Not sure how to best create a tail weight with a hole through the center. What do you use?

Inexpensive egg sinkers work pisser stack the different sizes.

You can make a mold out of hardwood and use a piece of wire from a coat hanger.

Or you can say frig that I'm not melting lead and dealing with the health hazards and buy them from a schlep like me.

I buy Tail Weights with a hole in them....easiest way.

I buy Tail Weights with a hole in them....easiest way.

second this,,, I made a mold and all that crap,,, not worth the hassle,,

Eric,
When I pour lead next time I will be using a couple of molds that I made. Some guys use hard wood and aluminum for molds. You can buy blank and jig molds from “do it molds”. That's what I did, I bought a jig mold to get started, then I bought the flutter mold (kinda like a butter fly jig) and after talking to Professor M, I started to make my own tail weight molds.

Take two pieces of hard wood or aluminum and clamp them together. Measure a coat hanger and choose a drill that it will fit into the hole. Drill in the center of the two pieces of stock with the smaller of the drill bits, this will extend beyond the actual weight and its where the coat hanger will sit into. Then choose what size tail weight you need 3/8 or whatever. Drill the larger size drill bit and remember not to go further than the first smaller drill bit. If you are missed aligned, you can adjust the mold with a Dremel, this will make sure the lead will come out of the mold.

You can also take the blank to a machinist and ask if he will do it for you.

Gattafish are you will to sell all of you stuff, I'm interested....


Hope this helps,
Mike

Eric,

Do a search on tail weight molds or just molds also


Mike

Thanks for the replies, guys- -- especially OD Mike.

I have a piece of birch and red oak to try my hand at making my own hardwood molds. I'll use the coat hanger trick (thank you).

Question: Will the coat hanger slide out easily on its own or do you need to heat it with a propane torch?

I figure if I like making my slugs, I might get the blank Do-It mold and have my friend (a machinist) template it out for me.

I have some N100 respirators, and plan on pouring outside.

Appreciate the feedback.

Eric

From what I've heard you can spray Pam on the coat hangers and it will help release the lead from the coat hanger. Make sure the coat hanger doesn't have any bends or burrs that might stop or slow it from coming out of the lead.

I know of one person that uses smaller dia wire, because you loose weight with the coat hanger. It's all about building a better mouse trap!!!

Try this; Make 1/2 round in one side of the mold. Align that to a flat raised area on the opposing mold half. When you demold the lead you have a half round piece with a flat key way down the center. Put two pices in the plug so the keyways make the through hole.

This is much easier than trying to keep wire aligned on centet in the mold.

I pour my own but if you can buy the size you need just buy it. I now only pour what I can't buy. It seems expensive but after a hour of pouring/wearing stupid big gloves/mess ups and all the other trouble I wish I would have just spent the 5 bucks.

I use a finish nail for the hole.
Maple for jig
drill hole the size and depth of weight
drill hole in bottom for finish nail, you can even cut the head off and use a nail for a drill. The nails are nice and stiff, have a head to grab.
Maybe it takes 5 minutes to make a jig, if you are selling lures I would'nt waste my time screwing around with it.
It's a hobby is'nt it?

I also use hardwood to make molds. I have started to make long versions of them - 3" to 6" depending on the length of my drill bits I have for the diameter I want to make. Then I have been using a copper pipe cutter (the little one you would use to cut 1/2" or 3/4" pipe) to cut my lead to size. I put the coat hanger back in the hole before I cut so the hole won't crush. For the different diameters of the slugs I make I figure out how many millimeters make a gram so I can cut them and get pretty close to the weight I am looking for. Of course once you commit the pipe cutter to lead you won't want to use it on drinking water copper.