# Homemade Surf weights



## CootHammer (Jan 10, 2012)

After losing about $50 worth of spider weights in 2 trips I've really started considering alternatives to a $5 spider weight. Do any of yall use homemade weights of any kind?


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

There are some good how to you tube videos of how to do it. How are you losing weights in the surf? There normally isn't anything to get hung up on.


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## CootHammer (Jan 10, 2012)

While reeling in sharks I had several other poles lines get cut, not sure what went down there. The other times I would get a couple light bumps and then slack in the line and my line would be cut, Spanish Mack's maybe? Last trip to High Island just reeling in twice and snagged something and broke off. I don't think it's my not, but then again who noses!


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## Mustad7731 (May 23, 2004)

Coothammer,
There are several ways to start making your own spider wts...From throw away
molds of wood, better ones made of plaster of paris, to custom made alum molds
and some ones made with wine bottle alum caps...
Probably the best way to start is make 2 blocks of plaster of paris 3" X 4" X 1" that
fit together really well. Clamp the pieces together with a C clamp....Drill a 1/2"-3/4"
perpendicular hole along the seam between the pieces of the 4" side. Next drill a
3/64" to 1/8" hole perpendicular to the flat side of the mold about 3/4 of the way
down the first hole...Next scratch out a slot into both interior sides of the mold,
about the same size as 1/2 the diameter of the smaller hole.....
To use the mold...Have a premade eye made of SS or copper wire....Run a 12ga
wire thru the slot and the thru the clamped together mold. melt the lead pour into
the mold insert the premade eye into the still molten lead...after about a minute or
so carefully remove the clamp and the new spider wt....
Mustad7731
Jack


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## waltmeda (Jul 9, 2013)

I use a 3/4 copper cap (bought from Home Depot). Cut the cap in half, clamp it with a vice or vice grips. I also use #10 wire. Lead weight can be purchased for a very small amount of money from local tire shops.


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## jimj100 (Dec 1, 2012)

A couple of notes from my experiences: Lead is easy to get from ebay. about 15lbs fits in a single USPS "if it fits it ships" box. all told, about $23 for 15lbs. I use a cast iron skillet, and a propane torch from home depot. For yakked shark weights, I use 8ga copper wire from home depot. It does not bend straight, even when you reel lines in (10ga might be better, haven't found it naked). For molds, I clamp 2 1x red oak scraps, drill out the center where the boards meet to a depth depending on how heavy I need the wt. some calculations I have scribbled: for 5 oz wt, you need a 3.25 inch deep hole with a 1/2" bit. Or, a 7/8" bit you need a 1.34 inch deep hole. You can drill to the bottom but not all the way thru, and have your anchor and spider legs all coming up the same way. Or, you can drill all the way thru, and clamp a piece of iron with 4 holes in it to your molds, lined up over your hole, put your spider legs thru the angle iron and your anchor up the top. here are some examples from another site.
http://extremecoast.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=19358&start=15
this is a NICE set up though. You can use wood and do almost as well, if not as pretty.


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## CootHammer (Jan 10, 2012)

Thanks guys, I'll give some of these ideas a try


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## kneekap (Nov 13, 2012)

You need to search the posts as this subject has been worked over before.


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## CootHammer (Jan 10, 2012)

For some reason the search doesn't work very well on my phone. But those pics are exactly what I needed. Thanks!


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## ronnie leblanc jr (Jan 9, 2010)

that is a great idea. I have a bunch of wire and pipe like that. thanks a lot for sharing that


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