shadetreepainter Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 I want to pour jig heads and spinner baits but am having a difficult time deciding on the lead I want to pour. Looks like pure lead is too soft but not sure how to mix or what to mix to get a harder lead body. I found a site that has ingots of 70% lead to 30% antimony that has a fairly low melting point and looks like a good choice for sinkers and spinner bait bodies. Cost for this alloy is about $3.50/lb. Any input is appreciated. Thanks, shadetreepainter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTDuckman Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 Although I am by no means, an expert in alloys, that sounds like a very large amount of antimoney and I don't think you could pour it as it will harden quicker than you can get it to fill the mold. $3.50/lb is a lot of money for lead. You should be able to find it at scrap yards for under .75/pound right now. If pure lead is too soft for your application, add wheel weights (hard lead) until you get the hardness that you like without the negative pouring issues that straight wheel weights tend to have in detailed molds. Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 shadetreepainter, Since you are just getting started your choice of jig and spinnerbait molds may dictate the softness or hardness of the lead you will need. Some molds do not pour well with hard lead. Make a choice and someone here can advise you as to how hard or easy that mold is to pour. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yankee jigger Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 One trick i learned on here that has helped a lot is to "smoke" the mold. Take a butane lighter or candle and move the flame over the cavities.It will put a layer of carbon on them to assist in getting a good pour. I use pure lead 90% of the time and have just started experimenting with adding a couple of wheel weights in to stretch my lead supply. What problems do you get with too soft of lead????? Y.J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 I agree with the soft lead on spinnerbaits. It wears out quickly but puts a nice wobble into the bait. Do you have your molds and lead pot yet? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSC Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 (edited) STP There is some great information concerning this ...Pull a search and you can find out more than you might want .... All the way from buying lead to processing it to pouring painting and etc .... Some great information has been laid out by some guys that know their stuff. Hope this might help JSC Edited August 23, 2009 by JSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTDuckman Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 STP, Here is the basics of alloys from the Do-it molds site. As I had expected, 30% antimony is off the charts really for use in molding. Lead Molding Basics Lead Alloys There are two general types of lead alloy, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogajiga Posted August 23, 2009 Report Share Posted August 23, 2009 If you can get wheel weights from local tire shops, the clip on weights are "hard" lead approx. 3% antimony and the stick-ons "soft" nearly pure lead. Generally speaking, only larger castings 1/4 oz. & up might be pourable with hard wheel weight lead, if not they will have to be poured with straight soft lead or perhaps a 50-50 hard-soft mix. But, if you lead supply with wheel weights they need to be sorted, melted, fluxed, & poured into ingots preferably with an open pot & ladle setup prior to use in a bottom pour melter. In my area, wheel weights are approx. 90% hard clip-on and 10% soft stick-on. If you decide to process wheel weights the recent post "wheel weight sludge?" describes the necessity of avoiding zinc contamination. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
