Got my thinner wire and some dowel stock. Looks like I need to find some smaller diameter lead for tail weighting. Preferably around 1/8" diameter or so without a through hole so I can drill for the thinner wire. Any ideas on where to find something like this?

I made a small dia. tail weight mold for my metal needles. It is .187, 3/16", dia. and has a very small hold thru it, .052 dia. already for small dia wire. They are about 1 1/4" long. A 1/8" outside dia. is going to be hard to make, especially with a hole already thru it, and drilling a hole thru it for any length will also be pretty difficult. I think what I have will be your best bet. Send me your addy Bob and I will send you one to see if that works for you. I'd think it would be perfect and doubt you are going to find anything that small unless someone made their own.

NJTackle used to carry small diameter weights like that....check and see if they still do

Solid lead solder might work put putting a hole is very unlikely. I've used 1/4" solid lead rod for my special weighted Wadds. It comes in a roll. The P.I.T.A. part is getting it straight enough to put in a hole 3" long. 17/64" dia.

I have used lead flashing in the past......polled around a piece of thru wire to get the thru hole.......P.I.A. but might work for you

^ Great tip. Saves from having to create a mold when testing protos.

Sluggo weights alongside a wire might work.

Pencil lead can be had anywhere they sell steelhead supplies. You can also find it at cabelas. It comes in several sizes and with or without the thru hole. It is extremely handy in building smaller baits. The smallest I have found with through hole is 5/32. It will accept .051 wire. The larger stuff accepts .062 fine.

http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac167/alphabaits/lead002.jpg

http://i896.photobucket.com/albums/ac167/alphabaits/lead004.jpg

I second the pencil wieght lead. I have used it.

I saw ^^^^ at cabelas