Fishing weights with their own hands. Smelting - casting sinkers in a plaster mold, a wooden mold, in a potato tuber. Sinkers for float rods

It is easy to cut a sinker model with a knife from a piece of bark or mold it from plasticine. For a one-time casting, the mold can be stamped in sand or dry earth, but then the surface of the load will be rough. This is the most fast way sinker castings, which can be used directly on fishing.

Gypsum mold for casting sinkers. If you want to make a mold for multiple casting, then you should use a plaster mold (Fig. 1.).

Rice. 1. Gypsum mold with a groove for pouring lead and air vents

In accordance with the size of the future cargo, make two identical boxes from thick cardboard. In the first, dilute the plaster and make an impression with a sinker model. The impression should be done exactly on half of the model. Do not forget about the lead filling system - for this you should use a nail (if the mold is small) to push through a small groove-groove, expanding towards the end. If you are going to smelt a large load or the quality of the sinker is very important to you, then you should take care of additional grooves to remove air from the mold. When the gypsum hardens, dilute the gypsum in the second box. The frozen mold should be covered with soapy water so that the second one does not stick to it, then put a sinker in it and connect the molds, pressing them tightly against each other. When the plaster hardens, open the molds and remove the model from them. You now have a mold for casting weights that will withstand repeated use.

In order to cast the sinker in your form, it is enough to press the molds tightly against each other, clamping them with a clamp. Then melt the lead and carefully pour it into the mold. It is important that the lead cools on its own, never try to cool it with water (this can ruin the sinker), do not open the mold ahead of time.

Casting sinkers in a wooden form. I am currently using this method. I don’t know about others, but it’s easier for me to melt in a wooden form (Fig. 2.). It's just that I have access to this material, and there is less fuss with wooden forms than with plaster ones, although everyone chooses for himself.

Rice. 2. Wooden molds for casting weights

First you need two planks, the dimensions and thickness of which depend, of course, on the future sinker. I prefer the Red tree– This material is hard and can withstand multiple castings. If you cannot find mahogany, then you can use any hard wood - oak, ash, etc. When the boards are selected, draw on them the contours of the sinker and the lead pouring system. It is important that when combining the parts, the pattern matches, otherwise the sinker will come out uneven. Next, use a cutter or chisel to cut out the recesses. Make them a little deeper than necessary: ​​at first glance, they will appear deep, but when cast, the load will come out flat. To enable the sinker to be attached to the line, insert a wire eyelet into the mold as shown in Fig. 3.

Rice. 3. Options for the location of the wire ear: a - external; b - internal, in a special groove

The external location of the eye does not require any additional effort, but with an excessive amount, the lead will fill the eye, and it is not easy to pick it out from there. The second option requires an additional groove, but then there will be no fuss. You choose! When you decide on the location of the lug, insert it into the mold and align the parts, clamping them with a clamp (Fig. 4.).

Rice. 4. Mold ready to be cast

It is very important that there are no gaps between the forms - lead can spread and the load will not come out. Work in a well ventilated area as the mold will smoke a little. In order for the load to come out neat, melt only the amount of lead that is necessary to fill the volume of the mold without the volume of the lead supply groove (this is true when using the external method of attaching the lug). Do not attempt to separate the molds until the lead has solidified completely - you may break the load.

When the lead has cooled, carefully open the molds and remove the load by the eye. All seams and inaccuracies can be sanded with sandpaper. If the molds have shifted and the load has not come out, then it can be melted down again, without forgetting to add a little lead, since in the process of melting it burns out and decreases in volume. If you want to make a sliding weight, then instead of an eye, insert a nail into the mold. When the lead has hardened, use a pair of pliers to remove the nail and insert an empty ballpoint pen in its place. The rod is needed so that the lead does not fray the fishing line.

Smelting sinker in a potato tuber. I have been fishing and smelting sinkers for a long time. During this time I have tried many different ways. I was constantly looking for a casting mold that would always be at hand, which was not difficult to make, in which the most intricate shapes of sinkers could be cast. And, probably, I found it - this is a potato tuber. Yes, yes, ordinary potatoes. For the first time, a familiar fisherman told me about this method.

