your lead mold.

It would be a lot of work, maybe even google how to make a lead mold.

 

[Drew9870]

Wood???!!!

That's crazy, but I really do need pyramid molds as well, I'll have to try this.

 

[beaverfan]

At first my thoughts were the same as yours then I googled it. And then it hit me, duh they've been using wood molds for metal for thousands of years and since the melting point of lead is less than most metals it should work well.

 

[youngbuck307]

Lol yea should of just googles it looks like. But had anyone used a sand mold or wood? And I can see bank sinkers but I also want to do split shot for me to use as lead to drift fish with

 

[FishFinger]

BC Angling post lead .$20 per ounce and no potential brain damage from under-ventilated exposure. Volatilizing lead can be hazardous.

 

[metalmania]

I've made pancake molds out of wood and they worked pretty well. I've also made pyramids from wood and they worked, although steel works a lot better. There was a guy selling molds on craigslist so it might be worth it to check there.

 

[Irishrover]

I can advise you on what not to do......I tried to make some 40 ounce weights for halibut. I like to make my own stuff and I have some molds but nothing near 40 ounces. So I took a wood 4x4 and drilled it out, melted up 40 oz of lead poured it in to the hole and set the 4x4 on fire! I was just smart enough to not put it out with cold water. Now I just keep an eye out for molds at barn sales.

 

[youngbuck307]

Yea I'm going to do some 8-6 oz pyramids with a wood mold. I have a header chunk from my old job I'm going to use. Then I'll have to buy a split shot mold I think.

FF if u want to buy it for me I'm game! I know where I can get them at 7cents a oz but point is I don't have money for it at all. but can get lead free and have the stuff to melt it down with.

 

[fish4life]

If you had access to a machine shop and some scrap aluminum I dont see why not, I suppose you could even make one with a dremel tool but it would be a lot of work. There was a guy on craigslist selling sinkers for 8 cents an oz. you can find molds on ebay for cheaper than sporting good stores.

 

[fish4life]

Another thing that you could do is if you have some friends that you fish with mention the idea to them and maybe you could go into together on the molds and it would cut the price down or maybe you can borrow some molds from someone.

 

[Anyfishisfine]

How about plaster of paris? Use a store-bought weight to cast the mold.

 

[CoastieFlo]

Unless you are going to use tons of split shot, just buy some.

And for sturg weights, use railroad spikes. Take a walk along any stretch of railroad line and your bound to find plenty.

 

[fish_4_all]

use an old spoon, metal measuring cup, or a scrap piece of metal bent into some sort of shape for pouring sturgeon sinkers. Old household wiring for the eyes and you have basically free weights. As for split shot, if you can find a scrap piece of aluminim you can drill out rounds and pour round shot in it then use a knife to put a slit in it. Only hard part is getting it out if you make the holes too deep. Maybe even work to get a thin piece of copper or aluminum tubing and pour pencil lead that you can cut into small peces and then put a slit in it for split shot.

 

[Jig'n]

Do it Corp also makes a blank mold for crafting your own sinkers.

I really like the Plaster of Paris Idea though, I might have to give that a try!

 

[Markcanby]

Im thinking you could modify a bullet mold for make split shot. Just do as said above an drill some splitshot size holes around the bullet cutout then just cut some groves for the lead to run out to the spitshot. The hard part would be cutting the slit but I could probably make up the mold for you. I think I have a old 40cal mold I could use.

 

[LockettOutlet]

I would just stick to a do-it mold. Shawn Collins Custom molds also do very good molds. Good luck on making one though. Please post a pic if you make a wood mold

 

[clarkeyj]

just for the books , when i was working overseas i saw a guy making sinkers using sand and molasses as a mold , he mixed the molasses with the sand till it stuck together but wasn't really sticky to touch , pushed the sinkers ( pyramid type) into the mold point first then hung the swivels on a wire leave them half in half out of sinker , he them filled up mold with lead ,,waited a few minutes pulled wire holding swivels and the sinkers came with it , i watched him make about a 100 in a hr this way , his mold held about 20 at a time ,, oh and he had it about 6 inches deep and about 2 inches between sinkers , and was careful not to drag sinkers on sand