# Any sinker makers here?



## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

Got a new lead melter and mold recently and I think I'm doing something wrong. With this mold, I pour into bottom of a three sided pyramid. When I do, the mold fills almost all the way up but when I remove the sinker, I am getting a lot of gaps down at the point, like air bubbles. Suggestions? I'm a pure novice at this. The lead comes out of the mold like it's full, but it isn't.


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## ReelKingin (Aug 3, 2009)

does it do this one after another? As in, doe the first several do it, but once the mold heats up & you keep doing it one after the other its fine? It takes one or two times for the mold to warm up, it will cool the lead down a good bit until its heated. I lay my mold beside my heat to warm it up while the lead is melting to by the time I pour its all good to go from then on


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

That is usually the problem when I have similar troubles to you. Once the mold heats up, and assuming you have the lead up to temp, it will flow smoothly and fill the entire cavity. I will keep the mold close to the heat, even then, my first couple of pours, I expect it to come out wrong, just heating up the mold. After I get the mold heated up, then I start putting eyes in place and pour.


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## AbuMike (Sep 3, 2007)

I have the same thing happen. The mold needs to come up to temp. I usually just consider the first 4-5 duds and remelt. After that it should pour fine.


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

If you are using a lee or similar electric melter you can set you mold right on top while you lead is melting once the lead is to temp the mold should be about ready too. If you are still getting wrinkles or gaps after your mold to temp then you either need to adjust your lead temp or the speed at which you pour the lead into the mold, also pouring directly into the sprue hole without letting it touch the sides helps a lot when pouring larger items. And also fill the sprue completely to allow for shrinkage after it cools off.


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## Soapboy (Nov 10, 2009)

Same here. We have two molds. One that makes 8's and 10's and one that makes 5's and 6's. It seems like the bigger the sinker, the longer it takes for the mold to get to temperature. With the 10 we usually get at least a half dozen messed up sinkers to start with, no biggy. We don't start putting in the eyes until its up to temperature. As has been said, preheating the mold does help some.

Good luck


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## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

The mold I bought was a home made one that produces 8 oz three sided pyramids that come up to a point at the top. I've been told they are called Arrowhead sinkers. I love the way they hold in the surf, but this mold didn't come with directions since it was home made. I didn't know I needed to pre-heat the mold. I will try that and get back to you all. Thanks for the advice.


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

I don't think most molds come with instructions. You rely on banging your head against the wall until you figure what your doing wrong, or you ask others that have the bruises already. LOL


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## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

thekingfeeder said:


> I don't think most molds come with instructions. You rely on banging your head against the wall until you figure what your doing wrong, or you ask others that have the bruises already. LOL


Amen there brother! Amen!


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## narfpoit (Jun 16, 2004)

lil red jeep said:


> The mold I bought was a home made one that produces 8 oz three sided pyramids that come up to a point at the top. I've been told they are called Arrowhead sinkers. I love the way they hold in the surf, but this mold didn't come with directions since it was home made. I didn't know I needed to pre-heat the mold. I will try that and get back to you all. Thanks for the advice.


If the mold is not made of aluminum you probably will not me able to preheat it any more than just pouring consecutive sinkers until they start to look right. If it is made of aluminum then definitely preheat it on top of the melter so you don't have to cast so many duds to get it up to temp.


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## moose22dog (Feb 17, 2010)

think you got your answer..mold just needs to get to temp. that never bother me after all there just sinkers who gives a shit how they "look"!!!


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## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

lol, yea, preheat the mold in the oven or some heat source... then cast your sinkers outdoors.....


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## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

I have a heat gun I've used on things and it get quite hot. Would that work?


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## Hudak (Sep 10, 2007)

Maybe to a certain extent, but by the time you pour a few, the mold will heat up. Just pour 3 or 4 times just to heat the mold, then you should be ok from there. When the first batch comes out complete, then you know the mold is warm enough. Start loading eyes and let 'er roll.....

Robert


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## GreenFord (Apr 11, 2009)

I will pour my first ones and let them sit in the mold for a few minutes just to help heat it up. Also the lead should be really hot to pour smooth especially if your use old lead wheel weights. I will let my lead sit in the pot until it gets a bluish or almost rainbow colors on the top


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## JOrlick (Mar 20, 2011)

I use a cheap handheld propane torch to speed up the lead melting in the pot as well as warming up the molds before pouring.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

Pour you a few in without the inserts, let them sit a minute or two, drop them out to put back in the pot and repeat a few times. This will get the mold hot. Also sometimes you need to pour at a slight angle, especially on smaller jigheads.


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## Franklin7X57 (Aug 5, 2006)

If bringing the temp. up and getting the mold hot doesn't help. Are you fluxing the lead? You can add about 6' of solder to the pot and flux, if will flow better then.


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## lil red jeep (Aug 17, 2007)

Thanks everyone! WOW!!! Once those molds get up to temp I can pop out sinkers like a mad man! How oftern to you guys have to skim the sludge off the top of the hot lead while it's in the melter? I have bought all my lead so far on Ebay and just figure it's impurities. Not loosing much at all, just have to do it a lot.


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## SmoothLures (Feb 13, 2008)

lil red jeep said:


> Thanks everyone! WOW!!! Once those molds get up to temp I can pop out sinkers like a mad man! How oftern to you guys have to skim the sludge off the top of the hot lead while it's in the melter? I have bought all my lead so far on Ebay and just figure it's impurities. Not loosing much at all, just have to do it a lot.


You shouldn't have to do it for the same batch, but every time you add a new chunk of lead in, you're adding the impurities back in.


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