Today I will tell you how to make fishing weights with your own hands from lead, and not waste money. Any jig spinner should ideally have a gentleman's set in order to feel confident on any body of water, even in the most unexpected fishing conditions. Such a set of weights requires the presence of a large number of weights, ranging from 1.5 g to 35 g, and sometimes more, with an interval of 2-4 g. For example, when we go on a trip, we always take with us a set of ordinary eared weights, respectively, 1. 5 g, 4 g, 6 g, 9 g, 12 g, 15 g, 18 g, 20 g, 22 g, 25 g, 28 g, 32 g, 35 g.
Of course it is a large number of It’s quite cumbersome to carry shot and buckshot all day, especially since the load of each weight must be backed up in case of snags. But this, in a sense, store assortment allows us to select bait for absolutely any fishing conditions.
Unfortunately, the fishing industry lags far behind the potential needs of the market, and you will not find such a selection, especially eared fish, anywhere. The way out of this current situation is quite simple - you need to cast and make weights for fishing yourself. This kills two birds with one stone - on the one hand, you save time by not running around the shops looking for the weight you need, and on the other hand, you stop being afraid of losing them on cliffs.
How to make a weight from lead
How to make weights for fishing with your own hands from lead, because according to statistics, out of 100 fishermen, only 1 is a jack of all trades or a high-class mechanic who is able to make molds for casting on his own. We should not forget that in our country the hardest currency, oddly enough, is liquid, and if you are able to explain to a mechanic, who is easy to meet at the entrance of any factory, what you need and what he needs, then this problem is completely solved in just a few days. The only thing is that in order to obtain forms for each weight, it is necessary to inform the mechanic of the exact diameters of the future ears. For convenience, we provide below a table of correspondence between diameters and weights in the shape of a ball. This table is formulated specifically for lead, taking into account its density, so if you want to cast, for example, a Wood or Rose alloy with a lower density, obtained in the same form it will be similar in diameter, but lighter in weight. And if you put tungsten fragments of electrodes into the mold before casting, you can get a very heavy and compact one.
How to make molds for casting a weight
Molds for casting sinkers with your own hands are also quite easy to make from plaster or silicone sealant. Very original and at the same time simple solution is the manufacture of a mold for casting from silicone sealant such as “Germesil” or any similar one. The criterion for choosing a sealant is the ability to withstand high temperatures without changing the properties of the material. Most household sealants have an upper temperature limit of about 150-180°C. This forces us to use not lead (melting point about 350°C) for casting sinkers, but special alloys that have more low temperature melting. First of all, we are talking about Wood, Rose and typographic alloys (melting point from 60 to 110 ° C). When using these particular alloys, the silicone mold will serve for a very long time without deteriorating the quality of the castings.
In the case of lead, a mold made from household sealant can withstand up to 10 castings, and the quality of each subsequent load becomes worse due to the gradual burnout of the sealant over the entire area of contact of the molten lead with the mold. Currently, silicone sealant is easy to buy in auto stores or stores selling building materials. This silicone mold, despite its amazing elasticity and seeming unreliability, can easily withstand high temperatures and a large number of castings. In addition, silicone sealant gives the angler an amazing opportunity to almost perfectly replicate any, even the most complex, shape of a sinker or spinning bait.
Form for weights
The shape of the weights itself is very simple to make. A small box is taken, which is then filled to the brim with silicone sealant. During filling, you need to ensure that there are no bubbles in the sealant. Next, the weight or bait that you are going to repeat is lubricated with a solution of wax or paraffin in gasoline, dried and lowered on a wire into a box with sealant so that it is completely immersed in the sealant, but does not touch the walls of the box. In such a suspended state, a sample of the future fishing weight or bait should be kept until the sealant has completely hardened. The polymerization process of silicone sealant throughout the entire volume of the mold is not uniform, and complete hardening of the silicone mold can take five to six days. Therefore, you should not remove the sample from the mold until complete polymerization occurs.
