In today's difficult economic conditions worth thinking about self-production tackles and their accessories at home. Moreover, some necessary equipment It's very easy to make for fishing. Let's look at the process of making fishing sinkers.

To prepare for the manufacture of lead weights, we will need:

First we have to make a mold for casting lead sinker.

Making a mold for casting lead weights

Nothing complicated to make forms There are no weights for casting and even a child can do it. Now in detail and one by one about how to make a mold for filling sinkers.
1. Take the first one plastic cup and cut it as shown in the photo.

2. Cut off the second cup.


3. Cut out the bottom with a heated knife or scalpel.


4. The cut part of the second cup with the bottom cut out should fit into the first cup as in the photo.


5. This is how the sinker for front-loaded spinners will be placed.


6. To lay the sinker, we will have to make a slot in the wall of the cup with a gap for the thickness of the wire lead of the sinker.


7. This is what it should look like.


8. Take gypsum powder and dilute it with water. Fill the first glass halfway with gypsum solution. All operations with plaster should be done quickly. Unlike cement, it sets quickly.


9. To add rigidity to the structure, we lay a mesh to seal the seams between the plasterboard slabs.


10. Fill the mesh with plaster up to the edge of the cup.


11. We wait until the solution begins to set and then place a sinker in the center so that it is immersed in the gypsum solution to half its thickness.


12. Wait for it to dry completely, this takes about 30 minutes.


13. Using a knife or scalpel, we make holes around the perimeter for proper alignment of the finished halves of the mold (you can use a drill and a drill bit).


14. Take liquid soap and apply it to the first part of the mold. This must be done to prevent the parts of the form from sticking together. Liquid soap can be mixed with any lubricant.


15. Insert the cut cup with a slot for the leash in the same way as in the photo.


16. Secure it with tape or tape.


17. Fill it up to half the height with gypsum solution.


18. Don’t forget to lay the mesh for rigidity.


19. Fill to the end.


20. Wait for the second half of the mold to dry completely for 30 minutes and separate both parts.


21. It will look like this.


22. Cut and remove the cups from the plaster parts of the mold for casting the sinkers.


23. Using a scalpel or knife, carefully pry up the sinker and pull it out.




24. The exact shape of the first half of the sinker should be like this.


25. This is what both parts of the form look like for sinkers. But it’s too early to consider them ready. Our form still lacks a channel for pouring lead and a channel for air outlet (for communication with the atmosphere); it is needed to prevent the formation of pores and cavities. The last channel must be of very small diameter, otherwise it will be filled with a large amount of lead. There is no need to rush to make these two channels. It is better to do them in a day, the plaster will be even stronger after this time.


26. On another form you can see these channels.


27. This is what the filler hole should look like from the outside when both parts of the mold are aligned.


28. Channels can be easily made with a scalpel or drilled with a drill.


29. We are finalizing the first part of the form for laying the leash with an eye.


30. Check the fit of the parts.


31. We make notches at the ends to secure the parts with an elastic band. This will make the process of casting the sinker easier.


32. Now ours form ready and you can proceed to casting the sinkers.

Casting a lead sinker into a homemade plaster mold

Casting sinkers into a plaster mold is very simple and quick.
1. Take the form in which there is a wire leash with an eye and pour molten lead. In the photo, the form is in the hands, this should not be done.


2. Lead is poured until it fills the entire cavity.


3. After cooling, disassemble the mold.


4. We take out the sinker.


5. We process the sinker with side cutters and a needle file (file). The process of making the sinker is completed.


In one hour you can make large number sinker various forms and different weights. It all depends on how many molds you have made and how much lead you have. This will save your fishing expenses. You can take lead for making sinkers from old ones. batteries or from the sheath of old electrical cables.

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The sinker is one of the consumable components of the tackle and often disappears along with the hook when biting large and strong prey. In stores, the cost of sinkers increases in direct proportion to their weight. Therefore, if catching large fish is carried out using several tackles, then purchasing sinkers becomes quite expensive.

At the same time, this element of equipment is quite simple to manufacture and practically does not require careful processing and complex preparation for use.

The material for the sinker is also quite common and accessible, so even complex sinkers can be made independently using appropriate blanks.

Simple options

The simplest thing is to make lead weights using a plaster or sand mold. This method has a number of undoubted advantages:

The use of lead and gypsum when making sinkers yourself has several significant nuances:

• at a temperature of about 200°C, water begins to actively evaporate from the gypsum, which leads to destruction of its structure and splitting of the product;
• lead is pressed into plaster when it hardens, which makes it almost impossible to remove the sinker without destroying the shape;
• gypsum blank has a large number of micropores, which leads to the need to polish the finished product.