The form is performed in this order. To obtain a molding cavity in the tuber right size and shape, it is necessary to make a metal model of the future cargo (most often conical). The model can be drawn on lathe or using an electric drill with a file, holding the workpiece in the chuck. The tuber must be chosen large so that the wall thickness is sufficient. Then, the casting cavity is preliminarily selected with a knife. Further, heating the model to a temperature at which it, in contact with the tuber, will leave a “crust” on it, we will process the cavity of the future form. The meaning of this treatment is to deprive the surface layer of the tuber of moisture, where the molten lead will contact the potatoes, and if there is more moisture than necessary, you can get burned, since the metal will turn the steam into the water contained in the tuber, and the steam, escaping outside, can push out of the cavity and molten metal. This will not threaten you if the walls are dried and covered with a layer of rosin 1-2 mm thick. In any case, the first pouring of the mold should be carried out very carefully, the metal should be fed in small portions. Each casting will dry out the walls of the mold more and more, and soon the mold will reach its operating mode.

Rice. 5. Potato tuber with a fastening eye

On a strong current, you can make a load with lugs (Fig. 6.). To do this, it is necessary to insert an elastic wire into the finished form at different angles. But in this case, the form can only be used once, since the tuber will have to be cut to extract the load. After the tuber is cut and the load is removed, cut off the excessively long wire or bend its ends into different sides. The cargo is ready. It is best used on a sandy bottom. So with a smaller mass of cargo in a strong current, it will securely fix the equipment.

Rice. 6. Grouser Sinker

This method of casting is quite interesting, but I think that the use of a potato tuber for purposes far from food is rather unethical, so I very rarely use this method.

See also:

Instruction - guide to self-manufacturing shipped in own casting molds.

In order to ensure casting of gear at a considerable distance from the shore, as well as for its reliable immersion and fixation at the bottom of the reservoir, almost every fishing gear is equipped with a sinker. Although in exceptional cases any metal object can be used for this purpose suitable weight, a properly made sinker will allow you to fish as efficiently as possible.

What should be the weight

A quality sinker must meet the following parameters:

• be heavy - for the manufacture of parts, as a rule, lead is used, which has the highest possible density from the materials available to the fisherman;
• have a streamlined shape with perfect smooth surface- when casting gear, aerodynamic forces act on the sinker. The rougher the surface of the sinker, the more rectangular shape if he has it, the shorter will be the flight of the tackle when casting, and when playing the fish or removing the tackle from the water, more effort will be required to check;
• have a reliable fastening for fishing line;
• do not stand out against the background of the bottom, so as not to scare away cautious fish;
• made from inexpensive materials.

To realize these conditions in practice, it is enough to stock up on the necessary amount of lead and metal or ceramic dishes to melt this metal.

Casting a simple sinker in a spoon

The easiest way to make a lead sinker for bottom tackle is to cast it in aluminum spoon. You will need the following materials and tools:

• lead - you can use old unnecessary sinkers or plates from an acid battery;
• aluminum spoon;
• container for melting lead - the melting point of lead is +327 degrees Celsius, so this operation can be carried out even in aluminum utensils. A steel or ceramic container will also work for this purpose;
• steel tongs.

The production of the sinker is carried out in the following sequence:

1. A container for melting metal is installed on the burner or fire;
2. Shredded lead is placed in the container;
3. When the lead is melted, pour the molten lead into the spoon, fixing it in a strictly horizontal position.

When the metal has cooled, it can be easily separated from the aluminum surface of the spoon and used as a sinker.

How to cast a sinker in a spoon

Conical sinker from a paper mold

The advantage of pouring a fishing sinker using a paper mold is the ability to experiment with the geometry of this product. The most common option - pouring into a matchbox - is not recommended, because it turns out a sinker with very poor aerodynamic qualities.

If an aluminum spoon for the manufacture of lead sinkers can be used repeatedly, then poured into paper form molten lead will make it unsuitable for reuse.

To make a lead conical sinker, you will need:

• thick paper;
• lead;
• melting container;
• burner;
• sand container.

Making a conical sinker:

1. A cone of the required shape is made of thick paper;
2. The top of the cone in its thinnest part is cut off;
3. Instead of a cut piece of paper, a steel wire is installed in the cone, which, with outside wound with a ring, and a piece of wire installed in a cone has a “mustache”;
4. A recess is made in the sand container, into which a paper cone with a wire fastener is installed. Installation is carried out with the narrow part of the cone down. If necessary, sand is added to the container, which should completely cover the cone from the outside. In this case, sand should not be allowed to enter the paper funnel;
5. The melting vessel is heated on a burner or fire, then pieces of lead are added. When the metal is melted, it is poured into a paper mold. After the lead has cooled, the sinker can be used for its intended purpose.

Form for conical sinker

Casting weights in a cement mold

If you need to make a large number of lead products, then a reusable product is required as a mold for casting. Cement molds have excellent characteristics, which allow casting sinkers for fishing of any configuration.

The manufacture of such a device will take some time, so this option is not suitable for the urgent manufacture of a sinker.