This moment can be easily controlled by periodically carefully feeling the shape. When fully cured, the sealant should resemble the consistency of a well-inflated soccer ball. Next, a small sprue hole is carefully cut from the top, through which the sample is removed due to the elasticity of the sealant. After this, the silicone mold is separated from the box and becomes completely ready for multiple castings. Pouring lead into this form and removing a finished hand-made weight or bait occurs through the same sprue hole. At the moment of removing the finished sample, the mold stretches each time and, as it were, “spits out” it, after which it instantly takes on its original form and is again ready for more and more castings. The advantages of a mold made from silicone sealant are obvious: it is very cheap, extremely simple and at the same time quite reliable. In addition to the ball-shaped ear molds, we highly recommend that you make several lentil-type molds for casting. Outwardly, it somewhat resembles a plum pit flattened on the sides. The lentil is lighter than the spherical eared fish, but due to its shape it slips much more easily through the closed mouth of the fish, significantly improving hooking. The most important use of lentils is when catching pike perch with its bulldog grip. Like these ones simple tips how to make weights for fishing with your own hands and without financial costs for you.
The sinker is one of the important components of your equipment; almost no equipment can do without it. And on top of all this, sinkers often break off and get lost, which means it can be classified as a consumable that does not last very long.
If you are a DIYer, then this article is definitely for you. Because there are a couple of advantages to casting sinkers yourself
Firstly, it is versatility; you can always make the necessary sinker of any shape and weight.
Secondly, this is a small savings. Lead is very available material and you can get it anywhere, for example, I take it from the nearest car service center, from tire fitters. You just need to buy plaster, which costs around 80 rubles. for 5 kg.
Step-by-step instructions for making a casting mold
Making sinkers is not a long or complicated process, but you probably know that every business has its own tricks and nuances. Go!
First we need to prepare everything we need:
- Container;
- Construction plaster or alabaster;
- A sample of a sinker or a sample of any other material;
- Lubricant (soap solution, etc.);
- Lead (in my case these are weights for balancing wheels);
We begin our process by preparing the sinker and container for filling with gypsum. First, we take the sinker and make 2 holes on the same line along the length of the sinker and insert 2 metal rods there. We need them to fix the sinker inside the container. The sinker must be fixed parallel to the bottom of the container, or level, so that the plaster hardens evenly, without large angles or differences.
The sinker is fixed, now we mix the plaster. I experimented a lot, did 1 to 1, mixed with PVA glue, etc. By the way, the photographs are different and all are almost unsuccessful molds. So, in the end it turned out perfect shape, which does not crumble even without the use of PVA glue. I just mixed the plaster well in a 2:1 ratio with water, there is no need for unnecessary movements and the plaster is liquid enough to cast even small figures with complex shapes.
It is also advisable to reinforce the form with construction sickle so that it lasts longer.
After the mold has set and dried a little (about 30 minutes), you can make locks to connect the two halves. I did it with an ordinary knife. They can also do it with the help of drills and other objects, tools, nails, mice, in short, whatever comes to hand. Why better knife? Because the locks will be in the shape of a cone, which in my opinion is more convenient due to the fact that you can easily dismantle the 2nd half immediately after it has set, which cannot be done if the lock is in the shape of a cylinder (after the drill).
Are the castles ready? Now let's lubricate the mold and locks with soapy water twice as much. They applied it once, then again after a couple of minutes. Lubricate the locks thoroughly.
Personally, I did it using homemade lubricant from vegetable oil and a candle. It turned out much more effective. To make it, I microwaved the oil and crushed candle in a plastic container and waited until it completely melted. Next, I mixed it well and spread it in one layer on the mold.
Now wait until the lubricant separator hardens and fill the other half with the same solution. I added a green color to make them visually different.
Wait 30 minutes in the same way and carefully bend the sides of the container and remove the molds. The molds will be quite fragile, if you want you can wait longer for them to dry.
Next, we make a couple of small channels for air removal and the main channel for pouring lead. Also, if you want to make a sliding sinker, make a through channel for a nail, for example. And if you need to fill with a swivel, just make a small hole at the joint.