When using sand instead of gypsum, the process of preparing the mold is greatly simplified, however, the requirements for the material of the box in which the workpiece will be located when pouring lead are increased; it is advisable to use a metal support. The product itself will be somewhat less aesthetically pleasing and will require serious polishing.

Making simple disposable molds

The fragility and destruction of the gypsum structure when water evaporates makes it difficult to use this material for reusable use. However, as a disposable and easy-to-make mold, gypsum is ideal.

To make a shape for a simple sinker you need:

The easiest way to make a cone-shaped sinker is to use a paper cone in the sand:

• A paper blank (a piece of paper rolled into a cone) is inserted into any container tightly filled with sand, into sharp end a metal loop for the sinker is inserted into the cone;
• Lead is melted and poured into a paper cone;
• Part of the cone burns, but during this time the lead has time to cool a little and begin to harden;
• The cooled workpiece is removed from the sand and processed with a file.

You can use aluminum foil instead of paper.

The material for the sinker is also quite common and accessible, so even complex sinkers can be made independently using appropriate blanks

Forms for regular use

A plaster mold, even a very well made and dried one, will sooner or later collapse and you will have to make a new one or use a product suitable for frequent use.

Of course, for repeated use, molds made of heat-resistant steel or cast iron are best suited, but making these yourself is almost impossible. But cement is good for creating a melting mold, although this will require a little work.

Materials and tools for reusable uniforms:

• formwork material (wooden boards);
• liquid soap;
• cement;
• round file;
• fine sandpaper;
• clamp;
• cylinders for inserting into the filler hole;
• wire for making loops for the sinker.

For repeated use, molds made of heat-resistant steel or cast iron are best suited, but making these yourself is almost impossible

Making a reusable cement mold

Creating a cement mold is quite time-consuming, this is due to the relatively long hardening of the mixture.

The form creation process itself looks something like this:

1. Formwork is being made, preferably collapsible;
2. The inner surface of the formwork is covered with liquid soap and installed on flat surface, also treated with soapy water;
3. The formwork is filled with cement mortar;
4. Into cement that has not yet hardened, the desired workpiece is half-immersed;
5. The cement must harden completely, this may take 1-2 days;
6. After the cement has completely dried, the formwork is disassembled and reassembled for the next filling;
7. The first, frozen half, together with the protruding workpiece, is greased with soap;
8. The second half of the mold is prepared, cement is poured into it;
9. First half with surface, covered with soapy water, is installed on the second part of the mold;
10. The cement hardens again;
11. After the cement has dried in both halves of the mold, with a round needle file, the central cone-shaped holes are bored out in each half for pouring lead, and two side channels are also made for air removal;
12. Surface of the sinker mold processed with sandpaper;
13. Before pouring the mold halves tightly held together with a clamp.

Molds for casting several weights

For more fast work You can make molds for several weights at once. For formwork, you can use a grille from neon lamps.

When preparing a mold for multiple pieces, additional assistance may be required as you may not have time to place all the pieces before the material used has cured.

• Porosity plaster mold and the tendency of lead to stick when cured can be significantly reduced using chalk or talc for processing inner surface molds to fill voids and create a layer between the lead and plaster.
• To increase the service life of the gypsum mold, you can impregnate and treat it from the inside with sealant to reduce water evaporation when pouring metal. It won't be durable, but it will probably last a few more uses.
• In the manufacture of small weights to create outlet channels You can use regular matches or nails, just stick them into the mold material before it hardens.
• Instead of soap solution and vegetable oil You can use silicone grease.

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DIY sinkers

Making homemade weights is not only useful, but also a very simple procedure. Weights are needed mainly by bottom fishers and spinning fishermen for rigs with retractable mounting. Even a novice angler can master this technique. The main thing is to have lead, create a fire source and find suitable dishes. In this article we will learn how to make fishing sinkers, where to get lead and what fire sources are best.

Where can I get lead?

Do-it-yourself fishing sinkers are cast from any lead that you have on hand. The easiest way to obtain lead is to go to a tire shop and buy used balance weights. Such lead will cost much less than if you buy sheet lead. You can buy the required number of kilograms and get a large number of weights from them for various purposes. The only thing to consider is the steel pieces molded into the middle of some of the weights. It is advisable to remove them during melting. But you usually don’t come across many such sinkers. The weights can be melted all together without sorting them by density.

The second way to extract lead is from old batteries. It is better to find points where they accept old batteries and buy them at a reasonable price. It's more the hard way, since you will have to disassemble the batteries to remove their lead.

