http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/p...e/DSC00676.jpg
http://i412.photobucket.com/albums/p...e/DSC00678.jpg
1. Whats the best way to preheat the mold and keep it that way?
2. Whats the best way to heat the jigs to the right temp to paint?
3. Wheres the best place to get custom molds?
4. Oh yea the pot leaks at the spout, any ideas on how to fix that?
The following may not be the best but its what works for me.
1. For preheating I just lay my mold on top of my Lee bottom pour pot.
2. I paint in small quantities so I just use a small heat gun.
3. Can't help you on custom molds there are some here that can though.
I preheat my mold like Hays does, but I also pout hot lead into it 3 or 4 times without any hooks and return the poured lead back into the pot after taking it out of the mold.Your mold should stay hot after pre heating. I like to have all my hooks laid out before pouring so I don't have to fumble around trying to get them out of the pack.
I use a cheap ($20) toaster oven for painting my jigs. I preheat 10 (you can do more) at a time. Then I swish them in the paint (1 at a time) and return it to the oven to finish flashing the paint and grab another one.
Custom molds can be hard to come by. Check out Tackleunderground's site.
Welcome to Tackleunderground.com ... go to the wire baits section and read the sticky's on pour and fluxing lead and visit the sponsors for custom molds.
Lee bottom pour pots are notorious for leaking at the spout. The plunger has a screw driver slot in the top of it, use the screw drive to turn your plunger a little one way or the other and it'll stop. Fluxing your lead will also help with the leaking and keep your lead, pot, and spout clean.
Hope this helps.
When I put my lead into the mold it would harden before it got to the barb. I was assuming the mold wasnt hot enough. I was laying it on my pot but it worked better when I heated it with a tourch. Doing this heated my hooks up to the point of color and im sure thats not good. Not sure if my heat was the problem with the lead not flowing tho. First time ive tried this and just dont have a clue as you can tell by the uglieness of the first batch!!!
Like I said, pour your mold 3 or 4 times without hooks to preheat it.
Also, your lead prolly isn't hot enough... increase the temp until you get a good even pour without any or minimal flashing (fins).
Great advice from GDC....
I use a candle and a count method to heat and paint my jigs then cure in a convection/toaster oven...unless I was doing more than 30 of the same color at a time that's the best way IMO. An alcohol burner works well too.
I will try that.
Also pour without hooks like he said but leave them in for a minute or two then repour...this will let the mold soak up all the heat. Make sure everything is well up to temperature too.
Pure lead pours a lot better than wheel weights. Wheel weight metal has to be super hot to completely fill the cavity.
Check what hardness lead your using!!!! Some of the smaller jigheads require pure lead at the right temp to make complete heads. I know I use a 2 to 1 mix on my Pony Heads (2 parts soft to 1 part tire weight). Others require pure, soome will take tire weight. I mark which will take what.
Most of the smaller jig head molds have what looks like a submarine hole under where you pour the jig heads. Like everyone else pour plain lead a few times and the mold will warm up.
The Lee pot can be a pain in the butt but if you flux properly, keep pour bar tightened down and I use a small metal pot under the pour spout in case of leaks. Mine usually leaks when I put raw lead in it to fill the pot back up.
I heat my jig heads in the oven in trays I made and then I dip them in the powder. You just have to get the feel for how long to heat them to get a proper dip in the powder. Lot's of us are using fluid beds.
Try these and if you run into any more problems let us know and we'll help you out.
Fatman
1 Some molds have a section at the bottom for pouring in lead prior to pouring,laying on top of pot will work though if mold doesn't have that feature. I don't preheat mine. 2 No wrong way,heat guns,totches,ovens and even cigarette lighters work. 3 Custom molds are expensive in general but there are guys on here that make them.It depends on how much detail work is involved that determines price.4 If pot leaks I use a screwdriver to turn the stem on top or back off on the heat once pot gets hot.Use soft lead and less heat is required. Don't heat hooks,they will become brittle.Once you get to know your molds it gets easier.You may just need to hold the mold at a slight angle as you pour.
I cast my jigs first, then let em cool off. The best and easiest way to powder paint them is with a heat gun!!! I bought one with two temp settings for
about $25. I made a bracket to lay it in. Just take needle nose pliers and heat the jig (depending on size) about 5 or 6 seconds on each side, swish
the jig in the powder, tap on top of jar and back to the heat gun for a few seconds to let the powder smooth out and you are done. I can paint 50 jigs
in about 15 or 20 minutes. I don't cure mine as the powder paint is hard anyway and I'll usually lose or break off the jig before the paint chips off!
THE place to get custom molds at a very reasonable price and top notch work is at
Crazy Angler tackle!!!!!! The owner, Flatfish46 (Bob) is a great guy to deal with. He is
an ex machinist and does excellent work. Tell him CK3 sent ya.
I take hemostats & pick up the jig by the eye. This keeps the powder paint from gettin in the eyes.
I then pass the jig head quickly 3 times thru a propane torch flame & dip into the powder paint and tap off any excess. Works very fast and is easy.
Place the jigs on an all thread rod mounted on a cake pan and bake in the oven for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
You need to smoke your molds. You need to make sure your pot is pouring the right volume and not stopped up with trash. To do this take a small stiff wire or hook (long shank of it (cut eye off with pliers)) and stick up in hole and wallow it out a little. Don't break the wire or hook off in it (use pliers to hold wire or hook and watch out for the lead splashing, wear gloves). The lead needs a fast heavy flow to fill mold up. I cast over 30,000 jigheads in 2009. I Use tin and Do-It molds says I can't cast tin in their molds but I do!!!. Cousin of mine makes lead bullets and I have used his methods to pour tin. What the others have mentioned will help for sure!
TT
Yea them hooks are way to hot.
I used to bake my jigs in a toaster oven but I really do not see any advantage for me. I paint the eyes then put on clear and the jigs last forever if I do not hang up. I do hang up a lot in the spring fishing brushpiles but the unbaked seem to last just as long as the baked ones. That is just my opinio which ain't worth much I have been told. Do whatever works for you. Actually my logs show the plain old lead head unpainted heads have worked as well as the painted heads in over 30 years of fishing.
Many years ago I bought several clinch molds and poured jigs. The first problem was "dirty" lead, it caused the pour to layer (slag) in the mold. Then I lucked out and met a guy who worked for Haughton Elevator and he give me a counter balance bar (20 lbs) of lead that they used - pure and clean. Next problem - eyes. I undercoated the jig, let dry and after I put on the final color, I put the eyes on while the paint was tacky. I solved the (round) eye problem by using a pencil (pink) eraser sharpened & concaved at one end (use a razor) for the "white" & convexed at the other end for the "black" pupil. Great eyes. As heat temp, beats me, I poured when the lead melted.
1.warm oven to 200/250deg.or,hand held butane torch.Quote:
Originally Posted by biggerjigger
2.trial,and error:D
3.Flat fish
4. twist w/a screwdriver till leak subsides.;)
grubs"
Lots of good advice there. I can't think of anything to add except for safety! keep your area ventilated and wear gloves.