The main task after you take them out and make all the necessary channels will be drying them. Give her some time Special attention, since pouring lead into a poorly dried mold is very dangerous, it may simply spit the lead back out. And God forbid it gets into your hands, or worse, into your eyes. And be sure to observe TB.
You can dry the molds at home in the oven in several stages. Stage 1 drying at a temperature of 15-25 degrees for about 20 minutes. Stage 2 drying at a temperature of about 40 degrees for 10 minutes. AND The final stage- drying at temperatures up to 70 degrees for about 10 minutes. Do not dry at very high temperatures, the gypsum may lose its structure and become crumbly like sand. If you feel that the form is still damp, set it to dry for 15 minutes at a temperature of 50-60 degrees.
Step-by-step instructions for casting a sinker
The form is ready. All that remains is to prepare the lead and pour it. I took wheel balancing weights and cut them into small pieces so that it would melt faster. Of course, you don’t have to do this, since there have never been any problems even with fairly large weights.
You can melt lead at gas stove in a regular tin can, or using gas burner. We pour molten lead into the main channel. Be sure to wear gloves and use pliers!
Fishing is one of the most favorite activities of almost every man. Fishing on fresh air, clean river or lake water - what else is needed for real relaxation? By the way, not only men, but also many women are interested in fishing. And many ladies even surpass men in this exciting activity.
Every real fisherman knows almost everything about fishing - how to choose the right fishing rods and hooks, how to fish correctly and where best places for fishing, what baits and sinkers to choose.
And a real fisherman knows how or wants to learn how to make fishing gear on his own, with his own hands. After all, only the fisherman himself knows what he needs, what is most suitable and how best to make the fishing a success.
Pike perch is a fairly common type of fish. And at the same time quite large. Fishermen don’t mind catching this predator, and housewives won’t refuse to cook fish for the dinner table.
There are many ways to catch walleye and other fish. In order for the catch to be a success, it is proposed to make eared sinkers for catching pike perch, or as they are otherwise called “Cheburashki”. You can do this yourself with a little effort. Since the necessary weights cannot always be purchased, homemade “Cheburashki” will be an excellent find for a fisherman.
So, we make foundries plaster molds(kokili). Every fisherman can do this.
To make a mold, you will need a cardboard base (for example, a matchbox), plaster and a “eared sinker” as a sample. The first thing to do is pour the base with gypsum dissolved in water.
Then the “Cheburashka sinker” sample should be half immersed in plaster. While the plaster dries (this will take about 15 minutes), you need to prepare another portion of plaster for the second half of the eared sinker. After this, the two halves need to be connected together - the base with the “Cheburashka” should be placed on fresh plaster. Also, using a sharp object, two holes are made to allow air to escape and two holes for the guides.
In order to remove the “Cheburashkas” from the chill mold, you will need pliers, lead and a crucible (tin can).
Before this, the inside of the mold needs to be lubricated with oil and “ears” made from wire. The casting mold must be placed on a wooden board.
The lead is dropped to the bottom of the crucible and placed over a small fire. After the metal has melted, the lead is poured into the mold using pliers. After 15 minutes, you can disassemble the casting mold and remove the remaining lead with a knife. Now you can weigh the sinker and go fishing.
Today, in a fishing store, we can buy almost everything we want if we have a shopping bag. However, you can do a lot of this yourself, and the quality will not be inferior in any way, and with good effort it will even be superior. Some people prefer to make homemade gear to save money, while others enjoy it. In today's article we will gain some knowledge in terms of making sinkers and jig heads. Let's get started!
Let's remember our childhood.
I think that everyone has something to remember about their childhood, where we wandered and what we did. We spent days wandering around abandoned garages, breaking everything we could get our hands on :). Having found an abandoned battery, we definitely had to turn it around, because there was lead in it. Having obtained lead, we began to make various molds for casting; we usually looked for clay, but we also made ordinary land. If you haven’t done this, then it’s okay, we’ll do it now :). And to those who did it, congratulations to you in a simpler way :), now we will make sinkers, jig heads, and cheburashkas from lead. Someone will say: “Why would I waste my time making this cheap thing,” but someone likes it, and this article is designed specifically for these people. By making, for example, one Cheburashka you can save about 10-15 rubles (depending on prices in your city).