The third way to get lead out of cable braids. It is made of sheet lead with a thickness of 1, 1.5 and 2 mm. If you know any electricians, ask if they can get this braid. From such lead you can not only cast weights, but also cut strips for feeder feeders.

The most expensive way is to buy lead. It is sold in sheets and ingots. Better, of course, is sheet metal, but its size is very large. In such cases, fishermen unite and buy one sheet together.

You can also make weights with your own hands from old weights, which almost every angler probably has.

One thing is certain: absolutely any lead is suitable for casting sinkers with your own hands. It doesn't matter if it has impurities, or how dense or soft it is. Our task is weights for bottom fishing.

Pour out a sinker for a donkey with a rubber shock absorber

Let's first look at how to make fishing weights for elastic bands. We will perform this procedure outside. We will need a fire or a gas burner with a spray can. In the first case, it takes more time to melt lead, but there is no need for equipment or extra costs.

Melting lead using gas burner takes just a few minutes, but requires a can of gas.

We also need a tablespoon, a lead tin and a little patience. We will dump the load in the ground. We find wet area earth and press a hole with a spoon to make a boat like this. Next, take a stick and insert it into one of the ends of the resulting form. Then we wait for the lead to melt.

After it becomes liquid, pour it into the resulting recess. We wait until it cools down a little, after which we take out the stick. The result will be a load weighing about 300-350 grams. It will lie well on the bottom and is easy to cast over long distances. We inserted a stick to create a hole in the weight.

You can pour several pieces at once if you can get a fire source with a high temperature.

Many fishermen ask the question: “How to make fishing sinkers for elastic bands of light weight, so that they stick well to the bottom and are not carried away by the current. Making such weights is quite simple. You need to take 3-4 pieces of wire 10 cm long and bend them into staples. Then place it in the recess. After pouring you will get a spider like this. After casting, the weight will lie in one place, and these pieces of wire will hold it. The weight of the cargo in this case may not exceed 150 grams.

Pour out the cone weights

Donkers and spinning fishermen often use hand-made conical weights. The former are used because they fly far and accurately, while spinners use them in spaced rigs. Making these weights yourself is very easy. You don't even need forms. We will need hard paper, with which we will make cones in the form of small bags.

We will also need thin and stiff wire. From it we will make eyelets through which the weights will be attached to the main fishing line.

We will pour the sinkers with our own hands in exactly the same way as last time. Instead of a gas burner, you can use a portable one with two burners. It will be possible to pour in two containers to make the process faster. In this case, place the jars on the stove at intervals of 5 minutes. The lead has melted in one, pour it straight into the molds. After this operation, the lead should melt in the second container.

We insert wire staples into the paper molds so that the eye sticks out from the top of the cone. We immerse the molds in the ground so that they take a vertical position. We select the size of the molds experimentally. We estimate by eye what kind of weight we need. As a standard, you can take a 35 gram weight and look at it. It will be enough to pour out the first batch of sinkers for fishing with your own hands. We will use the resulting weights as samples when we make molds for the next batches.

The pouring process is identical to the previous one. You can use an unnecessary metal mug as a container for lead. It is convenient to take it by the handle and pour lead from it. To avoid burning your fingers, it is better to wear gloves on your palms. After pouring, you should wait a little and remove the weights from the molds. We just tear off the paper without sparing it, since initially the molds are disposable.

Pour out flat sinkers for donks

Often used in bottom fishing flat weights. Typically they have oval shape. Such sinkers lie well on the bottom even when fishing in strong currents. How to make such sinkers for fishing? To do this, cut out an oval piece 4 cm long and 2 cm wide from elastic 3 mm thick. You can also make heavier weights. For this we will use larger workpieces

Next, we make 7-8 dents in the ground, as in the previous case, when we poured out a large sinker for the elastic band. We will be making two types of weights. One type is sliding, and the second is with an eye. To pour the sliding weights, cut thin wire into pieces that are 1 cm longer than the length of the recesses. Insert the wire into these recesses.

To obtain weights with eyes, we will do exactly the same as when pouring cone weights. Only the ear this time will peek out from the recess. If necessary, you can drill holes on the edge of the sinkers

Carefully pour the molten lead into containers and wait about 5 minutes. After this, you can carefully collect them with a spoon.

Pour fishing weights into molds

To obtain calibrated weights of various shapes and weights, metal molds of various types are used.

Let's look at how to cast weights in a metal mold of this type:

The form consists of two halves. After pouring, you should get sinkers weighing 130 grams with swivels.

