does anyone know where i can find the molds and the pinch swivels for drop shot sinkers?

thanks

http://www.barlowstackle.com/acb2/showdetl.cfm?&DID=9&Product_ID=2100&CATID=59

http://www.barlowstackle.com/acb2/showdetl.cfm?&DID=9&Product_ID=2127&CATID=59

I don't know all the places to buy that type of sinker, but you can make some any size you want. Buy some oval slip sinkers, or standard bullet weights, or round slip sinkers in all the sizes you like to fish.
Get some SNAP swivels about the size you would fish with for trout.I don't know the sizes cause I just eye-ball it. Crimp the snap swivel end closed, or cut one side off. Insert the crimped end into the hole and push it in until you get to where the swivel ball is located. IF YOU PUSH IT IN TOO FAR THE SWIVEL WILL NOT SPIN. It's obvious !
You can tap it in with a piece of soft wood also. Next, take a pair of pliers or channel grips and squeeze the lead till you get a good crimp. You can crimp the top where the swivel enters, not the whole sinker and it will hold. If you don't want to change the shape by squeezing the sinker you can use 5 min. epoxy to glue it in, and that baby won't come out.

One of my buddies ties on the crimped swivel to his main line and just crimps a sinker on real lightly so that when he gets snagged the swivel comes out of the sinker. He puts just a little bend in the end so that it grabs a little bit. If you do this don't crimp the snap swivel, cut one side off so that you just have a straight piece of metal. It will look like a straight pin. This takes a little practice, and I don't have the patience!

You can use cheap swivels that don't spin as good, or buy some sampos. Good luck and remember to PRACTICE AND TEACH CATCH AND RELEASE !!!!!

BURGIE

Too much work. I usually fish with someone and just mooch off of his gear. Less expenisve that way.

That's real funny FISH BOY. See if you ever ride on my rig again. Oh yah! I'm only bringing one of the hot colors and I guarantee it's gonna be tied onto my stick !!!! NO EXCUSES.

BURGIE

I rig my own out of slidding sinkers and 22 gauge coper wire. I just bend a loop in the wire and tie directly to the wire. This method has worked great for me. I don't know why drop shot weight prices are so inflated. I've fished with friends using store bought drop shot weights while I use the ones I made and there's no difference in success. I also catch a lot of fish just putting a split shot under sliding sinker. This keeps the weight easy to adjust and when you snag the bottom if you pull on it hard enough the split shot will pull off you'll just loose your weights. Either way It's easy and it works. Cheap too, you'll need that extra $$ for gas. Good luck.

jerryG

Thanks Jerry!

thanks guys...reaason that i ask is because i came up on like 30lbs of lead (the kind that you put on rims to balance them out). Those are the only sinkers that i can't get for free. Friends pour every other sinker

When melting tire weights. Use a fan to blow any fumes in a safe direction. A few years back I was melting tire weights for Salmon balls and I nearly hospitalized 3 people. I don't know what was on them but it made 2 of us (myself included) blow chunks. Washing the weights 1st might help, but it might have been from the weights with the adhesive backing. Anyways, use plenty of ventilation.
Tight lines,
Wade

I just saw a piece on melting lead--make sure there is no water or even moisture on the lead or you'll have it spattered all over (like in your eyes or on skin) from the water boiling in the hot lead which I read is way higher in temp. Molten lead is like 600 degrees and tossing in moist or wet lead will cause instant boiling of the moisture because water is only like 212 or so.

Like the others said' if you're gonna melt that type of lead BE-CAREFUL. There is a lot of cheap fillers in tire weights. I have found that you have too let it get to the max temp. It will look purple golden on top. Then take a laddle and skim the impurities off of the top. Be carefull if you add more lead as you're pouring your molds, this is when the gasses are released or the splattering occures. A lot of places that produce tire weights re-use the old ones. I was told that they use detergents/chemicals on the bulk metal and that it sometimes gets caught inside the weights. Use gloves and a mask and have plenty of ventilation. Do it outside to be safer. GOOD FISHING.

BURGIE