Wrinkles on egg sinkers. Help

[meltleadalot2693]

I couldn't find a subject on this but here I go. I have made some egg sinkers a while back, the 3/8 and 3/4 oz from a Do-It mold. The sinkers have wrinkles and some don't fill all the way. When I make the sinkers I usually have to remelt them. I use hard lead because it is easy to find. What can I do to get the wrinkles to go away and get better castings using my hard lead?

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Add more wax to your lead when fluxing.I clean it and wax it good,then I remelt it in my bottom pour and wax again.Make sure it is pretty hot,I keep me Lee 10 pound melter set at #8 for anything over an ounce.I also pour two rounds in every cavity without hooks or push rods to get the mold pretty hot also.

 

[meltleadalot2693]

I don't flux my lead. I just skim it and pour. I use a homemade setup with an electric hotplate and steel pans. I will try fluxing next time to see if that helps.

 

[SaltyBuckster]

I think that will fix all of your imperfection problems.

 

[meltleadalot2693]

How much wax do I use? Never fluxed before. Also, could I use solder flux?

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Parafin or bees wax.About the size of a marble for 5 pounds worth of lead.

 

[LedHed]

Are you using a bottom pour pot or ladle? 3/8ths is small to be getting wrinkles.

Be careful when you flux - the wax will flash. I use about a pea size ball of candle wax (unscented), put it in a long stem spoon, and slowly lower into the melted lead. The wax will smoke and then flame. Don't try to blow out the flame - mix the lead with the spoon and the flame will go out. Slowly stir and scrape the pot. All the junk will float to the top - you can skim the crud off and discard.

You might want to do this outside or in a well ventilated room..

 

[meltleadalot2693]

I do this outside. I melt my lead in a steel pot and pour into the mold directly. I don't flux, but I should start to now. I use hard lead for my sinkers. I will take your advice and try that. Any advice I get helps so I always am looking for it. Thanks.

 

[Fatman]

Depends on how bad the wrinkes are, as long as it doesn't affect anything I wouldn't worry about it. but post a pic of what it looks like and we'll be able to tell you more.

You say your using hard lead - are you talking tire weights?? Lino type which is really hard??

Could be your lead isn't hot enough, pouring it in to quick. You say your pouring from a steel pan whay kind of lip is on it?? If it's got like a v crease you might be able to take a three sided file and make a smooth groove to get a finer pouring stream.

Until I read up about fluxing on several boards I had never done it!!! I'm a definate convert.

 

[meltleadalot2693]

Here is a picture of the sinkers. They are wrinkled really bad and some are slightly incompletely casted on the holes. The lead is an alloy of tire weights, roof lead, random old sinkers, and lead screw anchors. The reason so many types of lead are in this alloy, is the ingots melted to make these sinkers are the first ingots I ever melted. Now I have each alloy separated and stamped.

View attachment 8

 

[SaltyBuckster]

Try fluxing the lead first.Heck,you can use a candle if that is all you have around.A little more heat and I think your problem will be solved.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

There is a spray on the market called Drop Out. I spray my molds with it and the lead flows through my molds really nice. Barlow's and Zeiner's carry it for about $9.50 a can. A little goes a long way, I'm still on my first can and I've been using it for over a year. Fluxing helps big time. First time I fluxed I about s--t myself when it flamed up so expect to see it.

 

[LedHed]

Your lead is cooling down to fast while you are pouring. Try tilting your mold to help the air escape out of the cavaties while you are pouring.

 

[Fatman]

On egg sinkers any problems around the holes, but them back in the remelt pile - you don't want them cutting your line especially if you hook a really nice fish.

x2 with LedHead - but on my other post about getting a good pouring stream by using the file will be helped by tilting the mold.

Jim I hear ya on that first time fluxing!!!!!!!!!! LOL Jeez, I know the guys warned me but LOL

 

[meltleadalot2693]

So fluxing, tilting the mold, and a faster pour rate would help?

 

[Hawnjigs]

Just guessing, but the pic looks like a softer lead alloy. Harder lead would have a shinier frosty surface appearance and is less prone to wrinkling in my experience

Again in my experience, wrinkled castings are remedied by raising the melt temp.

 

[meltleadalot2693]

I will try that and the other tips I see. I like to get many different opinions to see what option works the best. Thank you.