Poison Swingtail Mold Modification

[Will Wetline]

Soon after I received the Poison Swingtail mold I cast a batch and they came out beautifully, as Do-it molded jigs do. I had purchased this with the idea of skirting it, of course, and using a double tail trailer to make a reasonable facsimile of the GYCB Hula Grub which has served me well for more than 20 years.

 

Then I thought about my tub of baits labelled "Creatures" and thought further that this category of soft plastic baits utilizes so many flippers, flaps and flanges that a skirt isn't really needed. Could I get rid of the shaft that holds the skirt? Researching a way to do this I came upon a thread in TackleUnderground about silicone jig molds. Among the comments was weighinalimit's answer to smalljaw's question about using silicone to make temporary inserts for molds: "I've been doing this with Do-it molds for years." Let's have a look at this procedure:

 

 

Those who've tried dishwashing detergent to smooth silicone while applying have noticed that I didn't bother. But there is plenty where I want it!

 

 

After the silicone had cured for 24 hours I used a sawing motion at a very low angle with a brand new razor blade. The #11 blade in the X-acto knife was used to carefully pick out a few flecks of silicone that had gotten into the body cavities and to trim the back of the jig head.

 

 

Everything goes better with Drop Out.

 

 

I went a bit heavy with the overpour on the right but I do want a small dome so I can grasp it with linemans pliers and lift the jig out. If the sprue breaks at the jig head, I get a grip on the wire with needle nose and, with adequately colorful language, jerk the jig out that way. The "physics" of sprue demolding is preferred, however.

 

 The original wire form loop has been cut off and the wire rebent. Note the tweak to the right on these loops-to-be. I did this so when I make the final bend I can go ever so slightly below the wire that exits the jig head. Then, when I tweak the tag end back, there will be no gap.

 

The most difficult - and inconsistent - part of this project was bending the relatively heavy wire with my small but good quality round nose pliers. If I consistently catch boatloads of bass with this bait, I'll contact Do-it and suggest a Swingtail Creature mold in next year's new releases. Let them bend the wire!

 

 

Here's the first one ready to go. That's a TJ's Tackle Crinkle Copper powder painted head leading a Mudbug Z Man Boar HogZ. The sharp-eyed reader may be wondering about the small red thing on the bottom of the bait. It's a rubber skirt collar cut in half lengthwise and very, very carefully pulled over the hook point. Leave just enough space between the hook shank and the ElazTech to insert the nozzle of a container of Loctite super glue gel, squeeze out a dab, then press and hold for say, 20 seconds.

 

I hope to get back to you in a couple weeks with a pic of this rig hanging from a smallie's jaw.

[cadman]

Very nice tutorial. Thank You for the step by step and yes everything goes better with "Dropout"

 

BTW the red silicone. When that cures in the mold, does it come out easily without any residue so you can re-use the mold as it was originally designed?

[Will Wetline]

11 minutes ago, cadman said:

 

BTW the red silicone. When that cures in the mold, does it come out easily without any residue so you can re-use the mold as it was originally designed?

 

I don't know about removing the entire insert, but the bits I picked out of the body cavities had surprising good adhesion. weighinalimit on TU from whom I took the suggestion of using high temp silicone said, "If you want to remove it later it comes out pretty easily with a little work." This strikes me funny: is it easy or is it work?" Maybe he means you have to fussily pick at it to get all of it out.

[Munkin]

On ‎4‎/‎7‎/‎2017 at 8:44 PM, Will Wetline said:

Soon after I received the Poison Swingtail mold I cast a batch and they came out beautifully, as Do-it molded jigs do. I had purchased this with the idea of skirting it, of course, and using a double tail trailer to make a reasonable facsimile of the GYCB Hula Grub which has served me well for more than 20 years.

 

Then I thought about my tub of baits labelled "Creatures" and thought further that this category of soft plastic baits utilizes so many flippers, flaps and flanges that a skirt isn't really needed. Could I get rid of the shaft that holds the skirt? Researching a way to do this I came upon a thread in TackleUnderground about silicone jig molds. Among the comments was weighinalimit's answer to smalljaw's question about using silicone to make temporary inserts for molds: "I've been doing this with Do-it molds for years." Let's have a look at this procedure:

 

 

Those who've tried dishwashing detergent to smooth silicone while applying have noticed that I didn't bother. But there is plenty where I want it!

 

 

After the silicone had cured for 24 hours I used a sawing motion at a very low angle with a brand new razor blade. The #11 blade in the X-acto knife was used to carefully pick out a few flecks of silicone that had gotten into the body cavities and to trim the back of the jig head.

 

 

Everything goes better with Drop Out.

