Pouring Again!

[bigjim5589]

I've been spending some time trying to get my tackle making space (my garage) in order and set up.
It's been a slow process as life gets in the way sometimes. 

But, I'm making progress! 

I've got some peg board up & now have my molds out of boxes & hung up.


I also spent a little time doing some pouring. Here's what I managed to get accomplished!
Tube jigs in 1/8 & 1/4 oz. on Mustad black nickel Ultra Points. 3/0


A different style tube jig, poured some of these in both 1/8 & 1/4 oz. Again Mustad black nickel Ultra Points, but in 2/0.


Some 1/8 oz Arky style weedless jigs. Poured so I can epoxy the weed guards in later. I like to tie hair jigs on this style. The hooks are 2/0 Mustad Ultra Points in a bronze finish.


This is a 1/8 oz spinnerbait with a black nickel Matzuo hook. I like these small spinnerbaits for panfish, but have caught a lot of bass on them as well.


Football heads in 1/8 & 1/4 oz, another jig I like for tying hair jigs. Mustad black nickel 2/0 Ultra Point hooks.  This jig has a barb on the collar, but I've removed them since I'm going to be tying on these.
I have a similar mold that pours a wire weed guard into the head.


A few blade lures.


This jig is from a custom mold. This is also the only one I got to come out right. It's 1 oz.  I was experimenting with different hooks and this one is a Mustad Ultra Point spinnerbait hook in 5/0.

I need to soot the mold I think. The mold pours this style in 1, 2, 3 ,4, 5 & 10 oz. which will be tied with bucktail primarily for Striped Bass.

[Polaris425]

  I think you're short a few molds.... lol

[bigjim5589]

Why, has Do It come out with something new?   



I counted them & have 273 unless I miscounted. 

[Lipripper]

  That's a lot of molds  You could make just about what you want.

[bigjim5589]

Thanks Lip! Yes, that was the idea! I've modified some of them too, because I wanted something different! 

[Lipripper]

Thanks Lip! Yes, that was the idea! I've modified some of them too, because I wanted something different! 

It had to take a spell to get all them molds 

[DocIrv]

Wow, you have almost as many lead molds as I have soft plastic molds.... 

[bigjim5589]

Thanks Doc! I guess we think alike! 

Lip, yes, I didn't acquire them overnight, that's for sure. I guess it took about 25 to 30 years, adding one or two at a time. Some bought new, others used.

Here's some pics of my pouring set up, after I tidied up a bit this morning. 

[Lipripper]

I know it takes a little time to clean up after using a lead pot.

[Bigwrench]

Man them Blade Baits look enticing !

[bigjim5589]

Thanks Rick! Those are some plain brass blades that will eventually get painted. Of course they could be polished as well, but I don't usually do that.

I have some nickel too that don't need to be painted, except I do like painting the lead portion, just to slow down the oxidizing.   I'll get around to pouring some of them also.

[Pferox]

Nice collection, Jim.  I think I still have a bunch of ingots, but no molds anymore.  Have to wait to see what is what in our storage in Dallas.

[SFL BassHunter]

Jim this is a great collection of molds you have! I love how you have them organized. I always appreciate it when people can keep their stuff organized like that cause I am so bad at it. lol.

Happy to see you getting back into it! I am guessing you really like do it molds. I am very impressed with my soft plastic do it mold. It is an excellent mold.

[bigjim5589]

Thanks Rick! I'm not the most organized person, but I do try to keep things in a good enough order that I can find what I need, when I need it! 

Yes, Do It makes a very good mold, and a lot of different styles. I have some Hilts molds too & several no names that I've bought just to try something different.

I'm really enjoying getting back into making tackle again & tying flies as well. I had gotten to the point I wasn't doing it very often, before my move to SC. I missed it! 

I'm sure it's like pouring plastic & experimenting, never have enough or be satisfied with what everyone else does. I've modified several molds for various reasons, and some have been experiments that worked, some not as well. I'm forever tinkering & always trying to find better jigs, or whatever it is I need. 

[Oldfart9999]

Jim, you smoke instead of using a parting spray? I can think of a few more molds I would like to get, including another weedless ball head jig mold to modify for taking a flateye style hook. Do you use just Mustad hooks or do you others and have you tried the Eagle Claw black nickel hooks?
Rodney

[bigjim5589]

Rodney, I've smoked some molds to help them pour better, a few I've modified with a Dremel tool for that same reason. Never tried a parting spray. IMO, it depends on the mold what needs to be done to help it pour better.

What type of spray do you use?

For hooks, I use various brands, Mustad, Gamakatsu, Owner, Eagle Claw, VMC, Daiichi, Matzuo, plus some others. Really depends on the mold & what I'm pouring. I like the Mustad Ultra Points and they have some strong saltwater hooks in the older styles I like. If you mean the "black pearl" finish on the EC, then yes I have used them. The finish too is something that for me depends on the purpose. IMO, the fish never care, but there can be good reasons to use a hook with a certain finish, like aiding with pouring, or of course corrosion resistance. I think some of my molds do pour easier with hooks that have black nickel, or nickel finishes, compared to bronze, but some it doesn't seem to matter, so it then becomes what I like the best as far as how it looks and I like the black nickel finish.

I also have some VMC hooks that have a black finish, but it's not black nickel. It looks like what is called "Japanned" which is like the finish on many salmon fly hooks. The hooks are very sharp & very strong, and I don't have any issue with the finish, so I use them. 

Much of these things are for the fisherman anyway.