How To Pour Lead Fishing Weights

I started pouring my own lead fishing weights a number of years ago. The main reason was to save money as some types of fishing (bottom fishing especially) means putting your gear in rocky structure where you may lose a lot of gear. "If you are not getting snagged up on occasion, you are not deep enough into the structure and the "fish zone". So in some places I fish, I go through a lot of lead. I also pour lead weights for weighing down my crab pots and supply some of my fishing friends with specialized weights. I don't pour as a money making endeavor. There is plenty of competition for that.

The easiest way to melt and pour lead is with a specifically designed lead melting pot. I use a Lee model 4-20. I can load up to 20 pounds at a time with that unit and when I am pouring 2 and 3 pound ball sinkers for halibut, it goes fast. The size pot you use depends on the size of leads you will be pouring. If you are only pouring leadheads and smaller weights, such as a bass or walleye fisherman would use, a smaller pot would be fine. I need the larger pot because my typical pours are heavier weights and will go through 20 pounds of lead in just a short time.

You can use just a sauce pan and a steel ladle and skip the pot altogether. It still works but the pot is just a lot easier. Especially if your hand is not as steady as it used to be.

I use a lot of Do-It Molds They are by far the largest manufacturer of molds for pouring fishing leads and they make a good quality product. The molds are made of an aluminum alloy and I have yet to hear of anyone wearing one out. I also have several molds that were made locally and only bought those because Do-it didn't make that specific mold. An example would be for jig  heads in the 8-20 ounce range. These are used for bottom fishing with large curly tails. Hilt's molds is the manufacturer.

You can buy lead ingots specifically made for this at some local fishing outlets or you can look around town for other sources for lead. When you load lead into your melting pot for pouring, you need to know the lead is clean of impurities and that it does not contain moisture. Old fishing weights can retain moisture and should not be used directly in your pot. Water and hot lead do not mix.

I will take whatever lead I have and melt it down in an old cooking pot. Cover the pot and do this only outside. Impure lead can really make up a stink. When it has melted I pour it into a steel muffin pan to make my own ingots, They weigh a few pounds a piece and are easy to store and use. This way I have lead that is ready to go and clean of surprises when I am ready to pour sinkers.

Sources for lead.

• Old tire weights. These are a last choice. Lots of impurities and the smell and smoke is real bad melting them down to make ingots. And the lead you end up with is pretty hard. Difficult to fill finer parts of molds.
  
• Recycled roofing lead. Lead is used for flashing on some roof's and if you have a roofer in your circle of friends this is a good source.
  
• Metal recyclers/scrap Yards. Another good source. Here you may find sheet lead that was used to shield x-ray rooms in hospitals or lead that was used to shield communication cables. This is the best lead to use as it is the softest. Softer lead pours easier.
• Buying ingots. From the same places you buy your molds or supplies. This is the easiest route to go and bypasses that messy business of making your own ingots. The only downside is the cost per pound will be higher than buying lead from a scrapyard.
  

This is one of the tricks of the trade. To get your weights to have that shiny appearance when they come out of the mold you need to candle the mold surface. I use a regular house candle and I hold the mold upside down and move the lighted candle flame over the molded surface. This adds a thin black coating to the surface and also acts as a mold release. It is soot from the burning wax. It won't hurt anything and is not completely necessary but It makes the weights release easier and improves the appearance.

Pouring lead creates fumes that are poisonous. Lead dust and fumes can cause brain development issues with children and other problems in adults and pregnant women. Do this outdoors. Even outside, put a fan nearby to blow the fumes away from you. Do not pour lead indoors.

 Wear heavy protective clothing and especially eye and face protection. A full face shield is preferred. Lead melts at 600 degrees and so your molds get real hot. Wear heavy welding gloves. Do not smoke or eat while you are pouring and when you are done, wash your face and hands and the clothes you were wearing.

• Load your pot with ingots and heat up you lead
• If you are using mold with inserts put those in the mold. Screw eyes, hooks, etc.
  
• The Lee production pots have a slide lever that releases lead from the bottom. Hold the hole in the top of your mold under the spigot and lift the lever. When the mold is full let go of the lever and move the mold to the next hole
• The lead will set very fast. And you can usually open the mold and drop out the finished sinker within 10-30 seconds. I use a sheet of wood to drop the hot weights onto. They will discolor it from the heat.
  
•  Reload your inserts, I use a pair on needle nose pliers to do this and restart the process.
  
• These molds get hot fast. Always wear heavy gloves.
  
•  When you have finished pouring just turn off and unplug your pot and let everything cool. Any lead left in the pot will harden and be ready for the next pour. You do not need to empty your pot when you are done.