 

 

I went a bit heavy with the overpour on the right but I do want a small dome so I can grasp it with linemans pliers and lift the jig out. If the sprue breaks at the jig head, I get a grip on the wire with needle nose and, with adequately colorful language, jerk the jig out that way. The "physics" of sprue demolding is preferred, however.

 

 The original wire form loop has been cut off and the wire rebent. Note the tweak to the right on these loops-to-be. I did this so when I make the final bend I can go ever so slightly below the wire that exits the jig head. Then, when I tweak the tag end back, there will be no gap.

 

The most difficult - and inconsistent - part of this project was bending the relatively heavy wire with my small but good quality round nose pliers. If I consistently catch boatloads of bass with this bait, I'll contact Do-it and suggest a Swingtail Creature mold in next year's new releases. Let them bend the wire!

 

 

Here's the first one ready to go. That's a TJ's Tackle Crinkle Copper powder painted head leading a Mudbug Z Man Boar HogZ. The sharp-eyed reader may be wondering about the small red thing on the bottom of the bait. It's a rubber skirt collar cut in half lengthwise and very, very carefully pulled over the hook point. Leave just enough space between the hook shank and the ElazTech to insert the nozzle of a container of Loctite super glue gel, squeeze out a dab, then press and hold for say, 20 seconds.

 

I hope to get back to you in a couple weeks with a pic of this rig hanging from a smallie's jaw.

 

Thanks for the detailed tutorial, I have been wondering about using JB weld for awhile. Do you know the wire diameter on those inserts? They maybe what I am looking for in my next chatterbait project.

 

Allen

[Will Wetline]

1 hour ago, Munkin said:

 

Thanks for the detailed tutorial, I have been wondering about using JB weld for awhile.

 

smalljaw67 mentioned trying JB Weld in a post a while back. Said it works for while. The advantage of the high temp silicone is that it can be trimmed with a single edge razor blade flush to the surface of the mold which I think would be considerably easier than leveling the JB Weld. I cast only 15 heads with the silicone so I can't really address longevity, but it's holding up fine after this small number.

 

1 hour ago, Munkin said:

 

Do you know the wire diameter on those inserts? They maybe what I am looking for in my next chatterbait project.

 

 

I don't own a micrometer so I can't tell you exactly, but comparing the wire form for this jig head to a spinnerbait wire I know is .035", it appears to be  slightly heavier, maybe .040" or thereabouts. 

 

You may be interested in this post from TU:

 

http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/32729-chatterbait-from-sparkie-mold/

[Bluebasser86]

Very nice work! I modified the same mold to accept a shaker blade to make my own weedless bladed jigs and it worked perfectly. 

[Spinerbait58]

I all so have this mold, and I us it  for chatterbaits, Just snip the tie end of the wire,add a blade. Add a skirt, rig your minnow style,or creature trailer Texas-rigged, Works great when fishing wood,lay-downs. With usual Chatter-baits they down work that good in the wood.

[smalljaw67]

Excellent job, and I think that material will work better than what I used for similar applications!!!!!!! I used JB Weld Epoxy Putty to fill in a collar and add a wire keeper to a jig mold, it worked great but the problem was after a dozen or so pours the putty would come out. The only saving grace was that it came out as a solid piece so I just had to put it back in all the time as every time I opened the mold and pulled the head out, the putty came out but it hardened into what I now use as an insert. I'll take a guess and say that the form a gasket material will take some time to come out, maybe plumbers putty might be easier to come out if you don't plan on having the mod be long term.

[AusBassHunter]

On 4/11/2017 at 3:26 PM, Bluebasser86 said:

Very nice work! I modified the same mold to accept a shaker blade to make my own weedless bladed jigs and it worked perfectly. 

@Bluebasser86 how did you modify the mold to accept the chatter blade? Did you cut slots or something so that you can have the blade attached directly to the wire during the molding process?

 

[Jig Man]

On 4/7/2017 at 7:57 PM, cadman said:

Very nice tutorial. Thank You for the step by step and yes everything goes better with "Dropout"

 

BTW the red silicone. When that cures in the mold, does it come out easily without any residue so you can re-use the mold as it was originally designed?

In my experience, NO.  Once it is cured it is a royal pain to remove.  Maybe there is a chemical that will facilitate its removal.

On 4/10/2017 at 6:58 PM, Munkin said:

 

Thanks for the detailed tutorial, I have been wondering about using JB weld for awhile. Do you know the wire diameter on those inserts? They maybe what I am looking for in my next chatterbait project.

 

Allen

I have a jig mold that I modified at least 20 years ago with JB Weld.  It has withstood several hundred pours.