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Questions about lead

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Wire For Fire

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Well I finally got myself alil melting pot and a 1-1.5-2oz bullet head jig mold and box of 6/0 mustads... Had a big bag of sinkers that I have found over the years fishing in the rocks..  So I fired my new lil hot pot up and dumped some sinkers in and waited.. They melted pretty quick, say like 10 mins tops. puts some hooks in poured away and repeat.. They came out pretty nice for my first shot.. 

SO now im 100% addicted and cant believe I waited so long to do this.. But only problem is I NEED MORE LEAD...

 

I'm assuming not all lead is created equal??? Where do you guys get your lead?? I see a lot guys selling on the big auction site for reasonable money and most say its melted down spent bullets thats been skimmed and fluxed.. Is that decent enough lead to make jigs and bucktails out of ?? And if I was so inclined to paint some is the powder dip paint stuff needed or an ole rattle can would cut the mustard???

 

Any other tips or tidbits of info to aid my addiction would be welcomed greatly..

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Scrape yard 50 60 cents a pound if you buy alot

LIFE MEMBER OF THE , BRUINS, SOX, PATS, B-WARE HATERS CLUB... LIFE MEMBER OF THE CANADIENS, YANKEES, GIANTS...                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

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Go to a tire shop and ask what they want for their old wheel weights. Maybe you can trade them for finished lures!!! 

 

But isn't that "hard" lead.. I thought they were lead mixed with another metal to harden them up a bit ??

 

Scrape yard 50 60 cents a pound if you buy alot

 

That's worth a shot I am in the scrap yard weekly selling of wire from work so I gonna have to ask them 

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Word of caution about wheel weights, very few are made of lead anymore, most are steel, zinc or some other alloys.  Scrap yard is still your best bet if they will sell in small quantaties.  Another option is plumbers lead, sold in 4 pound  ignots at plumbing supply houses or talk to some roofers in your area about saving lead flashing for you just watch out for roofing tar as it burns.

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Yep lead wheel weights are pretty much a thing of the past. Hard lead soft lead it don't matter. It's only jigs and weights. Bullet lead has plenty of other stuff in it other then lead. The only difference is your 3 oz jig may weigh 2.8 ounces or it may weigh 3.2 ounces.

 

Scrap yards usually always have lead. 50 to 60 cents a pound is about right. If you put your feelers out you will find all the free lead you want. I have not paid for lead ever, it pretty much finds me. I generally take care of my "lead suppliers" by making sure they have all the weights they desire. My really good ones get bucktails and jig heads for Christmas. There's a lot of people out there that have access to lead and fish but think pouring lead and tying bucktails is highly technical or they simply don't have time do it. So get them feelers out.

 

A couple great sources for lead are people with race cars and old sailboats. I know these opportunities don't come around everyday but find an old sailboat and you will find a hundred pounds or more of lead. My mechanic/friend races and has raced everything that can be raced for the last 30 years. He has lead used for weighting cars which I understand is thing of the past but he has plenty of it laying around. The use of lead is diminishing so when you find it grab it regardless if its hard or soft.

Edited by poopdeck
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Don't breath any lead fumes, and wear safety glasses. Small pours go quick with a ladel and a torch. Ask some plumber types to save any old lead pans, lead bends, etc.

Tis better to remain silent and thought the fool, than to speak and remove all doubt.

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