In addition to lead, we will need two clamps for clamping forms, swivels and files with nippers for removing roughness from the resulting weights. Before casting, we lubricate all molds with machine grease so that the weights can be easily removed after pouring.

First, we insert the swivels into the four sinker molds.

Then we press the halves together with clamps.

Next, set to heat the lead in a suitable container. This mold has large enough sprues, so there won't be any problems with casting. That part of the lead that remains near the sprues is collected and used in the next pour.

Place the mold on a flat surface. When the lead melts, we begin to pour:

We clamp the container in which the lead is melted with pliers, and begin to carefully pour the lead into the holes.

After pouring, wait a few minutes and disassemble the mold. The result should be ribbed weights like these:

It needs to be slightly processed with a file. Remove the section from the sprue side. Large growths can be bitten off with nippers, after which the area can be treated with a file. As a result, you can make a very large number of sinkers.

They can be used in feeder fishing to break through the bottom. Such heavy sinkers are useful for bottom fishers when fishing in strong currents. They fly far and hold the bottom well.

Conclusions

We have reviewed the most simple ways casting sinkers. You can make weights even if you don't have molds. Subject to availability metal molds you can cast weights to order and make money from it. The main thing in this process is to find lead and a well-ventilated place. Remember that in indoors Casting lead is harmful.

There are also ways to cast weights in plaster and wooden forms. But for this you also need to make forms, which only complicates the task. And the period of their use is not very long. It is important to understand that weights are consumables. Therefore, you should not spend a lot of time on this process, trying to get products of perfectly correct shapes.

In the article you will get acquainted with the main types, as well as tactics for using them.

Study everything to become a real fisherman and learn how to make the right choice.

The sinker is one of the important components of your equipment; almost no equipment can do without it. And on top of all this, sinkers often break off and get lost, which means it can be classified as a consumable that does not last very long.

If you are a DIYer, then this article is definitely for you. Because there are a couple of advantages to casting sinkers yourself
Firstly, it is versatility; you can always make 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 from the nearest car service center, from tire fitters. You just need to buy plaster, which costs around 80 rubles. for 5 kg.

Step-by-step instructions for making a casting mold

Making sinkers is not long and does not complex process, but you probably know that every business has its own tricks and nuances. Let's go!

First we need to prepare everything we need:

• Container;
• Construction plaster or alabaster;
• A sample of a sinker or a sample of any other material;
• Lubricant (soap solution, etc.);
• Lead (in my case these are weights for balancing wheels);

We begin our process by preparing the sinker and container for filling with gypsum. First, we take the 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 plaster hardens evenly, without large angles or differences.

The sinker is fixed, now we mix the plaster. I experimented a lot, did 1 to 1, mixed with PVA glue, etc. By the way, the photographs are different and all are almost unsuccessful molds. So, in the end it turned out perfect shape, which does not crumble even without the use of PVA glue. I just mixed the plaster well in a 2:1 ratio with water, there is no need for unnecessary movements and the plaster is liquid enough to cast even small figures with complex shapes.

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

After the mold has set and dried a little (about 30 minutes), you can make locks to connect the two halves. I did it using an ordinary knife. They can also do it with the help of drills and other objects, 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 set, which cannot be done if the lock is in the shape of a cylinder (after the drill).

Are the castles ready? Now let's lubricate the mold and locks with soapy water twice as much. They smeared it once, then again after a couple of minutes. Lubricate the locks thoroughly.

Personally, I did it using homemade lubricant from vegetable oil and a candle. It turned out much more effective. To make the oil and crushed candle, I put the microwave in plastic container and waited until it completely melted. Next, I mixed it well and spread it in one layer on the mold.

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

Wait 30 minutes in the same way and carefully fold back the sides of the container and remove the molds. The molds will be quite fragile, if you want you can wait longer for them to dry.

Next, we make a couple of small channels for air removal 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 fill with a swivel, just make a small hole at the joint.

The main task after you take them out and make all the necessary channels will be drying them. Give her some time special attention, since pouring lead into a poorly dried mold is very dangerous, it may simply spit the lead back out. And God forbid it gets into your hands, or worse, into your eyes. And be sure to follow TB rules.

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 final stage- drying at temperatures 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, set 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. All that remains is to prepare the lead and pour it. I took wheel balancing weights and cut them into small pieces so that it would melt faster. Of course, you don’t have to do this, since there have never been any problems even with fairly large weights.

You can melt lead at gas stove in normal tin can, or using a gas burner. We pour molten lead into the main channel. Be sure to wear gloves and use pliers!

