Fatman
Active member
Ok, proabably in the wrong section but Anyone pouring and selling removable tin split shot???
I'm looking for size 3/0, 7 and 5.
Fatman
I'm looking for size 3/0, 7 and 5.
Fatman
Removable Tin split shot
- Thread starter Fatman
- Start date
SaltyBuckster
New member
Looks like you are outa luck fatman,lol.
Hawnjigs (member on the site) is one of the few i know of who specializes in pouring non-lead jigs and such. His site shows some sinkers, but not splits that i could see - leadfreejigheads
If you get desperate, i have seen some non-lead products at my local bigbox stores (meijer, w-mart) lately, including splitshot.
If you get desperate, i have seen some non-lead products at my local bigbox stores (meijer, w-mart) lately, including splitshot.
Hawnjigs
KISS
Yup, sorry, I don't pour split shots. I would recommend commercially available Dinsmore tin split shot - very soft with a nice low vis black finish.
Fatman
Active member
Yeah but I had to ask LOL
Hawnjigs
KISS
Have you gotten any tin yet? It's powder paintable at 450* MP tho the shiny finish is attractive unpainted. Not likely to go down from present $18 / lb. as I believe the metal is rather uncommon and high demand for solder applications.
Fatman
Active member
I'm tempted to buy a pound, just to pour a hugh lot of split shot but I heard they're a pain in the ass plus I'd have to buy the mold NOT RIGHT NOW!! LOL
Fatman
Fatman
meltleadalot2693
New member
If you want to make tin split shot, why not try pewter? You can buy it from the goodwill, salvation army, or a thrift store for cheap.
Fatman
Active member
Gotta be careful with pewter some of it contains lead. I have an article on it somewhere. American Metals had carried some lead free material and they showed me the break out of what it contained. They told me that anytime you buy raw bar pewter if you don't get an exact 1 1.25 1.50 1.75 2.0 lbs. you don't have lead free pewter.
meltleadalot2693
New member
Probably got leaded pewter because I got it from the goodwill and a yard sale. Its just a thought though. If you find cheap lead-free pewter it would be a good source for tin.
Fatman
Active member
Probably just save myself the hassle and buy the splits in bulk.
Hawnjigs
KISS
"Standard" modern pewter is 92% tin with the remainder antimony and sometimes copper. The 7-8% antimony content makes pewter very hard and I suspect pewter split shots will be a PITA to squeeze shut, not to mention re-open.
Repeat: Dinsmore tin shot is far and away the best. Why? their splits are designed to open and close easily and their low viz black finish is excellently sneaky. I've tried shiny finish other brands, and they aren't nearly as good.
Repeat: Dinsmore tin shot is far and away the best. Why? their splits are designed to open and close easily and their low viz black finish is excellently sneaky. I've tried shiny finish other brands, and they aren't nearly as good.
meltleadalot2693
New member
Couldn't you use some scrap tin solder you got laying around in your garage or somewhere that has not been used, and melt that into tin split shot? You can you the lead-free solder for tin split shot since you want to use tin in the first place.
Hawnjigs
KISS
Yes, scrap solder would be better than pewter as a tin source for split shots, but...
1. The additional up to 3% antimony, copper, or silver content act as hardeners.
2. Acid flux core solder is corrosive to melting equipment and best avoided as a casting metal. Resin core will pool on the melt surface and emit lots of stinky smoke. Paper towels can be used to blot out most of the liquid resin(messy!), and the remainder can be flux burnt off.
1. The additional up to 3% antimony, copper, or silver content act as hardeners.
2. Acid flux core solder is corrosive to melting equipment and best avoided as a casting metal. Resin core will pool on the melt surface and emit lots of stinky smoke. Paper towels can be used to blot out most of the liquid resin(messy!), and the remainder can be flux burnt off.
meltleadalot2693
New member
If you happened to have solid core solder, then you don't have to worry about that mess with acid, flux, and that other garbage stuff. Solid core should work.
Fatman
Active member
Thanks Hawn - I figure what I save pouring my own jigs I can afford to spend a bit extra to get the lead free split shot and then I also won't have to buy the mold for it either.
Thanks
Thanks
Hawnjigs
KISS
Yup, solid core should work.
Forgot to mention that the fumes from an acid core solder melt are DANGEROUS!
Forgot to mention that the fumes from an acid core solder melt are DANGEROUS!
meltleadalot2693
New member
Once I was messing around trying solder random stuff for fun, I was soldering with flux core or acid core, don't remember what core it was. Boy, the fumes burn your throat for a whole day and a half. You can use the same mold you use for melting your lead sinkers for you tin sinkers. No need to buy a new mold.
Fatman
Active member
Not worried about the sinkers I can use the ones I have which are allowed per Fish and Wildlife. For the split shot what I'd pay for the mold and extra material, I could get plenty of tin split shot and avoid teh hassle.
meltleadalot2693
New member
Oh, I got it, you want to buy the tin split shot? You must not have a mold for slit shot, that is why. I did not know that. You also would rather buy it instead of making them because it is easier and cheaper if you don't get the equipment for the sinkers. Got it perfectly! 