Custom Lead Mold

Message

Liamo · #1 Post by **Liamo** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 10:29 am

Lads,

Here's a nice little one for ye. I have been trying for some time to find the ultimate sinker mold for breakout type grip leads. I wanted a nice fat aerodynamic shape such as an Breakaway Impact Lead but with a flat back design and built in bait clip plus slightly longer grip wires (7" as opposed to ~5"-6").

I couldn't find any standard mold out there that even came close to what I wanted so I started investigating. Getting a mchine tool shop to create a mold for me sounded way too complicated and almost impossible to source.

I found the answer in the most unusual of places. It's a product for making toy soldiers and the like. This new product however isn't as fragile as older vulcanising rubbers and apparently can be used 1000's of times. I've just cast my first sinkers from it and they are perfect. Don't know how long these will last - time will tell but the results are very impressive.

Of course by using zinc/lead/tin mixes molds could also be made for lots of different lures/spinners - be nice for pollack off the rocks wouldn't it!?

For anyone that's interested. Here's the site:

[url]http://www.miniaturemolds.com/[/url]

The product is called Quick-Sil. I ordered some from the States and had it within a week. Great service.

Liam

#2 Post by **Jonny** » Fri Mar 31, 2006 5:14 pm

looks good and up to 800 deg i might send off for some

you should think of making a mould for an aluminum mould.
aluminum has a melting point of about 659deg and it will last you a life time

Ive tried it with fire clay before but the molten aluminum just blistered it
after 24hrs in the oven and 3 days at room temp there was still to much moisture in it.

let me know how you get on

jonny

Liamo · #3 Post by **Liamo** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 9:15 am

I would love to make em out of aluminium, like I said, don't know what the shelf life of this stuff is going to be like. Can anyone suggest what to pour molten aluminium into? If it's 659C then that's seriously hot stuff, feel a bit uneasy working with molten metal - the lead is hot enough!

Liam

#4 Post by **Jonny** » Mon Apr 03, 2006 6:08 pm

if your not happy forget it and just keep going as you are.