Casting mold.
Casting molds can be open type, in this case, lead is simply poured into it from above. The form can also be made of two halves; it is needed for more complex shapes. The easiest way to make an open form is to take a piece of foil, or you can even take plain paper. We make a funnel out of the material, insert a wire (the future eye), squeeze it all at the top of the cone and fill it. In this way you can make a sinker-gonus, as well as carrots for winter fishing, if instead of an eye you stick a tee hook there. To make a sinker flat shape, you can take a regular spoon. Of course, this is not beautiful and primitive, so we move on :).
Good, beautiful, voluminous trinkets can only be cast in a mold consisting of two halves. The alloy is poured into it through special holes (maybe you remember there used to be, and maybe there still is, molds for making sugar candies), and special vents are made to remove air from the workpiece. These types of molds can be made from aluminum, steel, heat-resistant silicone, gypsum and various polymers.
Plaster mold.
In order to make a simple mold from plaster or alabaster, we will need already ready product, which we want to make a copy of. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a jig head or a Cheburashka, or maybe a more complex sinker. First, we take some kind of cardboard box, slightly larger in size than the part being manufactured. We mix the gypsum solution and fill our box halfway with it, making sure that the plaster lies tightly without air. We wait a couple of minutes for the solution to begin to thicken. When the solution has become somewhat harsh, we press our finished product, which we prepared in advance, into it exactly halfway (it is recommended to lubricate the product with any oil before doing this). We all take this thing to the battery and wait until it dries (about an hour). Has it dried out? We take a drill and carefully make 3-4 holes in the mold, but not in the place where there is a recess from the workpiece, but in a free one (when we make the second half of the mold, it will turn out to have bumps that will then fall into the holes :)). We need them in order to then accurately combine the two halves of the form. Now we need to lubricate this entire structure on top with silicone from a can, which is sold in car dealerships. Now fill the plaster again from top to bottom, but now it is advisable to make it thinner. That's almost all, we just have to wait until it all dries completely (we wait about a day). Once the mold has dried, tear open the box and separate the mold. Having separated the mold, we make a hole for pouring lead, and on the other side a small one for air to escape. The hole can be easily made with a knife, since plaster lends itself easily to this. In order to get more beautiful and high-quality products, you can replace building plaster with jewelry plaster (it is much more expensive). Thanks to this mold, you can easily make about 100 products. To extend the life of the mold, you can add a little sugar to the plaster. And to make a higher quality and more durable form, it needs to be made from other materials.
Polymer mold.
For the manufacture of such a form, the so-called “ cold welding" But not all, you need to buy one that contains metal fillers, only they can withstand high temperatures. The names of such composites often contain words such as “megatitanium” and “superbronze”. Before buying, look on the packaging or in the instructions for what temperature it can withstand. this miracle modern chemistry:). If the number is more than 380, then this is normal for the wave, since lead in the molten state has a temperature of 33-350 degrees. Having bought welding, we will see a kind of sausage resembling a g... :). Manufacturers often recommend kneading it with wet hands, but you should not do this, since the moisture that gets into the polymer will spoil the castings for a long time due to boiling. You need to wear gloves when mixing all this. Take half the sausage and mix thoroughly, after 10-15 minutes the composition will quickly harden (usually this is accompanied by heating). Before it begins to harden, we fill our box halfway in the same way as with plaster, and press the workpiece into it in the same way (do not forget to lubricate it with oil or silicone). After the workpiece has completely hardened (see the instructions for the material for the time), the surface is also lubricated with oil and they begin to knead the second half of the sausage. Fill the box with the other half on top and then dry (polymerize). Don't forget to make holes for centering as in the example with the plaster blank. After drying, make a hole for filling and air escape. Often, the first pours are accompanied by the release of smoke and bubbling of the melt. We send them to be melted down. After several such fills, everything will return to normal, and the form can be safely used. This form, of course, does not last forever, but it lives much longer than plaster.
