# do-it-yourself sinkers



## kingfisherman23 (Dec 14, 2003)

I've seen two different types of sinker molds (pyramid) in catalogs, and I want to know which you all think is better

1) Sinker is formed with metal loop for eye, buy loops seperately and place in mold before pouring lead, lead cools around eye loop (like sinkers you buy in stores)

OR

2) Eye is formed from lead inside mold (similar to an eye on a torpedo sinker)

#2 is cheaper in the long run, not having to buy eyes, but my concern is the strength of the eye loop. Anybody have these mols that could help me out?

Thanx,
Evan


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## Jesse Lockowitz (Feb 13, 2006)

dont have the molds, but i HATE the ones with lead eyes. makes a pain in the arse sometimes putting sinker slides through em sometimes. u can get away with smaller swivels if u use the eyes.


Jesse


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## AtlantaKing (Jul 7, 2002)

If you're only using the sinkers for bottom fishing (dropping down and cranking up), it should be fine. I wouldn't put a big sinker that only has the lead formed loop to hard casting. Over the long run, the price difference should be only pennies per sinker if you use the swivels or the brass loops. Check Netcraft, Cabelas or Bass Pro for the swivels/loops.


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## sinker man (Jun 16, 2006)

Brass eyes are much safer for casting but you can buy a lot of sinkers for what it will cost you to get started. Molds run 30- 35 bucks, the eyes are a few bucks more and you still have to pay for the heat to melt it with. Now the real kicker is the place to do the molding and a place to keep supplies and equipment is a cost that you really pay for whether you use it often or not. It sounds like to me you haven't used that many sinkers yet so you might take it all in to consideration before you spend your money. It's not a lot of fun to pour the same sinkers for hours at a time either. If you have a shop paid for that you aren't using and access to free lead, buy your molds on the cheap and have plenty of free time that you wouldn't be using to fish and don't mind the health risks well you can pour a lot of sinkers and sell them for a lot less than what the tackle shops get for them and you might make a few dollars per hour for your time if you really bust your tail. Been there done that and still do now and then. I just couldn't reccomend it because most of our sinkers come from Hati where everything is based on nearly free labor and environmental laws are industry friendly. You would really be better off trading lead for sinkers to some hard case already making them if you have plenty of lead. Sorry if it sounds negative but it is really that way. Just find someone else making them if you want to verify what I am trying to tell you.


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## eklutna (Mar 12, 2006)

You can get Do-It molds at on line auction sites for as little as 14 dollars plus shipping. I have bought many at this price. I would definitely go with the brass eyes. You can also get Stainless Steel eyes that are not expensive. 

There are only two rules to making sinkers perfect every time.

1.	Make sure you get the temperatures correct. This means the lead in the pot and the mold temps.
2.	Be safe and Make sure you don’t burn your self. Use proper safety gear and work in a well ventilated area.

That is all that there is to the task of making sinkers


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## The Bucket (Mar 4, 2001)

*kf23*

... go with the brass eye ... sinkerman agree with most ya say except for some of us it's another fishing related hobby and the way I go through pyramid 8's might actually be worth it  

No. 1 for me be safe ~ prevent burns and inhalation effects: I wear long pants, shirt, gloves, eye protection (even in summer) and melt/pour outside or in well ventilated area.

No. 2 I need to work on improving weight pours, figure temp of molds and using hard lead/wheel weights is getting me there ?!

Hey ek are you using soft lead and how are you handling mold/pot temps ??

Thanks and go pour one  

`bucket


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## eklutna (Mar 12, 2006)

I cast big stuff so I use a lee 20 pound dip type pot and a one and a half pound ladel. I also have a Seiko 20 pound bottom drop I use mostly for bullets and sometimes for smaller jigs.

