Part 1 Making the jighead

[Siebert Outdoors]

RULE NUMBER 1 SAFETY FIRST

Lead melts at approx 621 deg. F. You do not want it to touch you. Be careful of alloys.

Please read all the safetey instructions for pouring according to manufactures. Plenty of ventilation and use a good quality respirator.

This is how I make them. There may be better ways or just different ways of making a jig head. I've spent alot of time developing this system and it works for me. You may find a reason to modify some of my steps to fit your needs or tools.

Step 1

The tools needed:

Pouring pot.

Mold

Hooks

Pliers

Base hole pins

Safety equipment

Step 2

Place the hook and base hole pin into the mold as shown and close.

Step 3

Holding the mold closed tightly pour the lead down the center of the hole filling the cavity and trying to avoid over flow. A good pour will turn out as pictured

Step 4

Remove the jig head from the mold with the pliers to avoid being burned by the hot lead. Set aside and let cool.

Step 5

Remove the burr on the top of the jig and remove the base hole pin from the jighead. This can be done with the pliers. Sometimes you will have too rotate the pin out.

Basic Painting

All I use is powder paint. A few notes about it. You will need an oven preferably one with a good temp control. Lead melts at approx 621 deg. F. Place alumininum foil under heads to catch the drips.

#1

heat the jighead to 350deg F. Reason I use this temp is because it is the recommended curing temp for protec powder paint colors I use. Make sure your temps follow the instructions on the paint.

After the jig heads are heated remove I quickly remove the head and insert the pin as pictured. Be extremely careful and wear the same equipment as when you poured the head.

Once you have inserted the pin quickly insert the jig head into the loose powder paint and shake it then quickly remove and knock off the excess by hitting the hook on the side ove the container without knocking it over. Remove the pin and then place the head on a holder. I use an old archery arrow supported on both sides and let cool. Do not let the heads touch or they will stick together.

A good light coat will look like this

The main trick to getting an even coat of powder paint is having extremely loose powder before dipping the heated head into the paint. A fluid bed works great for this but not everyone needs one.

** Notice the paint around the eyelet of the hook and how thin it is. If it turns out like this head you should not need to knock it out. If the paint is caked on the eyelet you will need to remove it before curing. If not. Good luck. When removing the paint sometimes you can use just your finger nail or on some of them you will need to use an eye buster(recommended). Just be careful not to hit the side of the head. The powder paint is very fragile at this state.

After you finish painting and cleaning eyelets now you will need to cure them. Since your oven is already heated you can just put them into the oven and let them cure to the recommended temp.

Once that is completed let them cool and you are ready to glue in the weedguards. I use epoxy because real light glue like super glue will run up the fibers and glue it together.

Some completed heads

Good luck and please feel free to ask questions.

[bassman1282]

I always pour with the weedguard in instead of the pin because its always too hard to glue it in afterwards. Just a matter of personal preference I guess.

[harshman]

Looks good G-MAN

Not to be picky is there any way to have clearer pics? Does your camera have a Macro setting? That setting is how I get quality zoomed in pics on my camera but all cameras are different.

Harshman

[Siebert Outdoors]

I can do that.  My camera does have that.  I think what happended is when I cropped the pics they distorted.

[basscatcher8]

ive heard some guys talking that they use a heat gun to heat up there jigs. Anybody know how this is done?

[BASS fisherman]

Great thread GMAN!

This past week I just recieved 4 molds to start making my own lead head lures.  I got a tapered tube mold, the discontinued gitzit tube mold, a bullet head spinnerbait mold and a bullet weight mold.  I also got a bunch of blades, spinner and buzzbait wires, paint, and a bunch of hardware for the spinnerbaits and buzzbaits.  

I decided to come on here to see what I could find about pouring lead and BAM!- here it is.  Thanks alot.

Now I want the weedless football jig mold, a round ball head mold, and a few others.

I do have some questions though-  Where do you get your lead?  Why be careful of alloys? How about ingots?  Do you have an inexpensive way to make them?    

[Siebert Outdoors]

I get all my weights from wheel weights and other scrap lead.  Never had a problem with the lead.  Just make sure its clean and fluxed before you start pouring.  I wouldnt melt down wheel weights in your melter either.  

I should be able to get the skirts thread this week.  

Harshman,  sorry for not getting to the new pics yet.  

[booneangler]

i have a qeustion i know i could go down to the local tire shop and probably pick up some old tire weights but why not melt them in your melting pot. I was looking at a very small one from Barlows tackle and was just curious. Also when you pour the lead into the mold how long do you need to let the lead set in the mold before you open the mold to get it out and remove the excess and see how it turned out. i am new to this and just trying to see what is the best way. I am thinking about getting a melting pot and a laddle hopefully spend about 50 bucks on those and then getting a couple molds and trying to find some lead i can use. I want to make the shaky head jigs that have the screw to hold the plastics.

[booneangler]

the hot pot is what i was thinking about getting i just noticed that you do not half to have a laddle for this. I think it would be good to start out.

[booneangler]

also is the pot hard to clean once you pour your lead im assuming you want to pour all of it being you dont want to waste it.

[harshman]

Booneangler you don't have to clean the pot when you are done if you don't want to. I just let the lead cool in the lead pot and then reheat what is in the pot for next time. You can open the mold almost as soon as you pour the lead, you can watch the spur at the top and once it has turned into a solid you can open the mold. I would wait until the lead has fully cooled before doing any trimming.

I would highly recommend a hot pot that does not use a ladle. It is a lot safer and you get a higher quality pour.

And like I tell everyone that is new to bait making, use extreme caution it is very, very, very addicting...don't say nobody warned you in six months when your garage looks like a small manufacturing factory. ;D ;D ;D ;D

On a side note I noticed you want to make the shaky's with the screw loc head.......G-Man remember just a few months ago we were making them without a special mold.....wonder where DO-IT gt their idea from to make that mold????? I almost went crazy when I seeing a mold for exactly what I had been pouring for almost a year....so much for having a corner on the market with that idea huh?

Harshman

[Low_Budget_Hooker]

Nice tutorial GMAN

[booneangler]

thanks for the info.

[booneangler]

is it ok to use lead tire weights from tire shops.

[Gatorbassman]

is it ok to use lead tire weights from tire shops.

Yes.

[Siebert Outdoors]

On a side note I noticed you want to make the shaky's with the screw loc head.......G-Man remember just a few months ago we were making them without a special mold.....wonder where DO-IT gt their idea from to make that mold????? I almost went crazy when I seeing a mold for exactly what I had been pouring for almost a year....so much for having a corner on the market with that idea huh?

Harshman

Yep,  I've been thinking about buying the football ones.  It would be less of a hassle for me.  it is amazing that stuff we (taklemaking junkies) have invented and helped people out with then down the road a manufacturer is building that product.  I could garantee that someone from Do it saw the posts on here or TU and said here we go and probably got a bonus for such a great idea. :