Tire weights question

[Charleston]

There is alot of trash alloyed into the tire weight material. Most of the guys that I know that make jigs/bucktails/sinkers will not use it.

[nightfighter]

you can use lead flashing, sold on rolls at building suppy houses.

[black label]

i use it to make 1.5 & 2 oz shad heads. i have no problem. it is just a little lighter . with the dirt after it is melted andf you took out all the tire connectors thak an old screw driver and stir the melted lead all the dirt will stick to it the take it out and smack it against the ground all the dirt will come off so you can do it again. keep clearing it out until there is no more dirt then pour. good luck.

[Nebe]

My plan is to get my hands on a do-it mold.. i like the 1.5 and 2.5 smiling bills for where i fish.. I wonder if guys who pour thier own dont use it because its a friggin pain in the arse to melt down and get rid of the steel hub clips...

It comes out pretty shiney...might be a good metal for tins

[Jigman]

Originally Posted by Nebe

My plan is to get my hands on a do-it mold.. i like the 1.5 and 2.5 smiling bills for where i fish.. I wonder if guys who pour thier own dont use it because its a friggin pain in the arse to melt down and get rid of the steel hub clips...

It comes out pretty shiney...might be a good metal for tins

All kinds of other crap in those besides lead. Several problems with using it for jigs. First, because of the other crap, you don't know the actual melting point of the weights. Therefore, you end up melting at a higher temp and creating more fumes. Plus, due to the different melting temps, they'll often go solid before you get the mold full. You'll end up wasting hooks and time. Lastly, because of the other crap in there, you are never quite sure what the end weight will be. My suggestion would be to use that stuff to weigh plugs.

The best stuff to use for jig making is pure, soft lead. Go to your local plumbing supply store and get some lead ingots (sometimes called lead caulking). They usually come in 5# disc shaped ingots. Second choise, stop by a local metal recylcing place. They often get lead sheeting that is used in building. Usually pretty cheap, though you may have some crap attached to the sheets. That will burn off pretty quick when you go to melt it.

BTW, you'll need two separate Do It molds to get those weights.

Jigman

[Nebe]

ahhh yes, i did notice that the metal set up really quickly as i was pouring them into the muffin pan.

i guess you get what you pay for.... the lead was free from our very own Fast Eddy

too bad there wasnt a do-it mold library where you could check out a mold for a few days and return it

[ProfessorM]

State Line Scrap in RI. Pawtucket I think. Not sure if it is even there anymore. I use to go there for lead 20 plus years ago.

[eastendlu]

The lead used in tire weights contains altimony or bismuth its to make it harder.You can use it it just takes a little more heat to melt it but that is up to you.