Wheel weights for sinkers

I found an outlet that has wheel weights already poured into 1 pound ingots. Looking for strictly use of fishing weights. It is hard lead. Should i buy, the price is $3 per pound. Large volume discount possible.
Just wondering if its worth my time and money.
Thanks for your help.
Sarge

People melt those down all the time to make jigs.

I've made lots of cast bullets out of wheel weights. Works great for that, just about the perfect hardness to not lead the barrel, yet still expand on game. If they are already melted and poured into ingots you don't have to worry about getting the shiny ones that don't melt, and I would think they would work fine for sinkers. I don't know about the price, I got a five gallon bucket and a half of them free years ago and haven't used them up.

I've used them

I've used them, still have a few hundred lbs.

Seems high to me, quick look, $2/lb going rate for lead ingots here, but I can't pay for what I can scrounge.

A buddy has a BIG chunk that was ballast in a sailboat, been sitting in his shed 30+ years.

I would think you could buy sinkers for $3 a pound. Sure does not sound like any saving in that. I mold jig heads and use free wheel weight and a bought 150 lb of soft lead for .25 per pound. Then it is worth your time.

Scrap price is less than a dollar

Scarf 'em up while you can, wheel weights are mostly made of zinc or some kind of heavy plastic now.

I save all my wheel weights for casting bullets. They are getting hard to find now days

I use pure lead for sinkers and jigs

That is what I use for making sinkers for my ditty poles.

You haven't bought sinkers recently. They are stupidly expensive, but so are the jigs and melting pots. The labor is what gets you, you're right on that, but I don't mind doing it. They don't sell the ones I make. My low tech set up...

If you're serious about making your own weights. I would scrounge around and shop a bit first before just bought at $3 lb. I've poured a lot of lead over years. Paid little or nothing for most of it.

Mac

3 dollars is high.you can buy pure lead for less than that.I would not pay that.you can get wheel weights give to you for free from most of the small tire shops

I Have PURE One Pound Ingots for $1

I have problems with wheel weights fully filling jig heads 1/16 ounce or smaller. They work fine on big stuff.

I very seldom use a sinker and if I do it is going to be a 1/2 or 3/8s oz egg sinker. I fish jig 99+ % of the time. 1/4 and 1/8 oz jigs. A plain jig head with a minnow on it. How heavy are those eggs you mold ADC? I used some about that size hand lining in the ocean.

Send the guys a couple of pizzas for lunch every now and then and you will have all the wheel weights you ever need.

Modern wheel weights ain't what they were.

Jeez, I switched from 4 oz to 5, and then 6 once the tide started running.
Left a few 80' down in a wreck too, $$$

Used them a lot got a bunch of lead pipe out in the shop

Those are 8oz. MJM.

That is a half a pound of lead. I fished light with my hand line 5-6 ozs and tried to stay under 200 foot deep. Fresh water I never have used that much weight except fishing sturgeon o the Columbia river.

That's because wheel weights have a high percentage of antimony in them. Throw a couple of feet, (exact amount doesn't matter) of 99% tin plumbers solder in the melt and that will allow the mold to completely fill out,

Check with plumbers in your area. They remove a lot of lead piping, and usually have it around the shop. It is quality lead except where they make joints, then they use something with a lot of zinc or babbitt.

I got a bunch of lead sheeting from a Doctors office X ray room. I had to do first heat outside to get rid of gunk but the lead was really good and free.

That’s all I use for jigs and banks weights. No problems

Like someone else mentioned, I have seen someone cleaning up lead weights after hours @ a tire shop. I think there's other uses than fishing also.

Like selling for scrap.

Bullet casting.

I called off the deal. Wouldn't go lower with high volume sell.
After reading your comments i decided the deal was not what i was looking for.
Thank you
Sarge

I've got a couple 100 pounds of ingots and probably closed to another 100 pounds of raw lead in the from batteries, used bullets, old lead pipe and lead from railroad torpedoes. I have been looking around for a good used electric melting pot, so I can melt the rest of it and maybe make a few sinkers.

Garry-

For bulk and mass melting I use a propane fish cooker and a steel 5 gal bucket.

Yes sir. I just use them on my ditty poles for big flathead catfish. I use bullheads up to a little over a pound each for bait. I prefer to set my lines where the bait will be hanging about 6" off the bottom of the river. This is often in water 8-10' deep. I find the heavier weight helps keep the bait close so it doesn't swim up or worse yet swim into the side of the creek and tangle in roots and the like. It's a specialized system I have worked on for many years and it works good for me, loads of fun for the kids too!

ADC It looks to work well for you. I can see where a heavy weight would be a plus holding a large live bait. Set lines / jugs are not legal here of any type. .