The first batch

[burleytog]

Got a Do-It RHB 8-18 and a Hot Pot 2 last weekend at BPS.  My friend found some lead and away we went.

This is the first batch.  1/8 oz. on 2/0 Eagle Claw 570 hooks.  Had some trouble getting complete pours.  We would usually get 4 or 5 good heads out of each batch of 8.  Most had incomplete collars.  Don't know if that was due to the lead (old round balls) or just my inexperience.

This was my first time using the ProTec as well.  I need to make a small rack for hanging after I dip.  Just laid those on the counter and you can see the result.  Directions say to cure in a 350* oven for 15-20 minutes.  Didn't have access to an oven that hot (at work), so I used a 105*C oven for 2 hours.

This whole tackle craft thing could get very addictive.

[Triton21]

You got the Addictive part right.  Been doing it over 30 years and still can't get enough.  Nice job on the jigs.

Kelley

[stroz]

Nice work.I'm sure it will be sweet to catch fish on your own bait.

                                                                       Stroz

[Alpster]

I've been building rods and tying flies for a while now. I'm just now getting into custom crankbaits, I'm afraid to start pouring lead & plastics because I am easily addicted. LOL

Those are great looking jigs! Keep up the good work.

Ronnie

[Munkin]

Try Big Lots for a small oven, I picked one up for less than $20. Did you smoke the mold with a candle flame before you started pouring? Another thing to try is holding the mold at an angle to see if it pours better?

Allen

[basscatcher8]

Hey man i just got that mold myself and was having the exact same problem. A guy told me to not put any hooks in and pour the lead into the mold then open it up throw the lead back in the pot and pour again with no hooks. Keep doing this until the mold warms up and the metal will expand a little bit and it should give you a complete jig. Im saying this off theory  because i havent had any good weather to try it since i first poured about 3 weeks ago. Im hopefully gonna give it a try this weekend. It wont hurt anything to try because your not wasting hooks and lead can always be melted again.

Ill have to post some pics of my first batch of flipping jigs that ive done.

good luck

[burleytog]

Wasting hooks?  Any incomplete heads were cut from the hooks and the hooks were re-used.

I poured at least 10 batches and by the time I poured that last batch the mold was too hot to touch.

I'm going to get some (verified) pure lead and give it a try.  I have to wonder if the material I was using wasn't made from wheel weights.  Everything I have read indicates that hard lead will result in incomplete pours.

[harshman]

Burley,

Did you smoke the mold like Munkin asked? One of my molds was doing similar to what you discribed and smoking it cured it. Also ho long are letting your lead pot heat up before you start to pour? Sometimes if I use wheel weights as material I let it heat up for a good 30 minutes before I ever start to pour and then let it reheat for five minutes or so after adding more lead to the pot. It very well may be the lead that is giving you troubles though.

P.S. As a side note make sure your lead is rinsed off and dry before you use it. I got some from an old pig farmer that stored his lead in an old hog shed and I just went ahead and used it , needless to say once that old pig dust started to burn off my whole garage smelled like a pig farm. Learned a lesson the hard way.

Harshman

[basscatcher8]

Hey Burley i finally got this mold to give me full jigs. Like Harshman and Munkin had said holding the mold over a candle really helps. But i wasnt sure how often to do that. It came down to i had to smoke the cavities i was gonna pour lead into over a candle each time before i loaded hooks into them. Then i got full jigs. If i didnt do this then i didnt get full jigs. So i would smoke the cavity put a hook into it pour the lead in then pop out the jig and smoke the cavity again then put another hook in and pour again.

Has anybody else found this? I tried smoking it and pouring a few times but always the first jig would be complete and the rest would be missing the barb.

[snapperd1]

The key is to get the mold hot.  I warm mine on the melting pot while the lead is melting, then I pour two or three sets without hooks.  Once they come out complete I add hooks and pour away.  You have to be careful how you pour.  If you go to slow you will get partial pours to fast and you make a mess with the lead.

