Making your own leads and lures is great fun and will save you a significant amount of money however, molten lead is dangerous. By following a few simple steps, you can minimise risk of injury and enjoy your tackle-making hobby immensely during the bad weather when you cannot get out fishing.
We accept no responsibility for any personal accidents as a result of people working with molten lead.
- ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS wear safety glasses when melting lead. These can be bought from you local DIY store.
- Always ensure that your burner / stove is located on a stable, level surface and will not rock or move in any way shape or form. If you are using the kitchen cooker, so much the better but if your cooker is a gas cocker, ensure the pot stands are correctly located. (Be warned, the misses will not be please if you do not clean up properly afterwards).
- When using the smaller portable burners, it is essential that it is stable.
- Ventilation. Always ensure that you have adequate ventilation when melting lead. A through draft is best with air coming in through a door and out of a door / window. Lead fumes are dangerous. Always wear a facemask. These can be purchased from all the major DIY stores in the UK.
- NEVER, NEVER, NEVER attempt to move a pot of molten lead. When you have finished making your sinkers / lures, always wait for the lead pot to cool down prior to moving it.
- A fire blanket and a powder fire extinguisher should always be on hand before you start melting. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER pour water onto molten lead, IT WILL EXPLODE VIOLENTLY spitting molten lead all over the place.
- Always wear heat resistant gloves when handling hot moulds. These can be purchased from you local DIY store.
- It is best to mould leads on your own. Do not have a radio on, switch off your mobile and ask the family not to disturb you. If you are moulding with someone, establish a few basic ground rules i.e. do not talk to each other when pouring, do not talk to each other when handling hot moulds, in fact, do not talk when you are making leads. Focus on what you are doing and that alone. Decide what you are going to make before you start.
- Once you have started and made lets say 100 leads and your lead pot is getting low, ALWAYS ensure that the lead you are going to put in to top the pot up is dry. Lead is best stored inside at all times as rain will work its way into the folds and creases. When you put it into the pot , as it starts to melt the water runs into the molten lead and it will cause a minor explosion spitting hot lead all over the place.
That about covers the major safety considerations about the task in hand. Making your own leads, lure and pirks brings immense pleasure especially when you catch a big fish on a lure you made yourself and it will save you a fortune.