Making sinkers

[scarry]

Picked up some sinker moulds on Ebay,and have a heap of scrap lead i picked up off a job.
So the question is has anyone made sinkers,and what is the easiest way to do it?i thought using the gas camping cooker was probably the go.

Thanks in advance,any hints would be helpful.

[Savanahkelpy]

ok, a few hints. Safety first, wear gloves,and a face shield, in case of any spatter, make sure the inside of your mold is completeltly dry and free from grease, even the oil off your skin. To make for easy removal of the sinker from the mold, coat the inside of the mold with the soot off a candle flame, it will also take care of the moisture/oil issue. From memory, my father used to lube the pin that makes the hole with soap, but i can,t remember if he had any problems with lead spatter, maybe it melted away as it sounds like its in conflict with the cleanliness issue.
regards, laurie

[p38arover]

Jeez, I haven't made them since I was a kid - noting I last went fishing in 1960!

[101RRS]

A gas mask to stop you breathing in lead fumes . Years ago we used kero primus stoves or kero blow torches to melt the lead - modern equivalents should work OK.

Garry

[incisor]

i used to make them in spoons, had 5 different sizes...

swivel and all they were bloody excellent as i used to have to fish where there was a sharp ledge about 60 metres out and once i started using these i rarely lost one...

[roverrescue]

In regards to no oil/grease? I spray silicone spray (anti splatter) into the moulds before pouring, makes the lead come away clean?

Use an old Al saucepan, heat it up with no lead in it first and then fashion a spout with a pair of pliers so the lead pours in a thin stream.

Lead into the pot, leave to heat, all the slag and scum will float so scrape it off and discard thoughtfully.

I will usually pour a couple of kilos of sinkers at a time, once you get started its fairly easy to have another job on the go while the new lead melts.

Primus stove is good, just make sure you have lots of ventilation.

Despite trying numerous times, old battery lead makes terrible sinkers, i imagine the lead gets so broken down by the acid it is very impure. I take my batts, and other scrap metal to the scrappies and trade for lead (flashing and wheel weights etc) they are always keen on trading.

S

[clean32]

As a kid I would sit down for hours with my grandfather making sinkers.

Kero primus, cast iron pot, and a cast iron Ladle, a bucket of water and candles.
they were the hinged moulds with 2 handles.
The spike was rubbed over a candle every now and again when hot.

[chunk]

Make sure you warm up the moulds before you pour the lead, that way you will have fully formed sinkers.