Tungsten

[Hippel]

Anyone ever worked with Tungsten. I was wondering because there are fly bodies made from tungsten, and it looks like it was molded some how.

I'm interested in using it for a jig that I'd want to be heavier than lead without the bulk.

 

[fishhunter775]

If you want to use Tungsten you will have to use beads of some differant sizes as Tungsten requires heat of around 5000 degree to melt it, regular lead pots wont even come close.Ive tried beads on a regular jig hook and it looks cool and works ok.

 

[toadfrog]

It costs a flaming fortune to do tungsten lures. Special heat source , special molds and all shapes must be designed to accept the hook after the head is poured. The pour temp would destroy a hook inside of a mold. The engineering alone is a pain in the A$$$$$.I could go into long lengthy detail but I'll leave that to someone who's actually worked with it longer than a couple hours.

 

[Hippel]

Thanks for the replies. Didn't know if was such a pain - :dodgy:

Got me thinking of an alternative. I'll have to talk to the guys at Hareline Dubbin. They sell a Tungsten shrimp/scud body that can be tied to the hook shank. Small and dense. I'll ask them how they did it and get back with everyone.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[toadfrog]

If I'n not mistaken I think you can soldier tungsten. If I'm wrong somebody correct me please.

 

[upnort16]

I too am interested in tugsten, particularly for jigs with a shape, I don't know for sure how to do it, but someone does, because many styles and shapes and sizes are available. I am thinking about the powder form with a bonding agent. In my opinion it should work but would like to know a bit more about the how to's before investing in the supplies. Any thoughts and/or experiences?

 

[LedHed]

I read or seen pics (again the fuzzy memory) of tungsten jigs that were made by mixing tungsten powder and epoxy (?) and cool poured in a latex mold. Not sure if it was an old fly tyer issue….

Welcome aboard upnort16.

 

[meltleadalot2693]

Usually 99% of the time you buy tungsten sinkers, its not solid tungsten, it is tungsten that has been sintered and is even LESS dense than lead. Its is sintered with a brass alloy and tungsten powder is mixed in. It could cost dollars for each sinker if it was solid tungsten, compared to the cents worth of comparable lead sinkers. Tungsten sinkers are more expensive but they are not solid tungsten as you think and it is slightly less dense than lead as the sinker is sintered, not cast.

 

[Fatman]

Alot of folks would love to work with it but the cost prohibits it