# First attempt at a weight mold



## 2001rotax800 (Jul 30, 2004)

Gotta love off season projects. Here is a pic of of my first ever Mill Machine project. A decoy keel grabber weight mold. I estimate they should weight 5-6 oz. Anyone willing to pour there own lead is more than welcome to borrow it, as well as suggest tips.


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

That is nice looking.

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## norton shores killer (Oct 24, 2009)

cnc or bridgeport


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## Jbutler23 (May 4, 2011)

Curious as to where anyone gets their lead to pour?

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## lewy149 (Apr 19, 2007)

Tire shop. Our sells 6 gal pail 30 bucks but its getting hard to find with steel prices up.


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## AR34 (Jun 18, 2008)

Just picked up a electric melting pot today. Going to try out my first mold I made. The clam style keel grabber molds are way expensive!!! Think it was 75.00


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## huntertom (Nov 6, 2011)

what is the mold material?


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## SCOOTER3148 (Jan 7, 2007)

Lead is very dangerous anybody working with it should do research on it as the health effects of it before working with it . and keep your kids away from it for sure.


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## mintgreenwalleyemachine (Jan 18, 2005)

SCOOTER3148 said:


> Lead is very dangerous anybody working with it should do research on it as the health effects of it before working with it . and keep your kids away from it for sure.


It will be ok!


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## Quack Attacker (Jan 12, 2012)

SCOOTER3148 said:


> Lead is very dangerous anybody working with it should do research on it as the health effects of it before working with it . and keep your kids away from it for sure.


I molded 6 dozen strap anchors last week and I'm still alive... lol. But foreal it is nasty stuff and deffintly do it outside and make sure no moisture is in the mold.


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

I use a small cast iron pot and a Turkey fried burner to melt. Its worth the money to buy a real ladle to pour with, keeps the impurities in the ladle. I think you can get them at northwoods, that's where I got the pot


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## smoke (Jun 3, 2006)

Be sure to pre heat your mold a bit before pouring the lead. You'll end up with better product if you do. Pouring hot lead into a cold mold can leed to poor molding of your weights, plus it may spatter out and burn ya a bit. So be careful. While lead melts at a fairly low heat, it's still way hot enough to burn you to the bone. Also just try to stay out of the smelting smoke ie. stay up wind.....

Smoke


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

AR34 said:


> Just picked up a electric melting pot today. Going to try out my first mold I made. The clam style keel grabber molds are way expensive!!! Think it was 75.00


Unless its a larger pour sytle electric heating pot your going to be dissipointed with your results for strap anchors or any decoy weights. The lever style bottom pour pots are designed for jigs and pours of 1 oz. or less. Just a heads up. Also, if you guys plan to make the bendable strap anchors, make sure you get soft lead or theyre going to crack and bust on you. The tire weights have allot of tins in them and are alloyed up so to speak and are much harder. Theyll work for those keel grabber, but are a poor choice for bendable anchors....Just a heads up.


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## 2001rotax800 (Jul 30, 2004)

I used a Bridgeport with a digtal readout, and the material is aluminum. As far as where I will the lead from, I have a ton of access to free scraps from work, and fisherman in the areathat are always offering it to me. I used a 9\16" bit.


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## 2001rotax800 (Jul 30, 2004)

I have obtained a ton, of very soft pliable leaded if any of you fellow waterfowlers would like some for sinker/decoys weights. Extremely cheap, Pm me if you are interested.


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

Quack Attacker said:


> I molded 6 dozen strap anchors last week and I'm still alive... lol. But foreal it is nasty stuff and deffintly do it outside and make sure no moisture is in the mold.


I usually do it outside on the driveway. Dump lead scrap into pot and start cutting grass. When you stop seeing smoke from the impurities being burned off, go scoop off the gank on top and start pouring.


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## Jimw (Jul 8, 2009)

I have found in the past when I pour my j weights if I get the lead too hot they are brittle and break when they get knocked out of the mold. Just something to keep in mind.

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## 2001rotax800 (Jul 30, 2004)

Mold ended up making the weights approx 6.5 oz. This seems a little to heavy for the managed areas. I will make another, maybe a bit shorter, and not as deep.


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## 2001rotax800 (Jul 30, 2004)

I ended up milling approx. 3/16" of an inch off the top of the mold, by my calc this should produce a 4-4.5 oz weight. I also made a top for the mols since I kept over filling the channels and the lead cooled to quickly. Those whose have keep or get your mold hot are absolutley correct.


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## duckkillerclyde (Oct 5, 2011)

instead of the 'ace' style anchors, I've had better luck with the strap weight and two holes drilled into it for surgical tubing.


*can't find a picture of them but they use to make and sell them. My problem with the 'ace' or 'J' style is the rubbers don't last as long as heavy surgical tubing.


I also 'Texas rig' all of my shallow water deeks.....4 ft or less.


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