Making fishing sinkers at home is not only a very simple task, but also very profitable. Considering the cost of branded items, compared to a large number of force majeure situations when fishing, you will save a good amount of money. Not to mention specific features“extreme” types of carp fishing (for example, in snags or algae), which always involve “losing” the sinkers.

But you will still have to fork out a little, for example, to purchase casting molds and plastic powder for a special coating of ready-made sinkers (which can be easily found on the shelves of fishing stores). But, believe me, these investments will bring you solid dividends in the future.

Where can I get raw materials?

As for lead, I would advise you to “make friends” with some plumber (or an employee of a car repair shop where batteries are often changed). Personally, I was very lucky - I became friends with a neighborhood plumber who “supplies” a bunch of lead/water pipe scraps to me completely free of charge.

If you don’t have such friends around you, then it doesn’t matter. Just find out where metal is accepted (or recycled) in your city and go there for the weekend. Even if you have to buy “pieces” of lead raw materials, don’t worry! You will still be a serious winner, considering the rather “inflated” cost of store-bought / branded weights.

Stages of making fishing sinkers

As I wrote earlier, there is nothing complicated in this process. First you will need to melt the lead thoroughly.

How to melt lead for fishing weights

For this purpose, I use a very old (no longer needed) saucepan and a gas stove. I simply place the crushed pieces of lead on the bottom of the vessel and keep it on the fire until they turn into shiny / “floating” droplets. Which indicates that the lead has already warmed up to a critical temperature, which means the temperature we need.

“Store” forms for sliding weights

An old and unnecessary pan for melting lead

Warming up casting molds

While the lead is successfully melting at the bottom of the pan, I slightly heat up the casting molds themselves in order to avoid the formation of unevenness or “gaps” on the weights when casting them. In addition, I must note that pouring molten lead into cold molds is very dangerous! Since it (due to a sharp temperature change) can “splash” directly onto your face, thereby causing a long (!) non-healing burn.

Using a slotted spoon, pour the lead into the molds.

We wait a few seconds until our sinkers cool down

We fix the forms in a vice

I securely clamp the normally heated casting molds in a vice, which (in turn) I attach to the edge of the table. In fishing stores you can choose a variety of molds for casting sinkers, for example, with clamps or with welded handles. But in today's example (you can look at the photo), I'm making exactly three-ounce/sliding weights. Therefore, in in this case, right through the center of the form - a specific rod passes.

We begin the filling process

Once the lead is completely melted, using a regular tablespoon (only with a makeshift notch on the side, which I will talk about later), I carefully “scrape” all the debris from its surface. And then, with the same spoon, I scoop it up (a little at a time) and carefully pour it into the molds.

I try not to complicate my life, so I always keep the pouring molds next to the stove. So that I don’t have to run far with a hot spoon, spilling all the lead along the way, and sometimes go back and melt it again, because it has already cooled down.

Some fishermen melt lead directly in mini saucepans with a V-shaped recess (like coffee makers - on the side of the neck), so that it can be conveniently poured into molds directly from the container. But I use an old/regular vessel, only I always make a V-shaped notch on a tablespoon. It's much more convenient!

This is what the sinker looks like before processing and cleaning

Bare weights ready for coating

We take out the “blanks” from the molds

Then I wait for the lead to cool (literally a few seconds), after which I remove the forms from the vice and carefully open them. I highly recommend doing this this operation- only wear gloves, because both the sinkers themselves and the molds will still be very hot.

Cleaning and treatment of excess

Then I remove the rod and wait for the sinker to completely cool down. That is, until it is possible to eliminate all flaws on the surface of the product with “bare” hands (without burns). For example, those formed due to the uneven fit of the halves of the form. Then I cut it down and put a “funnel” on top, a kind of “growth” after pouring.

Heat the sinker before applying the powder

And after that, to create a smooth surface

We apply a special coating

I consider myself an advanced fisherman, so I never use “bare” sinkers, but cover them with a “solid” layer of plastic using special “store-bought” powders. For this purpose, I again “string” the weights onto the rod and carefully heat them over the flame of a gas burner.

When the sinker warms up a little (and does not start to melt again, be careful), I sprinkle powder on it evenly (from all sides). And then I keep it on the fire again so that the “powdered sand” melts normally and turns into smooth surface. The result is a great homemade sliding sinker.

And once again about the most important...

I remind you once again: be as careful as possible when melting lead, since in this state it is very dangerous for the skin (burns take a very long time to heal and leave scars forever). Don't forget to reheat the molds! Work with hot workpieces - only with special gloves!

Translation of materials from the site www.essexangling.com