micro jigs

[robbor]

I casted a few micro jigs today that i had molded in silicone about 3 years ago and never poured. The ball type jig is 1/90 of an ounce with the hook (#12 vmc).
The smaller jig is one i molded using 3 glass beads from the craft store to make the mold.
Its 1/220 oz on a daiichi #20 hook, small is an understatement and it was a pain to pour. It took some tricky pouring to get these to flow through the tiny gate to fill the mold. I just wish i knew how to powder paint the smallest jig as is line will ony go through the eye once so any paint would be a problem, and then the jig is so small when heated its going to want to cover the hook also.

[Crappiehappy]

nice work! could you use a brush to apply the pp, vs. dipping, or fluid bed?

[Redman]

Like the 1/90 oz. looks good with a size 12 I have a mold that is 1/100 with a 10 and have never been 100% happy with it. I may after seeing you jig go to a size 12 and see if I like it better. Thanks for the idea.

Could you please tell us what type of silicone molding material that you used to create your mold. It might be a intresting project. Use to have to make molds all the time when I worked in the Jewelry business.

Redman

[robbor]

Yes i dont like the #10s either (to big), and i wish i could find some smaller than #12 even. VMC made som #14 jig hooks but i never could get ahold of any. Il like really tiny jigs for trout fishing or really small or heavily pressured fish.

Well this will be really easy for you to understand then if you were in the jewelry business. Basically i have a jewelry mold frame i made. It has thicker sides and holes drilled all around the edge for studs and then i have a top and bottom plate. I use contenti white high temp silicon for spincasting molds and then cut it to fit. I load up 2 1/4" thick layers of silicone (like clay) then put in what ever i want to copy and add some silicone as hook keepers if your hooks are big enough. then i coat in mica powder and put the last 2 layers of silicone in and bolt the whole thing togather and then put it in the oven to vulcanize it for about 45min at 350. You can or not use jewelry sprue formers and what not to form gates or just cut them.when the mold is done you remove it from the frame and slowly peel the 2 halves apart, because of the mica you dont have to cut them apart like a jewelry mold. its alot of work and learing and trial and error, im still learing.

Like the 1/90 oz. looks good with a size 12 I have a mold that is 1/100 with a 10 and have never been 100% happy with it. I may after seeing you jig go to a size 12 and see if I like it better. Thanks for the idea.

Could you please tell us what type of silicone molding material that you used to create your mold. It might be a intresting project. Use to have to make molds all the time when I worked in the Jewelry business.

Redman

[fish_4_all]

How much did it cost to do that? I would like to make a couple molds for things I will never find a mold for.
I really like the first one, would be really nice for making roe sacks and other multi color jigs.

As for powder painting them and keeping the eyes clean, find a piece of wire that fits tight in the eye and leave it in when you dip it. You can then remove the wire and scrape off the paint for a clean eye that should not have gotten any smaller.

[robbor]

I dont want to even think about the cost, lol. I made the mold frames in the garage on the drill press with an x/y table form maybe $20 worth of alum rems after i cut out the bulk of the mold cavity with a sabre saw. The knowledge was slow to get a hold of but some of the guys here probably have spincasting mold experience and a pic is worth a thousand words sometimes. As far as the silicone was like $40 for a 12" x 1" disk and that makes like maybe 6+ molds depending on how big your mold frame is.
One of my favorite buzzbaits was discontinued years ago so ill be making some more of those soon. I already have plaster and silicone molds i have made of it. But plaster wont last for casting lead and the parts come out poor at best. I made all this stuff about 4 years ago, ive just been getting started now in actually starting to make any tackle.

[Redman]

Robbor :I know what you are using now. The mica powder trick I would never have thought to do. Guess my hair is turning blond not gray. That trick would have saved me hours of work and more than a few mold redoes. Old dogs learning new tricks OH Joy. After I posted I thought that you must have been using the high temp material not the See-Thur or other liquid silicone. If I remember right that white stuff is for the white metal casting and is made by Castillo.

Know how I am going to do mine I have a plan. Sounds like you made your own frame. I have a small frame that I build for See-Thur and will use that with the small metal plates that I can still use the side clips. The Jewelers spure will be used with a taper to the cavity to make the pour easier. May have to modify the side of the frame for the hook to fit in. Thanks for the info this is very helpfull.

One more question how long does one of these molds last??? Would think that you could get sereval thousand out of it before having to make a new one.

All the best

Redman

[Fatman]

Robber

You can powder paint the bead style ones on the fly hook and cure them. I looked for the thread on the rack the guys on here built using threaded rods and washers so that the eye sticks up not down while curing, but as the old saying goes you know it's there but can't find it. Another choice you have is rack made by CS coatings CS Coatings - Aluminum Clamping Rack

Fatman

[shipahoy41]

Nice job

[robbor]

I think i found the thread your talking about ,
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/jig-t...-jigheads.html
I dont think that will work for my little jigs, id have det 4-40 or 2-56 rod and washers would be to big, but a good idea in general.

Robber

You can powder paint the bead style ones on the fly hook and cure them. I looked for the thread on the rack the guys on here built using threaded rods and washers so that the eye sticks up not down while curing, but as the old saying goes you know it's there but can't find it. Another choice you have is rack made by CS coatings CS Coatings - Aluminum Clamping Rack

Fatman