To create a form you will need:

• cement brand M400 or M500;
• metal tape 30-40 mm wide;
• blank;
• solution container;
• metal knitting needle;
• scotch;
• electric drill and a set of twist drills.

Mold making process:

1. A circle is made from a metal tape, slightly exceeding the length of the workpiece in diameter;
2. To prevent the tape from “blooming”, the circle is fixed with adhesive tape;
3. The resulting ring on one side is tightly closed with adhesive tape;
4. In two places exactly in the middle of the ring opposite each other, 2 holes with a diameter of 4-5 mm are drilled to install the knitting needle;
5. A knitting needle is inserted into one hole from the outside, a workpiece is put on it, then the knitting needle is threaded into the opposite hole;
6. Cement is poured into the solution container in an amount of 200 g, water is added and a solution of a creamy consistency is made;
7. The solution is poured into a container from a metal tape, exactly up to half. Then you need to wait 24 hours for the solution to harden;
8. A thin layer of engine oil is applied to the hardened cement surface. Wait 30 minutes for proper distribution of the lubricant;
9. kneading again cement mortar and poured until the mold is completely filled. We give the form to harden for 3 days;
10. When the cement mortar is completely dry, the mold is carefully disassembled. First, the knitting needle is removed from the frozen solution, then the adhesive tape is removed and the tape is unraveled;
11. The resulting concrete washer with a blank inside neatly splits in the middle.

When the form is divided into 2 halves, the sinker blank is removed, and a sprue is made to the void formed in its place. To do this, the two halves of the form are again connected in such a way that the original shape of the sinker is formed inside. Exactly in the middle with a concrete drill, a hole is made to the void inside the mold. The drill is used with a diameter of 6 millimeters. To facilitate the flow of molten lead into the mold, a small reaming of the hole is made with a drill larger diameter before the formation of a funnel. After completion of this operation, the mold will be completely ready for repeated casting of weights.

The process of casting sinkers in a concrete mold is carried out in the following sequence:

1. The concrete mold is placed in sand, which is preheated in a ceramic or metal container. The sprue must necessarily remain outside, and the ingress of sand into the mold must be completely excluded;
2. Lead is melted and poured in a thin stream into the sprue;
3. After the mold and lead have cooled, it must be removed from the sand and carefully disassembled. Thus, you can get at home professional quality sinkers for bottom fishing.

Processing of freshly cast leads

When the sinkers are cast, they must be properly processed. If the lead load was cast in an aluminum spoon, then a hole must be drilled in the metal to attach the fishing line.

The hole is drilled in the narrow part of the sinker using an electric drill and a 2 mm twist drill. Be sure to chamfer the hole with a larger diameter drill, otherwise the sharp edges of the metal will lead to rapid abrasion of the fishing line and breakage of the sinker.

Freshly cast sinkers need to be slightly shaded so that in the water the shine from a flat lead surface does not scare away cautious fish. For this purpose, a concentrated aqueous solution of potassium permanganate is used, in which the part must be kept for several hours.

If, after casting, sagging has formed on the surface of the product, then they must be removed with a velvet file.

When working with lead, it is necessary to remember the rules for the safe handling of heavy metals. It is strictly forbidden to breathe lead fumes, as well as to use kitchen utensils for their intended purpose after contact with this metal.

How to make a sinker for fishing is described in detail in this article, and if you strictly follow all the recommendations, you can get very quality product with excellent aerodynamic qualities.

Today I will tell you how to make do-it-yourself fishing weights from lead, and not spend money. Any jig spinner should ideally have a gentleman's set in order to feel confident on any body of water, even in the most unexpected fishing conditions. Such a set of loads implies the presence of a large number of sinkers, ranging from 1.5 g to 35 g, and sometimes more, with an interval of 2-4 g. 5 g, 4 g, 6 g, 9 g, 12 g, 15 g, 18 g, 20 g, 22 g, 25 g, 28 g, 32 g, 35 g.

Of course, it is quite burdensome to carry such a large amount of shot and buckshot all day long, especially since the load of each weight must be duplicated for cases of hooks. But on the other hand, this, in a sense, store assortment allows us to choose a bait for absolutely any fishing conditions.

Unfortunately, the fishing industry is far behind the potential needs of the market, and you will not find such a choice, especially eared ones, anywhere. The way out of this situation is quite simple - you need to cast and make weights for fishing yourself. Thus, two birds with one stone are killed at once - on the one hand, you save time by not running around the shops in search of the right weight, and on the other, you are no longer afraid to lose them on the cliffs.