Good luck,

Tom D.

[SPEEDBEAD.]

Burley, here is a rack for you....

http://www.staminainc.com/paint/finishing_rack.html

[basscatcher8]

Snapperd1 i tried what you did before as well. The thing is i will get full heads with no hooks in the cavities, but then ill put hooks in and pour the same way and not get full heads.

[burleytog]

Burley, here is a rack for you....

http://www.staminainc.com/paint/finishing_rack.html

Why pay $20 when you can make that for $5 with some scrap wood and a couple of pieces of all-thread?

I'm going to pour some more this weekend.  I'll try the candle thing once I find a suitable candle to steal from the old lady.

[TheBeast]

Burley, don't worry about the rack I will make us one today got everything we need right here at no cost, unless you just want to give me $5  ;D

On the next batch we need to try some of the other lead I got, it should do better I know it isn't wheel weights and is softer and more pliable.  I need to get the big pot my F-I-L has so we can clean it all and pour it into ingets.

[snapperd1]

Basscatcher,

  I think it has more to do with the speed you pour the lead.  If you go to slow it will not make a complete pour.  It takes a while to get use to pouring but you will get it.  You can always melt the lead off of the ones that don't turn out right.

Tom D.

[TheBeast]

Got the rack done. Total cost including materials........

ZERO

also only took about 10 minutes

[basscatcher8]

is there anything diamond plate cant do lol

[TheBeast]

Made a little improvement on the rack.

Still at the same price.  8-)

[mikel7]

I NEVER USE WHEEL WEIGHTS, BUT MY FATHER INLAW POURS A LOT OF HIS OWN BULLETS AND HE PUTS A SMALL PIECE OF BEE'S WAX IN THE LEAD WHEN IT IS MELTING AND STIRS WITH A LONG TEAS SPOON. THIS COLLECTS ALL THE IMPURITES TO THE TOP AND THEN YOU SKIMM THEM OFF THE TOP. I DO THIS EVERY NOW AND THEN AND I GET SOME FROM PURE LEAD. THIS MAY HELP WITH THE WHEEL WT'S

[Big Todd]

Try turning the heat up on your pot.  This cured all my incomplete pours.  Lead that is not pure or dirty will pour better at higher temps.  Hope this helps.

                                                                           

[TeamHillbilly]

Add about 3' piece of plumber's solder, this has the flex already in it, Also the tin will make your jigs a little harder and cleaner. That's how I solved the same problem. :)

[burleytog]

Increasing the heat isn't an option with the Hot Pot II that I have.  Cabelas has the Lee Production Pot on sale and I'll probably order one this week.

I tried a bit more last night.  First using some (I assumed) lead screw anchors that I've had sitting in a shop for the last 20 years.  They weren't lead, but they did melt (tons of slag).  Pouring was hard as the stuff set up as soon as it left the pot.  

A 1/8 oz. lead jig should weigh approx. 3.6 grams.  All of these weighed 3.3 grams, so the material is a bit lighter than lead.

Then melted a bit of lead.  Heated the mold in a 105*C oven for about 30 minutes while the lead got good and hot.  Didn't smoke the cavities (still need to swipe a candle), but I did pour with the mold setting about 15* above flat.  Still got a couple of incomplete pours.  

I think some of it is due to slow pouring (hard to hold that Hot Pot just right without getting a hot hand) and some of it due to lead temperatures.  Even though I let the lead heat for 30 minutes, I don't think it was hot enough (had the green/purple hue to it though).

It is a learning process and hopefully I will be able to perfect my technique.  Watch the Flea Market section soon for Burley's Custom jigsheads.

[llPa1nll]

P.S. As a side note make sure your lead is rinsed off and dry before you use it. I got some from an old pig farmer that stored his lead in an old hog shed and I just went ahead and used it , needless to say once that old pig dust started to burn off my whole garage smelled like a pig farm. Learned a lesson the hard way.

Harshman

Hahahaha now that is a funny visual...