09-19-2013, 07:44 PM
Ya, 7.95 for a pound of hollow core is a highway robbery to say the least. It is a lot more expensive than it used to be, but you should be able to find it for under 5 if you keep your eyes peeled.
You are right, everybody talks a lot about slinkies, and I can't really understand why.
Right about the time lead prices went through the roof, my dad's friend scored a huge supply of soft, pure lead sheets. We machined our own mold that makes 30, 6.5 inch, 5/16" diameter sticks per pour. A pound of the sticks doesn't go as far as a pound roll would, because it's not continuous, but we just melt the odds and ends back down. It's a definitely a production to pour up a quantity for our group to split up, but well worth it for sure.
Anyway, that's besides the point. It's simple to rig. Most people stuff their preferred length of lead wire into a 1-2" length of surgical tubing (same stuff they make rubber snubbers with), then tie a standard snap swivel in-line between their leader and main line, then open the snap and poke it through the tubing. I was always out of the tubing, and the local tackle shops were usually out of the good thick walled 1/4" stuff. So I got a pair of leadmaster pliers that I use to slightly flatten the last 1/4" or so of my sinker, and punch a hole through it to fasten my snap swivel to. Now I don't have to worry about that darn tubing any more.
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You are right, everybody talks a lot about slinkies, and I can't really understand why.
Right about the time lead prices went through the roof, my dad's friend scored a huge supply of soft, pure lead sheets. We machined our own mold that makes 30, 6.5 inch, 5/16" diameter sticks per pour. A pound of the sticks doesn't go as far as a pound roll would, because it's not continuous, but we just melt the odds and ends back down. It's a definitely a production to pour up a quantity for our group to split up, but well worth it for sure.
Anyway, that's besides the point. It's simple to rig. Most people stuff their preferred length of lead wire into a 1-2" length of surgical tubing (same stuff they make rubber snubbers with), then tie a standard snap swivel in-line between their leader and main line, then open the snap and poke it through the tubing. I was always out of the tubing, and the local tackle shops were usually out of the good thick walled 1/4" stuff. So I got a pair of leadmaster pliers that I use to slightly flatten the last 1/4" or so of my sinker, and punch a hole through it to fasten my snap swivel to. Now I don't have to worry about that darn tubing any more.
[signature]