How to make a weight from lead

How to make do-it-yourself fishing weights from lead, because according to statistics for 100 anglers, only 1 is a jack of all trades or a high-level locksmith who is able to make casting molds on his own. Do not forget that in our country the hardest currency, oddly enough, is liquid, and if you are able to explain to a locksmith, who is easy to meet at the checkpoint of any factory, what you need and what he needs, then this problem is completely solved in just a few days. The only thing to get forms for each weight is to tell the locksmith the exact diameters of the future ears. For convenience, we provide below a table of correspondence between diameters and weights in the form of a ball. This table is compiled specifically for lead, taking into account its density, so if you want to use for casting, for example, a Wood or Rose alloy with a lower density, obtained in the same form, it will be similar in diameter, but less in weight. And if you put tungsten fragments of electrodes into the mold before casting, you can get a very heavy and compact one.

How to make weight casting molds

Do-it-yourself molds for casting sinkers are also quite simple to make from gypsum or silicone sealant. Very original and at the same time simple solution is the manufacture of a mold for casting from silicone sealant of the Hermesil type or any similar. The criterion for selecting a sealant is the ability to withstand high temperatures without changing the properties of the material. Most household sealants have an upper temperature limit of about 150-180°C. This forces the use of sinkers for casting not lead (melting point about 350 ° C), but special alloys with a lower melting point. First of all, we are talking about Wood's, Rose's and printing alloys (melting point from 60 to 110°C). When using these alloys, the silicone mold will serve for a very long time without compromising the quality of the castings.

In the case of lead, a mold made of household sealant can withstand up to 10 castings, and the quality of each subsequent load becomes worse due to the gradual burning out of the sealant over the entire area of ​​contact between the molten lead and the mold. Currently, silicone sealant is easy to buy in auto stores or stores selling building materials. Such a silicone mold, despite its amazing elasticity and seeming unreliability, easily withstands high temperatures and a large number of castings. In addition, silicone sealant gives the angler an amazing opportunity to almost perfectly repeat any, even the most complex, shape of a sinker or spinning bait.

Form for weights

The shape of the weights is made very simply. A small box is taken, which is then filled to the brim with silicone sealant. During filling, make sure that there are no bubbles in the sealant. Next, the weight or bait that you are going to repeat is lubricated with a solution of wax or paraffin in gasoline, dried and lowered on a wire into a box with sealant so that it is completely immersed in the sealant, but does not touch the walls of the box. In such a suspended state, a sample of the future fishing weight or bait should be until the sealant has completely hardened. The process of polymerization of silicone sealant throughout the entire volume of the mold is not even, and the complete curing of the silicone mold can take five to six days. Therefore, do not remove the sample from the mold until complete polymerization has occurred.

This moment is easy to control by periodically carefully feeling the shape. The fully cured sealant should have the consistency of a well-inflated soccer ball. Next, a small sprue hole is carefully cut from above, through which a sample is removed due to the elasticity of the sealant. After that, the silicone mold is separated from the box and becomes completely ready for multiple castings. The lead is poured into such a mold and the finished do-it-yourself weight or bait is removed through the same sprue hole. At the moment of removing the finished sample, the mold stretches each time and, as it were, “spits out” it, after which it instantly takes on its original form and is again ready for new and new castings. The advantages of a silicone sealant mold are obvious: it is very cheap, extremely simple, and at the same time quite reliable. In addition to molds for eared balls, we highly recommend that you make several molds for casting such as lentils. Outwardly, it somewhat resembles a plum stone flattened from the sides. Lentils are lighter than a ball-shaped eared, but due to their shape it slips through the closed mouth of the fish much easier, significantly improving hooking. The use of lentils is most relevant when catching pike perch with its bulldog grip. Like these ones simple tips how you can make weights for fishing with your own hands and at no financial cost to you.

Today, many fishermen prefer to make their own tackle, but this is not associated with a certain savings, although, in this case, it is also present. Basically creating do-it-yourself sinkers, you can make the size, shape and weight that the angler himself needs, based on his preferences and experience.

In principle, absolutely any sinker can be cast independently, but if we are talking about a standard fishing rod, then nothing needs to be cast here. It is enough to find a piece of lead that fits in weight and process it with a needle file or pliers. It will also be much easier for those who combine fishing and hunting, because the almost finished sinker is a lead shot, which is easily upgraded into a sinker with a small incision.

As for the bottom gear, sinkers of a certain shape and weight are needed here. The material for such sinkers can be battery plates, from which lead is smelted and poured into a spoon scoop. When the lead has cooled, all that remains is to drill a small hole in the sinker (on the narrow side).

Particularly noteworthy is the casting of weights for spinning fishing, because such sinkers are more complex in shape than a tablespoon. That is why a special form is needed here.

