Tip of the Month-March 2007

TIP OF THE MONTH

March 2007

MAKING LEAD WEIGHTS FROM SCRAP

Steve Kimpton

This Months Tip comes from Steve Kimpton.

Safety First-Whilst lead making, safety is very important.

Only make leads in a well ventilated area and wash hands after handling as lead is a toxic metal.

Molten lead is extremely hot, use heat resistant gloves and safety goggles at all times.

Be careful that spillages don’t cause any problems, the wife won’t be too happy if you ruin her kitchen flooring or work surface!

NB Weights under 1oz are illegal if made from lead, use only for heavier sizes.

	I was looking in the tackle shop at the price of leads (£1 plus) and got to thinking that I could save myself some money and make my own much cheaper. Lead moulds can be bought from most tackle shops for around £10 to £15, they come in all shapes and sizes, the one I have is a 4-in-1 type that makes 4 different sizes of leads of 2oz, 2.5oz, 3oz, and 4oz. I got this type of lead mould as it suits my range of fishing To make your own leads you will need an old saucepan, a ladle or big spoon, safety goggles, heat resistant gloves, brass bomb loops, lead and a mould.

	A cooking stove is required to melt the lead, while the lead is melting in the pan it pays to warm/heat the lead mould, this is for safety reasons, as pouring molten lead into a cold mould can be dangerous as the lead can “spit” if there is any moisture present in the mould.

	The mould is held by a strong clamp or vice as it comes in 2 halfs. Wear heat resistant gloves if holding the spring clamp as it will get very hot.

	When the lead has melted in the pan, gently pour it into the mould. Pour in a steady stream so as not to let air bubbles into the mould.

	The leads are allowed to cool and then the mould can be split. Hacksaw the unwanted part and file smooth. Use the unwanted piece for the next batch.

	A variety of different style of leads can be made dependant on the mould. A final tip is to camoflage them. This was covered in last Novembers Tip. Click below to see it again; November 2006 Tip of the Month

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