Mold warming chamber/larger hooks

[crappiefarmer]

Saw the complaints about not being able to use larger hooks on some do it molds now because they are putting warming chambers in in their molds. Could You dremel out a small groove for the hook into the warming chamber, fill the warming chamber with bondo and sand out good and flat? then maybe cut grooves through the bondo after it has set up for the hooks if necessary?CF

[Fatman]

If I could find someone to grind off the bottom edges of the new molds I would but I'm not comfortable doing it myself. I've never used the dumb thing anyway. One mold that you ABSOLUTELY couldn't do it too would be the 1/32 and 1/16th Horsehead mold because it's double sided.

If you want to take it totally off you shouldn't have to bondo the chamber at all, the hook grooves should hold the hook you're just trying to get that extra area out of your way to use larger hooks.

[FishAction]

Use a good quality bit and low speeds on the dremel. Cut small amounts and try the hook for fit. It may take several small cuts and hook trying to get it the way you want. Think of it this way, worse you will do by trying is possibly mess up one cavity area and then quit. To gain confidence, practice on a scrap piece of aluminum so the "butt pucker" effect won't get in the way when you start on the mold. Plus, a new replacement Do-it mold would still be cheaper than a small job in a machine shop.

Modified several already to take larger hooks or to use hooks it wasn't built for.

Charlie

[Big B]

After checking out the Pony Head molds all the cavitys hook sizes seem like they are one or two sizes too small.

[Fatman]

When Crappiefarmer posted I assumed he was referring to one of my other posts talking about just the warming chamber and taking and removing it, that's all I was referring to. If he's talking about the problem with sickle hooks and the length of the shank from the eyelet to the bend that's a whole different game!!!!!!

When I order sickle hooks I get my big cookie tray out and I sit and test fit each hook in the mold - this saves me alot of time because I know when I start pouring they'll all fit!!! The ones that are left I try in my other molds and those get marked for those molds.

SO!!! If CF is talking about the above problem in addition to the size of the hook that makes it 2 problems. I can usually get one size bigger hook in all my molds. Anything over that your hitting that warming chamber.

Now to the problem of the long shank to the eyelet! One very big factor in this is if you nick that back edge by the shape of the jig head!!! If you do you'll end up with a hook eye encased in lead - and I know because I tried it and that's what happens.

[redear]

I took one of my molds and shaved this area down with my mill drill, it allows a larger longer shanked hook in the hook bend area. the hooks wire diameter and the eyelet height is another thing that may need dealing with tho.