When choosing a material for a casting mold, it should be remembered that a matrix that is easier to manufacture quickly becomes unusable. As a rule, the most common material for such forms is gypsum or metal, where the gypsum base is faster and simple option in the casting sinker, but at the same time it is able to withstand only a few castings.

As for metal molds, then you can do it yourself only with special equipment or order it from friends working at any enterprise where there are metalworking machines. This matrix will serve you long years and will be indispensable assistant in the manufacture of gear.

A sinker is one of the important components of your equipment; almost no tackle can do without it. And to all this, sinkers are often torn off and lost, which means that it can be attributed to consumables that do not live very long.

If you are a fan of doing everything with your own hands, then this article is definitely for you. Since, there are a couple of advantages in casting self-made sinkers
Firstly, it is versatility, you can always make yourself the necessary sinker of any shape and weight.
Secondly, this is a small savings. Lead is very available material and you can get it anywhere, for example, I take it at the nearest car service, from tire fitters. You only need to buy gypsum, which costs around 80 rubles. for 5 kg.

Step-by-step instructions for making a casting mold

Making sinkers is not a long and complicated process, but you probably know that every business has its own tricks and nuances. Go!

First we need to prepare everything we need:

• Container;
• Building gypsum or alabaster;
• Sample sinker or sample from any other material;
• Lubricant (soap solution, etc.);
• Lead (in my case, these are weights for balancing wheels);

We begin our process with preparing the sinker and container for pouring with plaster. First we take a sinker and make 2 holes on the same line along the length of the sinker and insert 2 metal rods there. We need them to fix the sinker inside the container. The sinker must be fixed parallel to the bottom of the container, or level, so that the gypsum hardens evenly, without large angles and drops.

The sinker was fixed, now we knead the plaster. I experimented a lot, did 1 to 1, mixed with pva glue, etc. By the way, the photos are different and all almost unsuccessful molds. So, in the end, we got an ideal shape that does not crumble even without the use of pva glue. I just mixed the gypsum well in a ratio of 2:1 with water, no extra gestures are needed and the gypsum is liquid enough to cast even small figures with complex shapes.

It is also desirable to reinforce the form with a construction sickle so that it lasts longer.

After the form has set and dried a little (about 30 minutes), you can make locks to connect the two halves. I did it with an ordinary knife. They also do it with the help of drills and other items, tools, nails, mice, in short, whatever comes to hand. Why better knife? Because the locks will be in the shape of a cone, which, in my opinion, is more convenient due to the fact that you can easily dismantle the 2nd half immediately after it has seized, which cannot be done if the lock is in the shape of a cylinder (after a drill).

Castles ready? Now we do lubricate the mold and locks with soapy water twice. They smeared it once, after a couple of minutes again. Lubricate locks thoroughly.

Personally, I did it with the help of homemade lubricant from vegetable oil and a candle. It turned out to be much more efficient. To make, I put butter and a crushed candle in the microwave in plastic container and wait until it melts completely. Next, mix well and spread in one layer on the form.

Now wait until the grease separator hardens and fill the other half with the same solution. I added a green tint to make them visually different.

Similarly, wait 30 minutes and gently bend the walls of the container to remove the molds. The molds will be quite fragile, if you want you can wait a little longer for them to dry.

Next, we make a couple of small channels for air exhaust and the main channel for pouring lead. Also, if you want to make a sliding sinker, make a through channel for a nail, for example. And if you need to pour with a swivel, just make a small hole at the junction.

The main task after you pull them out and make all the necessary channels is to dry them. Pay special attention to her, because pouring lead into a poorly dried mold is very dangerous, she can simply spit the lead back. And God forbid he gets into your hands, or worse, into your eyes. And be sure to watch TV.

You can dry the molds at home in the oven in several stages. Stage 1 drying at a temperature of 15-25 degrees for about 20 minutes. Stage 2 drying at a temperature of about 40 degrees for 10 minutes. And the final stage is drying at a temperature of up to 70 degrees for about 10 minutes. Do not dry at very high temperatures, the gypsum may lose its structure and become crumbly like sand. If you feel that the form is still damp, put it to dry for 15 minutes at a temperature of 50-60 degrees.

Step-by-step instructions for casting a sinker

The form is ready. It remains to prepare the lead and pour it. I took weights to balance the wheels and cut them into small pieces so that they melt faster. Of course, this can not be done, since there have never been problems even with fairly large sinkers.

You can melt lead gas stove in an ordinary tin can, or with the help of gas burner. Molten lead is poured into the main channel. Be sure to wear gloves and use pliers!