Pouring tail weights directly into plugs
 

Does anyone here pour lead for tail weights directly into your plugs, and if so, are you sealing before or after ?

I am worried that the heat from the hot lead would burn out the sealer, and on the other hand if the lead was in there first the sealer would not be able to get under the lead to penetrate the wood.

I've poured belly weights this way before and for those I'm not sure it mattered as the belly holes get covered, but for a thru weight where you know water will get in there it may make a difference.

Anyone done this before ?

i've done it. it's a pain to get the wire center so you can pour without the wire ending up coming out WAY off center.
i sealed after. the weight helps hold them down in the sealer can.

Thanks. I through drill with a 1/8 bit and the metal rods you use to support fiberglass insulation are 1/8" and are pretty stiff and they fit very nicely in the hole and you can get em bythe box at HD...

I'm hoping to just drop the rod in the hole, pour the lead and pull the rod out. That way I can just drill to different depths to get different sized tail weights without having to cut em all on the bandsaw and handling all the lead.

i drilled the plug. thru wired it, and stood it on it's nose with the noseloop in a vise. it's a biatch to get the wire out once the lead sets up. i'm cheap i just grab an old tire weight out of the bucket, hold it with a pair of pliers, and hit it with the handheld torch till it melts into the holes. file off the rest. and do the tailwrap. then soak in the sealer. i been doing all hook hangers so no swivels to fill up with sealer.
seems to work ok and the tailweight and bellyweight is always the right size

Why not make a simple mold out of a couple of pieces of scrap wood instead? Use gate shears to cut to size. This will allow you to individually weigh each plug so it sits right. FYI, I would not cut lead on the bandsaw :eek5: lead dust from doing that will get all over. Gate shears are a much safer idea.

Jigman

Seems to me to not be worth the hassle. Just make a mold like jigman said. Much easier. I use PAM on the rods for my tail weight molds so they come out easy. You can do the same with your HD wire if you are going to pursue this method. I think you had some jig molds built by someone last year. He should be able to knock one of those out for you in aluminum easily. Good luck.

I've been pouring them into wooden molds but then you gotta cut them to fit and when I cut them I end up pinching the thru wire hole and then I gotta drill them again to reopen the hole. Then I gotta cut them to length. If I pour teh same diameter as the hole and the hole gets full of sealer then its too tight a fit.

I was just hoping to drill the holes to the right depth, put in a wire, pour into the plug, pull the wire and be done. Plus that way I could make whatever diameter hole I wanted.

You guys have not discouraged me anough, I may still play around with this. :bl:

Make the mold slightly undersized to the drill dia. for the tail of the plug. No cleaning!
Cut the weight to length on your band saw. No closing of the wire hole!

I tried the pour method, thats how my father did it, I made my own molds from blocks of aluminum, I spray them with Market basket brand non stick spray, and cut them to size, alot less trouble than pouring hot lead in a plug...

BTW, when I did pour it directly into the plug, I poured, filled the hole with epoxt 2 part filler and then sealed.....

If you use a sharp pair of cutters, wire type there is no closing of the hole. I never had a problem. Also like Bill said make the mold .010 smaller than your drill size and they should slide right in. There are several ways to skin a cat, no wrong way. Do what you are comfortable with. I also use the low budget spray too.

Cutting lead on the band saw is a bad idea. Lots of lead dust spread about the place. Worse than just touching the lead.

I use a piece of wire bigger than the thru-wire. Usually do not have a problem with the hole closing up too much. On the few that I do, just shove a nail or other pointed object in there to open the hole a little. Drilling lead is also a bad idea, just like the bandsaw deal.

Jigman

if i have to cut one i leave a scrap piece of wire in the hole.
i got a big pair of dikes that look like a C so they cut real nice..

I use a nail to form the hole, of course they are what I had and pull fine with no lube.

I use a simple tail weight mold.:tm: :pop:

I have poured directly in the plug after sealing..no problems that I know of. I sometimes pour the belly weight, but find that controlling weight can be a problem, especially if the lead follows the wire. I use aluminum wire and it slides out like sh-- thru a goose.:tooth: