fats69

If you mean heat it and cover the entire thing I wouldn't. Now if your'e talking making a 2 or 3 color jig you can do a base coat, then heat and lightly brush tap a second color of powder on the top. I listened and learned from Cad and others and I've gotten Okay!LOL I know the pic is lousy but you can see the mix of colors Cads signature line is absolutely true!!!

Hey it's the first one, don't be so hard on yourself. Doesn't look bad, I've always thought about it and never had the nerve to try one.

evan - cause they don't make Gudebrod thread anymore. There was talk that someone else bought them but it never panned out. Lots of folks also use it for tying jigs.

That is VERY NICE!!!!!!!! Can't wait to see it finished!!!!!!!

Talked to a lot of folks that have cast them up and fished them and they're really liking them. They don't have to worry about the eyelet to bend length problems like the Mats and not getting as many messed up hooks per box. I'm getting some to try but I have lot's of hooks so it's hard to get the wife to let me buy more when I have so many now!!LOL

Love making my own spinners!!!!!!!!!!!! I've managed to find some really old Weller blades and it's great having a blade type that others don't have. Body weights are really getting out of hand IMO, I had bought a few hundred of each style I like years ago adn I regret not buying some for all the years I didn't. Jann's has a good selection, Hagens (you'll be buying in bulk here so if you have buddies go in on several types and trade them with each other). Another way to go is Do-It now carries a mold for making spinner lure bodies you'll have to paint them but it's an option, the body style is like the rooster tails. Making your own spinners is cheaper when you buy the parts in bulk. You say you're fising in the rivers and snaggy areas you may want to switch to double hooks instead of trebles, you'll not only lose a lot less lures but you're hook rate should be the same I know mine is. If you have any more questions jsut let us know we'll be glad to help Fatman

Got lucky on an auction an won the old ZR bladebait mold (Silver Buddy). Where can I get the cheapest blanks, I'm looking for a 100 of each size brass and nickle. Fatman

Cad beat me to it but that's the place to go. Fatman

Once you guys posted the guys name I went on ebay and looked up one of his auctions and sent him a message. This is the reply I got back: "Hello, thank you for your email. We got these lures from a Japanese used lure supplier, we were told they are authentic, if you think they are not, we have no problem refund your payment. We will contact our supplier to find out the authenticity about these lures and will get back to you." thank you for the notice." If I hear anything else I'll let you know Fatman

Different companies have their idea of what cc color is. One calls it the bubblegum color pink with purple and green flake, while others like Kalins cc is the clear with purple and green flake. If ya go to the fair cotton candy is not clear it's pink, so use the one that works best for you but I sure wouldn't call it bubblegum. Fatman

Nice looking jigs!!!!!!!!!!! Fatman

Being run through heavy cover will tear them up just like any brand of jig. The only thing I can think of is they weren't baked long enough. On most of mine I bake at 350 for 20 minutes and don't have any problems. I know some of the guys back off to 275 and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Other than that the only thing I can think of is tell you to swish the heads in vinegar, rinse under water and dry off completely then powder paint them. The scrub will get any oily fingerprints off, and any oxidation that may have started. Fatman

harshman Glad you're okay!!!!!!!!! No matter how careful you are you'll run across a big lead splatter sooner or later. My advice for you is get a cover or tin cup that will fit over the top of your pot and any time you add lead put the cup over it just in case. I've had a lead splatter hit me in the eye (when I was 13) and it ain't a good feeling. Any lead I get that isn't smelted down is done at one time and poured into clean bars. Glad you're ok, if you're not wearing saftey glass's get some. This is a fun hobby but it isn't workth losing an eye over. Fatman

Gman Ok some questions??? what mix are you using 60 bis/40tin, 70/30 52/48??? Is there much difference in the heat versus what's needed for lead?? How much or was there any problems in removing the spru?? The biggest one is if you've powder painted them do you have to reduce heat length of curing time etc??? Harshman Last time I checked 60Bis/40tin for 1 pound was about $14 dollars. A buddy over at TU offered me a few pounds to try at that price but I'd like to see GMAN's replys before I go for it. Fatman

I'm with cadman, their is no easy way!!! I've tried cutting, twisting by hand and all leave a mark. Quick pass with a file smooths it right over. Fatman

Don't know of many that are any bigger than the 10 and 20 lb bottom pour pots personnally. What you describe is what alot of guys use to smelt and flux dirty lead then using a ladle to pour clean bars for the bottom pour melters. You don't say what you're pouring or ramping up for. I've talked to alot of guys on the Cast Boolits site and they use the 10 and 20 lb pots for molding 1000's of bullets a month. Fatman

Been a while since I had to buy any of these for my pony jig mold but does anyone know where I can buy them in bulk 500-1000 for $25-$30 bucks??? To show you how long it's been my last two packages came from Jann's Sportsmans Supplies (before they merged with Netcraft) boy I sure do wish we could have those prices again. fatman

