Hey you chemists and other experts

[Dutch]

I am wanting to lighten some jig heads by molding in some lighter materials when I pour them.  Would adding a glass bead to the mold work or would it be a catastrophe in the making?

[fishinwrench]

So you want the same mass with less weight?   

Lead free solder ?  

[tjm]

Other jig makers are using tin bismuth alloy that is about 20% lighter than lead. Search the web for "lead free jigs".

Mass is weight without gravity, what he wants to keep is the volume or bulk. Solder was also my first thought, although I was thinking of a 70/30 tin/lead solder.

If a bead is used I'd try a copper bead and flux it so the lead might adhere to it.

 

[fishinwrench]

58 minutes ago, tjm said:

Other jig makers are using tin bismuth alloy that is about 20% lighter than lead

What jig makers are trying to make their jigs LIGHTER?  

The trend seems to be heavier if anything.  

[tjm]

Lead free is, I think, the emphasis, some people still think lead dissolves in water and that ducks feed on the bottom in 50' of   water.  Get the same weight by using a bigger head.

So the search needs to be "Bismuth Tin Jig Heads"  and some examples-

https://leadfreejigheads.com/gpage.html  

https://www.rotometals.com/lead-free-fishing-tackle-weight-bismuth-tin-alloy-281/ 

https://jadesjigs.com/  

https://hookheadz.com/shop/lead-free-jig-heads/lead-free-bismuth-tin-jig-heads-red/

[Dutch]

So no ideas about glass beads in lead.  

[jdmidwest]

14 minutes ago, Dutch said:

So no ideas about glass beads in lead.  

Look at melting points of lead and glass, see which goes quicker.

Lead 621 f, glass 2552 - 2912 f.  It may explode or shatter at low Temps.  I melt them bottles in camp fires all time, can't believe it takes that hi temp. Enter at your own risk and wear face shield.

[Dutch]

2 hours ago, jdmidwest said:

Look at melting points of lead and glass, see which goes quicker.

Lead 621 f, glass 2552 - 2912 f.  It may explode or shatter at low Temps.  I melt them bottles in camp fires all time, can't believe it takes that hi temp. Enter at your own risk and wear face shield.

Thanks for the advice.  I gave the glass bead a try.  I can’t anchor it enough to keep it from getting to the outside and being exposed.  So I went with 2 metal beads tied to the hook and had success.

Now you won’t be able to say my jigs don’t have any cojones.

 

[Flysmallie]

Many, many years ago we made some by using a two part epoxy and tungsten powder. It actually worked really well. There were several formulas to make different weights with the same size head. We measured everything down to a tenth of a gram. But we had plenty of time to play back then. 

[top_dollar]

In paint we often use "microspheres" to decrease the density, and increase the strength of the final coating.  These are tiny air filled glass balls.  Fumed silica would also probably work, but the bulk density is way higher so the end product would probably still be fairly dense. 

 

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