need help ? about lead pouring

perch

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Apr 15, 2010
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Hello I have been pouring and injecting plastics for the past 5 yrs and love it but im always having to buy more lead jigheads. Im wondering if anyone can help me out.

Im thinking about buying a lead pot maybe lee? not sure that's about all I have looked at so far.

I use a lot of 1/32oz , 1/64, 1/16 and 1/8oz jigheads. Im wondering what way would be the best bet for me to go ? A pot that you laydel out or one that feeds out of the bottom?

I have a big exhaust fan over my plastic heating area that works great for sucking the fumes out of there. My wife says lead is to dangerous health wise. Do you think my hook and fans would make is safe for me pour up some jigheads or do I need something else.

What brands of pots would you recommend for a new guy to lead pouring and what size. If I start this up Im wanting to buy the production molds with say 8-10 jigs per mold to make things faster for me.

oh and where do you all buy lead from if you cant find wheel weights to use. Any information would be greatly appreciated
 

LedHed

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Lee pot is a great choice - the model IV is the bottom feed. Real work horse and the right size for the smaller jigs.

The real problem with lead is ingestion more than inhalation of lead fumes (wheel weights have more containments). There is a post on lead safety - great read - http://www.jigcraft.com/jigcraft/showthread.php?tid=13
and another
http://www.jigcraft.com/jigcraft/showthread.php?tid=1083
Pro molds are a little expensive but worth it in the long run. Jacob's custom molds might be another option.
Be safe.
 

Ron Don

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Perch the fumes from your plastics is worse than what you will have from pouring lead. So your exhaust fan will be great! I'd get the bottom pour pot Led talked about. You will want good soft lead for pouring the small sizes.

By the way let's see some plastic!
 

LedHed

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If you can't find soft lead locally I can help you out with that - usually trade ~$1/lb + shipping (50lbs flat rate)
 

Kdog

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I too like the Lee production pot IV nice 10# capacity and bottom pour works very well for jigs up to 1/2 - 3/4 ounce range.

Learn everything you can about fluxing, this little pot DOES NOT like dirty metal and will drip at the first sign of contamination thus its nik name "Lil Drippy". I have one that has been in use couple months a year since 1978. I did break down and replace the liner last year mostly because I did something Stupid and drilled the nozzle based on bad advice via the WWW.

If you are breaking down a bunch of scrap lead (bullets, batteries, wheel weights, roofing lead, plumbing lead, etc...) it is best done outside in a different melter. I started with a Dutch oven I bought at a flea market over a wood fire. I have evolved to a propane burner from my turkey fryer but its still done outside. This process it nasty and necessary to have clean metal in manageable sizes. A lot of guys use muffin tins for their ingots and they work, but a bit flimsy for me. I made mine from scraps of angle iron ~ 6" long welded a little piece in each end and viola an ingot mold.

Welcome to the next stage of your addiction.
 

perch

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Apr 15, 2010
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WY
hey thanks a lot guys I apprieciate all your help and information. I want to make my own jigheads so I have enough when I go fishing with my family and a couple of friends. Just keep it small scale and I surely want to be safe.

I built my own exhaust fan that sits down close to my presto pot and has a 10" 900 cfm fan hooked on it that sucks up the fumes and takes them outside. If I decide to get into pouring myself some lead heads Im going to redesign my hood and add another 10" cfm fan and double up the sucking power. right now it sucks pretty well I don't smell any fumes in my shop or work area when im running my presto pot or injecting molds. I have to watch or sometimes my glitter will get sucked off the spoon before I get it in the pot.

I really love making my plastics and want to expand into jigheads to complete my tackle making but I want to really be safe with all of this.

Do you guys know or have any idea how many 1/64, 1/32oz round ball no collar or 1/16 or 1/8oz ball heads with a collar I could possibly pour with say a pound of lead. im just trying to get an idea of what Im going to need. thank you for all the help I appreciate it
 

Kdog

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In an ideal world, simple math
1/64 oz, 1# = 16oz thus 64 * 16 = 1024
1/32 oz, 1# = 16oz thus 32 * 16 = 512
1/16 oz, 1# = 16oz thus 16 * 16 = 256
1/8 oz, 1# = 16oz thus 8 * 16 = 128

In reality you will be about 10% less than these numbers providing you are diligent about returning your sprues to the pot. The sprues on most jigs far outweigh the actual cast jig.

One thing I have found with my Lee pot if I have much better results when it is over 1/2 full. Much lower and pouring changes and I do not get the quality head that I was being cast earlier.
 

Bucko

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ventilation is key. keep your kids away from it top be safe. no drinking. no eating. no smoking. and to appease the wife I change clothes before coming inside after pouring. ask this may be over cautious but I would lose my mind if my kids were affected by my hobby...
 

toadfrog

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X2 on a Lee. I have several Pots but the Lee is the one I use the most for 1 Oz and under . Get the big one . you can dip out of it if you need to . For 1 1/4 up I use an old Palmer tip ladle pot . It has a stand and handle . Sling some lead with that bad boy I'ma tell ya what . The Lyman pots and others don't dump enough lead sometimes .
 

perch

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Apr 15, 2010
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WY
thanks a lot guys for info I will put it all down and do some more homework before I buy a pot im thinking seriously about getting started soon my wife gave me the A OK to buy some stuff Dam I think Ill keep her shes a good one
 
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