I make my own spinners too and here's a couple of things you can try that I've found through the years I've been making them: For the Mepps style spinners: I'm attaching photo's from the Canadian Guide to lure making as you can't draw pictures here http://www.luremaking.com/howto/frenchspinner.htm You should be working on the bottom of the spinner FIRST, http://www.luremaking.com/howto/images/frspnstep1.jpg make your loop put the hook on and then you want to take your brass or silver body and slide it down the wire then squeeze the wires together and run the body weight over both. http://www.luremaking.com/howto/images/frspnstep2.jpg Holding the spinner body, take the tag end bend it over and snip it and your body weight is attached. This step right here is where you might be bending the main shaft a little that's why I say to make sure and hold the weight when doing this step. Now put on your beads and clevis and blade http://www.luremaking.com/howto/images/frspnstep3.jpg Then make your closing loop for attaching to your line http://www.luremaking.com/howto/images/frspnstep6.jpg A word about the spinner clevis!!!!!! The stirrup clevis's are ok but I much prefer the folded clevis's they seem to spin better. One reason I can think of why your spinners aren't spinning at slower speeds is your blade size ratio to your body weight is off. Download their lure making guide and on Pg. 25 is a chart on In-line spinners and blade size to body weight style, you'll have to print off a copy of the page from the catalouge to show body style to match against the guide below http://www.luremaking.com/catalogue/download_guide.htm The other problem I can think of is your eye for tying to your line is off center of the main shaft of the spinner. To try and adjust this try bending the eye one side or the other of the main shaft cast out and try to retrieve at slow speed and see if that will fix it. If not bend the other way and try again. This could be the same problem your having with the Panther Martin style spinner too. I've never bought a kit, I just buy the coils of wire and all the other components. If you don't have a wire forming tool this can be tough to make them. That's about all I can give you for help, let us know how it works. Fatman

I've never had a problem getting lead and HAVE NEVER paid for any!! Just plain lucky I guess. If you can get the tire weights great but look out for the tin and zinc ones (they'll be the ones that float and don't want to melt, don't turn up the heat just take them out). Make sure you melt in a very well ventilated space especially if you get any of the stick on weights (usually they're pure lead). Salvage yards are good but most of them want to charge higher prices. Hospitals and boat yards are great!!!!!!! When my local hospital re-did their xray lab they pulled the old lead panels and luckily my bro in law works there and I got three of them (my blazer still hates me)!! I've also gotten a 1/3 of a keel weight from an old sailboat a guy was tearing apart, just happened to be driving by at the time and he had it cut up and when I asked he said Cool I'll help you load it up. (the other two parts were already gone!! darn it!!) I get most of my tire weights from two independent repair shops as they don't want the hassle of re-cycling it. I usually stop in once every two weeks and pick it up. Lead is out there for free if you look around, but if you have to 15 to 25 cents doesn't seem too bad. Anyone getting berm lead from the shooting ranges make sure to melt it outside or have one hell of a good venting system it can really stink, no sense ticking off the lady of the house!!!!!!!!! Even if my state bans lead in all fishing lures and sinkers I can still sell it to buy different materials but I'll using it now. Fatman

Been using an old wormizer (with the wire head) ever since it first came out!!! Haven't burned out the head yet and still works great Fatman

It may also be the way you're taking them out of the mold after pouring!!!!!!! Don't grab hook when taking them out of the mold, take them out by the sprue!!! That lead even when hardened is still hot, and if you pull the heads out of the mold by the hook you will loosen them. Once I started doing this in all my molds I never had a problem again Fatman

Totally worth the price!!!!! I have the original one also. I'm always referring back to mine when I get stymied. Fatman

Burley We have all had the dripping pot problem with the Production Pot My cleaning of the Lee Pot: When all the lead is out of the pot I WEARING GLOVES tilt it forward to get any remaining lead to flow out the hole, I turn the pot down to about 200 degrees and then with an old 1/4 oz jig with the barb cut off and the wire formed into an L shape I shove it up into the hole from the bottom and remove any clogs/buildup, then I use a piece of spinner wire (I make mepps style spinners) and do the same from the top. Using channel Locks I then turn the pot off and pull the bar our of the pot and use heavy duty steel wool and wipe it down to get anything off of it and then set it aside to cool. When the pot cools down use an old flat head screwdriver to scrape the sides of the pot down. I tip the pot over and knock all the scrapings out then use a big piece of steel wool to wipe the inside of the pot till totally clean. When done put pouring bar back into place in the melter. Some folks leave lead in their pot from batch to batch pouring but I never have. I've done this with every pot I've ever had and it works really well for me, plus when you go to pour again everything is clean and ready to go. Just keep adjusting for the drip by turning the pouring bar with a flat head screw driver until it stops. I have a small metal bowel I put under the spout in between pours and it keeps everything neat and cut's down on the splatters. Hope this helps Fatman

You don't say what type of melter you have, I'm basing my info on what I use a Lee Production Pot IV bottom pour. Even before I got this I used a Hot Pot II and didn't have any problems. I pour them using tire weight lead and I found that I poured about 8 times with no blanks in the mold to get it up to the right temp. I also used a hair dryer to warm up the brass and silver blanks. Depending on which mold you have there's really not much more lead on a Silver buddy type lure than you'd pour for a jig head. Fatman

Pretty pricey for 5 jigs!! I don't know all the guys here on the site who pour and have their own business's yet so hopefully they'll post in and let you know how they can help you out. You can also check under the Fishing Flea Market tab and search through post's on jigs to find someone. If no one posts in and you can't find anything in the flea market check over at www.tackleunderground.com (you'll have to register) and post the same question in the Lure Making section and then under Wire Baits and someone will get to ya. Fatman