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Lead Substitue

PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2018 1:47 am
by Acetylcholin99
Hi!

I just want to know if there is sth what I can use instead of lead for the lure. Only Tungsten powder?

Thx

Michael

Re: Lead Substitue

PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2018 5:44 am
by dahlberg
Any soft metal that can be melted will work. Pewter, babbit, etc. I've even used Gallium, which melts in your hand! The advantages of lead and tungsten is that they are extremely heavy for their volume.
best
L

Re: Lead Substitue

PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2018 9:07 am
by Acetylcholin99
Hi Larry,

I agree with you about the weight and volume ratio of lead and tungsten. My problem is I don't have much space in my workshop and I have a 4 yr old. So I don't want deal with melting lead and I'm still not convinced if tungsten as a heavy metal is so safe at least as powder. Is there a putty which I could use?

thx

Michael

Re: Lead Substitue

PostPosted: Mon May 28, 2018 10:41 pm
by Acetylcholin99
Hi Larry,

Thank you for your replay. Is there something like a putty or a Polymer which is easy to mold and to use as a lead substitute. I'm not so convinced according to my research of tungsten powder as heavy metal is really so "healthy".

Thx

Michael

Re: Lead Substitue

PostPosted: Wed May 30, 2018 5:41 am
by RhettWheeler
Tin is easy to use and melts at a lower temp than lead. It’s roughly half the weight of lead tho-so some people will do a 50/50 mix of lead and tin to get a desired weight.

Re: Lead Substitue

PostPosted: Fri Jun 01, 2018 8:32 am
by dahlberg
What kind of lure(s) are you trying to make? Lead putty is available and is used as a moldable lead by fly anglers but i don't think it would work very well in soft plastic. I use a large vice grip or small 4 ton brake press to reshape lead without melting it when I need a "plug" to re-weight or balance a hard lure. There are always many ways to skin a cat.
best
L

Re: Lead Substitue

PostPosted: Sat Jun 02, 2018 9:37 am
by Acetylcholin99
Hi L,

I don't have the space for big tools at the moment and I have a little child who is very curious and wants to see touch everything what daddy is doing. So I have to find sth instead of lead. I thought about Tungstenputty. I just want to eleminate the lead. My goal is to make hard and softplastic lures and I can imagine that soft-plastic lures might be an issue. But Tin and Gallium are in my eyes to soft and too light.

Thx

M