DuckSouth.com

Anyone know where I could find some soft lead? or a mold to pour the J hook anchors?

there is a bunch of soft lead for sale on ebay.
And with the flat rate boxes, it is pretty cheap to get it.

But why do you need the soft lead for J-hook weights ?

I have never seen a J-hook mold for sale.

God Bless you

If you find a j hook mold and that's what you're gonna make, go to your local tire shop and ask for their old tire weights. Melt them down and pour your anchors out of that. You don't want to pour a j hook weight out of pure lead because it won't hold its shape.

I have a strap weight mold and have tried to pour weights several times but they keep breaking. I have read that you need to use "soft" lead in which I do not know the difference in either. I would prefer the J hook weights that supposedly does not require the "soft" lead but I have not been able to find a mold for the j hook. I have read of people making the molds from pieces of 2x4 or metal if you know someone that has the equipment.

A router with a carbide bit will work on aluminum. Most woodworking bits are carbide tipped, so just find the shape you want and have at it.

butla25 wrote:I have a strap weight mold and have tried to pour weights several times but they keep breaking. I have read that you need to use "soft" lead in which I do not know the difference in either. I would prefer the J hook weights that supposedly does not require the "soft" lead but I have not been able to find a mold for the j hook. I have read of people making the molds from pieces of 2x4 or metal if you know someone that has the equipment.

"Soft" lead is basically pure lead, like what they used to plumb houses with. The reason your strap anchors keep breaking is because you aren't using pure lead. However, if you find a j weight mold, that unpure lead will work fine because there won't be any bending of the final product. Good luck.

Tire weights are made out of babbit or a blend of antimony/lead, etc. and some newer ones aren't meltable due to EPA restrictions. It has no tensel strength and isn't made to be bent w/o breaking. Use wheel weights for solid anchors, pure lead for strap anchors.

Thanks everyone for the posts. I was able to find some soft lead on Ebay last night and plan on getting that. Still in the works for making my own mold for J hooks