Silicone molds.
If you want to make high-quality castings, then you should make a mold from silicone. But there will be one caveat: it is only suitable for tin and tin alloys, since they have an acceptable melt temperature. It definitely won’t withstand lead, even if you use silicone for casting molds. Fishermen most often make winter jigs or balancers from tin. For many, these are very popular items. In order to make a mold from silicone, we can use both two-component compositions, that is, those that contain silicone and a hardener separately, and one-component ready-made silicone. But ordinary silicone will not suit us; we need high-temperature silicone, for example, the kind that is used for lithium molds or for furnace work (they seal pipes with it).
Making a silicone mold differs somewhat from plaster and composite molds. Since silicones have very high adhesion, we need to protect the model form from sticking. The easiest way is to rub it with pencil graphite. Then the model with which we take the cast must be coated thin layer silicone, dry it and coat it again. We do this several times until we reach silicone walls 2-3 centimeters thick around the model. When the mold is completely dry, it is cut into two halves ( stationery knife to help you), and extract the model. A hole is cut in the mold for pouring tin and for air to escape (it is best to do it at the highest point of the mold). All the form is ready. We can start manufacturing the product.
Metal form.
Perhaps the longest-living forms are those made of metal. Most often the metal used is aluminum. It is, of course, possible to make them yourself, but it is best to buy them in a store, unless of course you have a turner friend who will turn it for you in exchange for drinking beer in the evening. Before using the aluminum mold, it must be warmed up. Otherwise, the melt is poured into the mold, it may not fill all the cavities well and you will end up with many defective products. These forms are the most durable. And thanks to them, it is possible to make products very, very for a long time. If you plan to make many products, then it is best to take care of making just such a shape.
Set of tools.
In order to start casting products, we do not need many tools. Side cutters - needed for biting off the skin of olives; round nose pliers - they are very convenient for making ears for the so-called “Cheburashkas”; platter - for processing the product. We will also need a tank in which we will melt lead (tin), you can use a regular tin can, A the best option Turk (yes, yes! The one in which coffee is brewed), just keep in mind that its handle should not be soldered, otherwise it will fall off.
Using lead from a battery is very harmful and not practical; removing it is not as fast as it seems. The easiest way is to buy it at some metal depot where they accept batteries. Yes, it will not be cheap, but it does not require additional cleaning. If you make products, for example, in the garage, then it is quite possible to turn around the old battery. If you have friends at a tire shop, you can negotiate with them and purchase lead from them from old weights for balancing wheels. Stainless steel paper clips are very suitable as a material for the eyes.
Product manufacturing process.
It is best to manufacture products at outdoors, in the country or in the garage. In order to avoid burns, it is necessary to use protective gloves and be very careful when working with melts.
It’s better to prepare ears for Cheburashkas in advance
Before starting to manufacture products, if you are using metal molds, they need to be warmed up. Also, do not overheat the melt. In everyday life there are special gas ovens with thermostats for this purpose, but you can completely do without them. Before pouring, pre-prepared eyes, hooks or swivels are placed into the mold, the halves of the mold are connected and the melt is poured. It is separated only after the melt has completely solidified. It is best to remove flash and process the product after it has completely cooled.
This concludes the article. We hope that it will help you enjoy the manufacturing process itself, and you will also save money on beer :) which will be drunk during manufacturing :).
Making fishing sinkers at home is not only a very simple task, but also very profitable. Considering the cost of branded items, compared to a large number of force majeure situations when fishing, you will save a good amount of money. Not to mention specific features“extreme” types of carp fishing (for example, in snags or algae), which always involve “losing” the sinkers.
But you will still have to fork out a little, for example, to purchase casting molds and plastic powder for a special coating of ready-made sinkers (which can be easily found on the shelves of fishing stores). But, believe me, these investments will bring you solid dividends in the future.
Where can I get raw materials?
