Jig Man

Thanks for the ideas. I'll put some vents in the plate and try some scrap plastic later today when the temps get around 30° outside.

Here are pics of the mold and plate.

Yes it is the same always (all of them) that don't fill. The body fills and 1/2 of the tails. The plate is just a piece of aluminum flashing cut to fit the mold. That is what I have used for my other molds. I don't have any pics right now. I'll have to heat up some plastic tomorrow and do some shoots.

I've been experimenting with my mold. It is a 4 cavity mold from Lurecraft. It shoots great. I used my two injectors with my blending block to shoot laminates. It did a pretty good job but when shooting the 2 colors blended together (not swirled) giving me unusual tail coloring. I'm wanting to keep the 2 colors completely separate from each other so I made a lamination plate. I spent some time trying to shoot some halves today. I preheated the mold, lamination plate, and injectors. I tried different temps of plastisol. I tried different speeds and pressures while injecting. I even lubricated the mold and plate. The end result was 1 half completely shot. All the rest had incomplete tails. Do you think I should wait and try it again in summer? Or is there a slickum that might work for me?

Boy I wish I could give you an answer to that one but I haven't bought a finished jig in over 20 years.

I just use a knife blade to smooth the sprue area.

The only problem with using the rtv silicone is getting it out. I have it in some lead molds and it is a bear to get out when I want to change something. Have you tried pouring some plastisol where you want the block, letting it cool really well than coating it with some kind of slickum then shooting the regular bait. That might let the new stuff peel off. Just a thought. Maybe even plumbers putty.

Every time that I have tried "double baking" I have wound up changing/dulling the color if it is chartreuse or white. I had the same thing happen as smalljaw with chartreuse and red on some blade heads.

For open pour molds I use a divided pyrex cup. I have read about using a double injector and alternating pulses but have yet to try it.

If you have any heads a pic would be nice.

I am using the Gamakatsu 114 in mine.

The Troker swim jig might be what you are looking for. I bet either Cadman or Smalljaw can fix you up. http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Do-it_Trokar_Hook_Jig_Molds/descpage-DITKRML.html

Yep. I did not see the part about how the mold is set up. Plates would be worthless.

I have some molds that I can inject with two injectors at the same time and they laminate I also have others that swirl when I try it. That is why I buy the aluminum flashing like shown in my pic and make laminate plates. It only takes a few minutes to make one and you won't have to do all of that bait cutting.

I build laminate plates for my molds. I build them from aluminum flashing that at buy at Lowe's. I shoot a color (either belly or back) take the mold apart pull the plate, pull the color I don't want, put the mold back together and shoot the other color.

If I were going to modify it for a wire keeper instead of the collar, I'd fill the collar space with high temp rtv silicone or maybe try plumbers putty to begin with and see how it works.

Thanks for all of the direction and assistance. It looks like a pair of a pair of those green handle pliers are in my future.

I'm with you archer. My vacuum cleaner, brown grocery bag, and coffee filters are only pennies of investment and work well enough for me. I thought the maybe this was for a fluid bed but wasn't sure enough to comment.

Would these be better for larger opening on larger rings? http://www.tacklewarehouse.com/Texas_Tackle_Split_Ring_Pliers_Large/descpage-TTSR5L.html

So I did not know there were different sizes of split ring pliers. I'll have to check around and find some. Will these get the job done. https://www.barlowstackle.com/Premium-Split-Ring-Pliers--P1019.aspx

I haven't used my spoon mold for a few years. With all the cold we are having I've decided to do some winter spoon fishing. My mold makes 3/4 oz spoons. I'm using a #7 split ring and having a heck of a time getting them installed. My split ring pliers just won't open them wide enough to fit the thickness of the spoons. When I manage to get one on it is misshapen most of the time. Anyone got any tricks or ideas?

If you want a good premade harness, I know a guy who has a bunch. I quit making my own and started buying from him because his wires are way better than what I used.

I haven't mixed it in the bottle. I have just poured some polish on a piece of paper and put a dab of powder on it. Mix it up and brush it on. I let it dry then put another coat of polish on, let it dry, flip and repeat.

I guess I did not make it clear when I said glow in the dark powder. It is just that powder that I use for soft plastics. It is not powder paint. What I have wound up doing is mixing it with clear nail polish. It will get dunked on Friday so I'll have an idea how it holds. I may have to mix it with epoxy since it doesn't seem that it will mix with powder paint.

I mixed some with nail polish and put it on a spoon. I know that won't last very long. I was wondering about mixing a small amount with powder paint and applying the mix. So if I understand you Mark they don't melt at the same temp?