Anyone making jigs?

[Matt O]

hello Iboaters welcome to winter. As a winter project I usually make jigs, crankbaits and other things to keep me from going crazy. Well I have always had hit and miss luck with making my jigs come out consistant. So this year I bought a Lee Production lead melter. I am having better luck but am still getting some voids. I think I need to turn the heat setting up a bit more I did the first batch on setting 6. Is anyone using one of these and found any tricks to using it and getting good consistant fills? Thanks for the help in advance. BTW I am making weedless football jigs this go round first attempt at these. But they have promise.<br /><br />Matt

 

[FLATHEAD]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

Hello Drive camp. What brand of bodies do you use when you make the crankbaits. I have been toying with the idea of making a few.

 

[Mike Langianese]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

Hi Drive Camp,<br /><br />I haven’t gotten into making jigs and such but in years past I’ve cast thousands of bullets.<br />Some tricks to use when casting to help fill out the molds are:<br />Use proper temp of melt. Too hot is as bad as too cold. Normally went he pot is too cold the drops will be wrinkled when too hot the lead will be “Frosted”. The mold needs to be brought up to casting temperature it can take 50 or so pours just to heat the molds properly; with practice you can sit the mold on top of the production pot but be careful not to warp the molds.<br /><br />Flux the metal to remove impurities; the best product is Brownell's Marvelux Casting Flux don’t try to do this indoors. It may be advantageous to “smoke” the cavities of the mold, the old way was to use some wooden stick matches and allow the soot to cover the interior of the mold. There are a number of sprays that you can use to accomplish the same thing one of the best is Frankford Arsenal Drop Out. A good on-line source for all casting materials is Mid-Way USA at www.midwayusa.com.<br /><br /> web page for midwayusa.com <br /><br />Good luck with your jig making.<br /><br />How successful are you at catching fish with the jigs that you make?<br /><br />Mike

 

[Matt O]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

HI FLahthead, I have bought all of the crankbait bodies I have made through Stamina INC, www.staminainc.com I have painted my own and also bought their pre-painted with good success. I;m sure there are others out there, I have just had good success with them.<br /><br />Crabby Mike.<br /><br />Thanks for the reply, I think your idea of the mold being too cold is right, I have smoked the molds to help with release, and I have noticed that the better of my molds have been after I have heated the molds. I have tried several different methods trying for consistancy. I am going to try and find a method to keep the mold heated up, hair dryer, holding it over the melting pot, something. But thanks for the advice, I think you are on to my problem with the temperature. BTW I have just as much success with my jigs as I do with others, I have not used these jigs yet, just bought the mold and going to make some for next year, when I get some done I;ll post a pic. Thanks again.<br /><br />Matt<br /><br />Matt

 

[Mike Langianese]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

Drive Camp,<br /><br />Without seeing the molds it is hard to say, but air must be allowed to escape to be replaced with lead. You may be holding the mold handles too tight. Keep the mold closed enough to prevent flash but not with a death grip. Does your production pot have a bottom pour? If so bring the mold to spout at an angle, start the pour then bring the mold vertical. It sounds strange but you’ll get the hang of it. <br />You will get into a rhythm when pouring that will keep the mold at the proper temperature. Crank the heat up a bit; you can slow down the number of pours to keep the molds from overheating. <br />If you aren’t fluxing that could be the problem. What is your metal? Wheel weights? A lot of crud in wheel weights. <br />Hope this helps, let us know how it works out.<br /><br />Mike

 

[Matt O]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

Crabby Mike, <br /><br />I am using a Do-it mold, I didnt know about letting the air out, maybe my angle of the pour along with a cooler than needed mold is my problem. ANyone I got one good one and painted it and rigged a skirt and cheapy trailer just for looks. What do you think?<br /><br /> http://www.geocities.com/oharver/jig.html?1070851627360 <br /><br />Matt

 

[Mike Langianese]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

Looks good to me, <br />After seeing the small size of the jig I think my suggestions are all wet. <br />I now think you are on the right track looking at the heat of the pot and the mold itself. Could it be that the weed guard is taking the heat from the pour causing the voids?

 

[Matt O]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

Well Mike the biggest jig I make is 1/2 oz, that the one in the pic, most of the ones I do are 1/4 or 3/8. I am going to try heating the lead and warming the mold and will let you know how it does. we usually just melt the lead over a fire with no real heat control and ladle it into the molds. But I thought I would go High tech this year. Maybe it will help. Thanks for the suggestions.<br /><br />Matt

 

[LubeDude]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

Great hobby! I used to make spinnerbaits with a do-it mold, I made thousands of them over the years!! You are really doing a great job and you are on the right track! It is the temperature of the mold that is causing you the problems! I used to pour about 20 pours before I actually put hooks and wires into them! I just dropped the slugs out and put them back into the pot as fast as I could and didnt lose much lead heat that way! Also you will find that pure lead will work better than wheel weights! Check your local metal salvage yard! a 50/50 mix is ok! <br /><br />LubeDude

 

[Matt O]

Re: Anyone making jigs?

OK well I played around this weekend to try and resolve my problem. Did many molds at different temps and learned alot, first the temp of the lead or mold wasn't my problems. I could make perfect molds everytime if I didn't use either a hook or a weedguard. SO my assumption is that the hook and the weedguard were taking the heat and cooling it off too quick. SO I began to heat the hooks slightly and to my surprise I could make perfect jigs 90% of the time, which is better than I ever had before. So you were somewhat correct the heat was being taken from the lead too fast, it was the hook and the weedguard doing it. Thanks for the help.<br /><br />Matt