As for lead, I would advise you to “make friends” with some plumber (or an employee of a car repair shop where batteries are often changed). Personally, I was very lucky - I became friends with a neighborhood plumber who “supplies” me a bunch of lead/water pipe scraps completely free of charge.
If you don’t have such friends around you, then it doesn’t matter. Just find out where metal is accepted (or recycled) in your city and go there for the weekend. Even if you have to buy “pieces” of lead raw materials, don’t worry! You will still be a serious winner, considering the rather “inflated” cost of store-bought / branded weights.
Stages of making fishing sinkers
As I wrote earlier, there is nothing complicated in this process. First you will need to melt the lead thoroughly.
How to melt lead for fishing weights
For this purpose, I use a very old (no longer needed) pan and gas stove. I simply place the crushed pieces of lead on the bottom of the vessel and keep it on the fire until they turn into shiny / “floating” droplets. Which indicates that the lead has already warmed up to a critical temperature, which means the temperature we need.
“Store” forms for sliding weights
An old and unnecessary pan for melting lead
Warming up casting molds
While the lead is successfully melting at the bottom of the pan, I slightly heat up the casting molds themselves in order to avoid the formation of unevenness or “gaps” on the weights when casting them. In addition, I must note that pouring molten lead into cold molds is very dangerous! Since it (due to a sharp temperature change) can “splash” directly onto your face, thereby causing a long (!) non-healing burn.
Using a slotted spoon, pour the lead into the molds.
We wait a few seconds until our sinkers cool down
We fix the forms in a vice
I securely clamp the normally heated casting molds in a vice, which (in turn) I attach to the edge of the table. In fishing stores you can choose a variety of molds for casting sinkers, for example, with clamps or with welded handles. But in today's example (you can look at the photo), I'm making exactly three-ounce/sliding weights. Therefore, in in this case, right through the center of the form - a specific rod passes.
We begin the filling process
Once the lead is completely melted, using a regular tablespoon (but with a homemade notch on the side, which I'll talk about later), I carefully "scrape" all the debris from its surface. And then, with the same spoon, I scoop it up (a little at a time) and carefully pour it into the molds.
I try not to complicate my life, so I always keep the pouring molds next to the stove. So that I don’t have to run far with a hot spoon, spilling all the lead along the way, and sometimes go back and melt it again, because it has already cooled down.
Some fishermen melt lead directly in mini saucepans with a V-shaped recess (like coffee makers - on the side of the neck), so that it can be conveniently poured into molds directly from the container. But I use an old/regular vessel, only I always make a V-shaped notch on a tablespoon. It's much more convenient!
This is what the sinker looks like before processing and cleaning
Bare weights ready for coating
We take out the “blanks” from the molds
Then I wait for the lead to cool (literally a few seconds), after which I remove the forms from the vice and carefully open them. I strongly recommend performing this operation only with gloves, because both the sinkers themselves and the molds will still be very hot.
Cleaning and treatment of excess
Then I remove the rod and wait for the sinker to completely cool down. That is, until it is possible to eliminate all flaws on the surface of the product with “bare” hands (without burns). For example, those formed due to the uneven fit of the halves of the form. Then I cut it down and put a “funnel” on top, a kind of “growth” after pouring.
Heat the sinker before applying the powder
And after that, to create a smooth surface
We apply a special coating
I consider myself an advanced fisherman, so I never use “bare” sinkers, but cover them with a “solid” layer of plastic using special “store-bought” powders. For this purpose, I again “string” the weights onto the rod and carefully heat them over the flame of a gas burner.
When the sinker warms up a little (and does not start to melt again, be careful), I sprinkle powder on it evenly (from all sides). And then I keep it on the fire again so that the “powdered sand” melts normally and turns into smooth surface. The result is a great homemade sliding sinker.
And once again about the most important...
I remind you once again: be as careful as possible when melting lead, since in this state it is very dangerous for the skin (burns take a very long time to heal and leave scars forever). Don't forget to reheat the molds! Work with hot workpieces - only with special gloves!
Translation of materials from the site www.essexangling.com