Always remember safety first when making lures as it is fun but dangerous. My lead melter was getting low so I added another cake. Now I always use gloves and one of those things that picks up trash to keep my distance. Below is the aftermath of a lead explosion. 

 

Allen 

33 minutes ago, Munkin said:

Always remember safety first when making lures as it is fun but dangerous. My lead melter was getting low so I added another cake. Now I always use gloves and one of those things that picks up trash to keep my distance. Below is the aftermath of a lead explosion. 

 

Allen 

 

Yeeouch! Thanks for the tip. I've been pondering

getting into making my own jig heads...not real

serious, mind you, but pondering.

You weren't hurt, I hope.

 

Allen, how/why did this happen?

That is one of the reasons I don't use scrap lead.

I am fine but have a nice mess to clean up tonight when I get home. This is my 12th year pouring lead baits and I am completely paranoid about getting burnt.

 

Since I get tired of unclogging the pot all of the time I started using the little ladle in the picture. The lead cakes I use are from a plumber friend since he no longer uses lead. The cake was cold but not wet that I could tell but when I put it in it started crackling. Crackled for about 5 seconds then just blew like a volcano throwing what I estimate about 2lbs of lead everywhere. I was at least 25' away which I do everytime just in case something like this would happen. This is the only problem I have had in 12 years besides a buddy trying to put 12lbs of lead in a 10lb pot.

 

Allen

Wow, I'm glad you're okay.  That's nuts.

The good news is the new Collins mold (In the pic) pours great and the heads come out looking like they were spincast.

 

Bad news is I have to clean up all that mess before my wife sees it. Still cannot think of an excuse as to why lead is stuck to the house siding.

 

Allen

Update: If you guys see that I have stopped posting it was nice to know you. I may not be able to post due to no Wi-Fi at the homeless shelter or I and buried in a shallow grave. There is freaking lead shrapnel 10' up the side of the house on the bathroom window. Most of the lead has been easy to clean up as it does not stick very well to objects. Now some maybe permanently melted into the table, going to try a putty knife on it later.

 

Allen

When I was looking into casting bullets one of the tips I read was to get an old toaster oven and heat the ingots for an hour or so before adding them to a hot pot to insure that they are dry before they go in.