# Making your own metal slugs. Advice?



## beefs (Jan 30, 2006)

So IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m keen to try making my own metal slices (lead slugs) and donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t really know much/anything about it. I know I need a mould and where I can get one and that the area where I melt the lead will need to be well ventilated but thatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s about it. Has anyone done it before or know someone who has?

Where do you get the metal to melt down from? What wire do you use to go through the middle Ã¢â‚¬â€œ IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m thinking some sort of high grade stainless but does anyone know specifics? Any other tips? ItÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s just a project IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢m thinking about Ã¢â‚¬â€œ I need something other than work on the brain to help get me through the day!


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

Hey scotty there is lots of info on the net if you google lure making, but you can make 2 part molds from plaster of paris. I used to get hex brass bar and make chrome lures out of this we used to get around 50-100 done at a time to keep costs when plating down but the person i used to do this with is no longer around these were great lures we only really fished tailor and dart with them but they were great and because of the length of the lure we didnt need wire. I am currently trying to get some more made but I have changed the design a little this time. If you are chrome plating get in touch maybe we can keep costs down by getting the plating done together.
John


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

sitonit said:


> I used to get hex brass bar and make chrome lures out of this


Did the same using various diam of hex using HK Arrow and Halco Javelin styles as a guide

Travis I would look at the many extrusions available in brass and aluminium as a starter, and use a can of spray chrome while you experiment with designs


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## bazzoo (Oct 17, 2006)

Travis, like Richo , used to roll my own for spinning for tuna and kingies off the rocks, we used to buy a chromed brass shower screen rod and cut a splice on each end and then drill both ends for split rings , and there you have it, great for high speed trolling , and they caught just as many kingies as the commercial version


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

hi Dodge that is the same as we used to do, what i am trying to do this time instead of having a hole drilled across the hex I am going to drill lengthwise (anyone who goes on fishing australia will know this is what slider does with his lures), unfortunatley i dont have access to a metal lathe which is what is stopping me drilling the holes at the moment but hopefully i can get access to one shortly.


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## beefs (Jan 30, 2006)

Thanks for the replies fellas Ã¢â‚¬â€œ seems like thereÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s easier ways than casting them yourselves (ie homemade sinker style). With regards to the hex bar Ã¢â‚¬â€œ do you cut the ends on an angle or just flat. Think IÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ll grab some on the weekend and knock a couple up with the hack saw, file and sandpaperÃ¢â‚¬Â¦just to have a practice and keep me busy while thinking about my transducer mount.

While looking around on the net I found a few references to going to the 2nd hand stores/salvos etc and stocking up on old cutlery Ã¢â‚¬â€œ hack the utensil end off and the handle makes a nice weight and shape slice that is already polished up.

Sit Ã¢â‚¬â€œ whatÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s the advantage in drilling the hole length ways? Bubbles?


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## sitonit (Dec 29, 2006)

Hi scotty you cut the hex bar at an angle and drill the hole across then i put split rings through, I am trying the hole lengthways as lindsay (slider) has more success with his lures this way I would guess there would be a bubble trail but it also will allow me to mess around with the shape of the top of the lure ie cupped, domed or sharpened end.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Travis found an old one among the cobwebs. I used to drill a couple of dimples with a dab of red paint near the leading edge on each side, and near the rear one hole right through.

Not sure if holes caused bubbles or sound but they worked the one in the pic is 100mm x 10mm and its last fish was a wahoo off Tweed Heads at about 7-8kts on troll


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

Great idea using a spoon!
Thanks for taking the time to explain in detail what you did to make them Arpie!
Good tip on the old faxes etc!


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## Biggera Yakker (Jan 25, 2007)

Love your old home made lure too Dodge!!!
Good to hear you had success with it too!!


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## RedPhoenix (Jun 13, 2006)

Unfortunately, due to the change in ownership of this web site and the lack of response by the owners to my requests to remove my email address from all administrative-level notifications and functionality, I have decided to remove my posts on AKFF. Thank you for the great times, the fantastic learning experiences and the many many fish. If you are desperate for the old content of this particular post, it is available below base64 encoded and bzip2 compressed.

Red.

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## milhouse (Jan 28, 2007)

I have a mould that I use to make my own slugs, luckily I have a good supply of lead so I also make all my own sinkers, trolling sinkers, downrigger balls etc as well. You can buy the wire that fits the slugs from a tackle shop or better still, I just made up a templte with a bit of timber and a few nails where I make my own wires in the 3 sizes required for the jigs. I use stainless MIG wire in 0.80mm which is perfect in stiffness and diameter for the slugs. As far as finishing, I have painted them with both model paints and spray paints but the easiest and toughest method is to use poweder paint which is like a hard powder coating. Works by warming the slug, dip it in the powder and then give it a quick flame brush to bake on the powder. Drys instantly and gives a hard smooth shiny finish. I buy my powder from some fly fishing website in WA. Very hard to find anywhere else.


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Lazybugger said:


> Firstly he uses 2 inward facing hooks which get a better hookup than a treble.


Lazy that method was on all lures sold in the 40s and early 50s and before we ever saw trebles out here...2 hooks facing with each one size different are also a good trick ie: 4/0 and 5/0 and no doubt in my mind hookups are greater than trebles


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## Cuda (Sep 18, 2006)

Barrel sinkers are also ok for making home made lures - cheap as too and good for smaller species around reefy country where tackle losses are generally high :wink:


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## kritter67 (May 17, 2009)

i agree with cuda ,barrel sinkers are the go , i put a bike spoke sprayed with wd40 thru and hammer on one side untill it bends slightly , this gives it an action, paint if u wish but plain catches well , when it gets dull just give it a pollish with steel wool. You can make whatever size u want aswell.


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