The best way to deal with temps is to use a lead thermometer or a infrared no touch thermometer. . I don’t have one yet so I set my pot on max until I see the lead oxidize on the top of the pot. Then I back off the temperature of the pot until the oxidation slow to a manageable level. By the way oxidized lead will turn to powder. You can skim the powder off the top of the pot. The powder will mess up you pours. Lots of bad fumes when this happens so, your pot must be in well ventilated area. Skim and reduce heat slowly. I heat up my molds by pouring one pound of lead on each side of the mold. Most molds have a cupped out area on the sides that is very useful for this purpose. Look at a Do-It mold and you will see where the writing is and that is the place. Large sinker molds do not have this cupped area. Once you have poured the lead in this area, you can just tap the mold and the now hard one pound lead ingot will fall off. I do this twice for a cold mold. 

I have poured wrinkle free ¼ ounce to 2 ounce jigs this way. I poured wrinkle free 8-10 ounce pyramid sinkers and 5.5-8 ounce claw sinkers by pouring a couple with out any eyes or claws in the mold just to heat up the mold. Once the mold is hot , I can pour sinkers with eyes and claw sinkers with claws and eyes.

I agree you should wear safety gear. I also work close to the ground. Splatters seem to be the biggest hazard and by working on the ground you reduce this risk. It is not a problem working on the ground with a dip type pot. 

Keep the kids and dogs away. Wear long sleeve shirt, long pants, eye protection, Boots. Think what would be the result if you were to knock over a twenty pound pot of 800 degree lead. It pours of the table and hits the floor as it splatters six feet in every direction. Think about the scars and pain. This is why I use a dip type pot and work on the floor. The lead will not splatter far and this enhances safety. If you work on a bench bolt you pot to the bench. Work no faster than you can, while being safe.


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## The Bucket (Mar 4, 2001)

*Thx Ek,*

Sounds like your doing some serious pouring  

I'm just a shade tree 8oz hobbyist  Ditto on safety issues especially kid factor.

Go make eight to go with the bait  

`bucket


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## damifinowfish (May 29, 2006)

Look at ebay. You can buy the pre made weights at about the same price you can buy the lead for. Buy in bulk to keep the shipping down. Can't find cheap lead anymore. If I want to make sinkers I have to pay and with the cost of gas for heat I don't think I'm saving in the long run.

Good luck
damifinowfish


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## eklutna (Mar 12, 2006)

I get my lead for free at the tire store

I live in military housing and don't pay for the electricity that my lead pot uses.

I like catching fish with sinkers and Jigs I make.

Its fun.


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## cygnus-x1 (Oct 12, 2005)

I pay for my electricity but my lead is free from a variety of sources. If you live in the country near old homes you can get the lead weights from windows when people replace their windows. I replaced 9 of mine and my neighbor 21 so I have lead for days. Plus my brother (RIP) was a plumber and I have lead from his business.

I only pour outside in my driveway and there must be a breeze blowing for safety reasons. I don't pour all that much ... just for me. Its a lot of fun to use your own stuff. Plus if you leave those lead "tags" on the finished sinker and then your rig snaps of during a cast and then the guy next to you brings it in you can claim its yours


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## sinker man (Jun 16, 2006)

One thing for sure that you don't want to do is drop wet or even moist lead into a pot of molten lead. Yes I have done it and lived to tell about it but it could have been very bad. one day as I was doing a production run I decided to take a break as my gloves were getting saturated with sweat and burning my hands. I decided to add a large chunk of lead to the pot while I cooled off and found some dry gloves. Little did I know that the bottom of the lead was wet. As I put the lead in the pot I immeadiately heard it sizzle. Believe me when I say I can move fast when I have to. THE RESULTING STEAM EXPLOSION EMPTIED THE 20LBS POT AND BLEW IT OFF THE BURNER. Fortunately my quick reaction let me escape unscathed but it could have very easily been different. Moral of the story ....If you must add lead to a pot containing molten lead you had better make sure it is bone dry inside and out.


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## RedskinFan228 (Jun 28, 2004)

I always preheat my molds in a old toaster oven I use for curing the leadheads I have painted with powder paint. I do a test pour without the brass eyes to ensure that I am gping to get a good pour. Once I am sure the molds are hot enough I beging pouring. If I am pouring from different molds I will keeo the ones I am not using in the oven so they will be hot when I am reqady for them.

I use welders gloves and goggles. (I used to be a welder) wear leather boots because the hot lead will melt the plastic/rubber on tennis shoes.

Good luck, have fun and be safe


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