Well I know my plastics, but what about lead? I really want to start making my own tube heads, drop-shot weights ect ect... But I have no clue where to begin. What do I need and is it anything lke pouring plastic?  O yes, danger????

http://www.bassresource.com/bass_fishing_forums/YaBB.pl?num=1221702532 8-)

Burley does a really good job.  He poured me a bunch of tube heads and they worked perfect.  Shoot him a PM, he'll give you the skinny on lead pouring.

I read Gman's link.  He covered all the basics.  Check with Do-It for molds and good prices on components like Bakudan Dropshot swivels.  They have a price break at like 500.

I read Gman's link. He covered all the basics. Check with Do-It for molds and good prices on components like Bakudan Dropshot swivels. They have a price break at like 500.

A quick story about lead pouring, and a cautionary note.

Be extremely cautious when melting lead plumbing.  

When I lobstered, we would pour lead once a year, while making "high flyers".  We used 1 1/4 inch aluminum tubing for the poles.  An inflatable buoy, designed to slide over a pole was clamped to the pole about a third of the way from the bottom end.  A flag and radar reflector were attached to the other end.

A variety of methods are used to add weight to the bottom end of the pole to keep them upright.  Some lash sash weights to the pole, others set the pole in a piece of 4" pvc pipe and fill it with concreted.

I liked neither, since they could hang on the rail of the boat when pulling them in, or setting them back over the side.

I drilled a 1/4" hole below the buoy so the pole could not fill with rainwater or when it was laid over in rough weather.  It also eliminated any air bouyancy below the waterline.

I opted for driving a wood plug about 30 inches into the pole, then filled that end with lead.  When the lead hardened, we'd crimp the end to lock the lead in place.

I have a plumbers pot and ladle for melting and pouring.  

Someone gave us a bunch of lead piping they had pulled from a house being renovated.  We melted it.  The problem was, that some of the pipes contained droplets of water.  

When placed in the pot, the lead melted away with that drop of water beneath the surface of the lead.  The water instantly turned to steam, throwing molten lead everywhere, like a volcano erupting.

I have several small scars on the backs of both hands where the flying lead landed.  Fortunately the lead was like fine strings, not blobs.

Other than the small scars, it produced no significant damage.  I was extremely lucky.  After that, we cut the pipe into small pieces and allowed it to dry.  The pipe had been folded when I got it which prevented any moisture content from drying.