JBlaze

Motoryak, Here is an additional tool that you can use with Kelly's tool to make screw locks with a starter stud. It too is pretty simple to make and works very well. I have thought about this one since I made it and though I havn't tried it yet, I think it could you could probably use a cabinet knob and eliminate the Bottle cap and resin. John http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/16840-making-a-starter-stud-corkscrew/page__view__findpost__p__127631__fromsearch__1

it was not my idea so I would not feel right about doing that . It took me a little while to figure it out also but once it sunk in, it was easy to make. You might try PM'ing Kelly. Maybe he would make and sell you one. Good Luck John

Those are nice, hope to see what you are making a year from now. I too make my own buzzers. I have used permanent markers for coloring the blades but it wears off rather quickly, I have also powder coated the blade but I feel it makes them a little to heavy. I have a question if you don't mind telling. What or how did you color the blades. Thanks John

I too make my own shakee heads and jigs. I have found many different uses for the screw locks and like you, sometimes I need a different length or a longer tail length for imbedding into a lure. Here is the best tool I have found for making screw locks. It was posted by Kelly, one of http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/12037-making-consistent-screw-locks-rev-1-0/ BY the way, Welcome to TU, you can learn a lot here.

very neat trick. looks simple and easy. I will have to give this one a try. Thanks for sharing. John

RG, thanks for posting this. I found it very intormative and well said. I think the blasting booth is a good idea. Breathing the dust off of this stuff is not good for your resperitory system. John

Hey Josh, as Cadman says, baking your jigs will help a lot and I too have never been able to bake them without deforming the weed guard. So baking and then gluing in the weed guard is the only solution I know for making yoiur paint more durable. Baking them does harden the paint and makes it adhere better and longer but it has been my experience that dragging and banging that jig on the rocks continously is going to knock some of the paint off no matter what. I know you take pride in making a good looking lure but I really don't think the fish care. One moree thing, I have always gotten the base hole pins with every mold I have ordered. What mold or model # do you have? Something you might try is to get a 1/8 inch drill bit put a few wraps of masking tape about 1/2 way down it so it will hold tight in the mold and place it in the weed guard slot with the smooth end in the head of the mold and against the hook. Then pour your lead. that should give you a hole for gluing in the weed guard after baking. Hope this helps. John

Hey Josh, thats really strange with a new pot and pure lead. I have this problem occasionally but I use wheel weights which I have melted, skimmed and fluxed. I get the occasional impurity that blocks my pouring spout. the only solution that I have is to drain the pot and clean it. I think the next time this happens, I will give Jig Mans method a try. You probably would want to put a cookie sheet under the spout to catch the lead when doing this and wear protective clothing, gloves and safety goggles. It will probably spatter when it hits the pan. I know how aggravating and frustrating this problem is. Give me a holler, We'll have a look at it. John

Welcome Josh, glad you joined TU. I sincerely believe this is the best lure building forum on the net. Good people on here. They have helped me numerous times. I too am happy to see young people take an interest in a craft or hobby that is productive, meaningful and keeps them focused in the right direction. As Cadman said, any questions, fell free to ask. You will get lots of help here. John

+2 on the others thoughts. Also, Gloomisman brings up a good point. This has happened to me on more than one occasion. I use remelted and skimmed tire weights a lot. A few times, some impurity has made it down into the spout and it reduces the lead flow to a small twisted stream. Always when this happens I get a faulty pour down to the collar. If this is the problem, higher heat and getting the mold really hot doesn't help. you will still get the incomplete pours. Only a good thorough cleaning of the lead pot and spout will take care of this. John

Welcome Geppa, that is an awesome looking bait. I can only imagine how much time you have in it. Great work, thanks for sharing your secret to the scale pattern. John

Kelly, you are welcome. I think this is the beauty of sharing information with others. Sometimes it helps another person to do better work, (such as your idea did for me. before I came across your idea, I was twisting my screw locks around a modified dry wall screw. your idea made things much more efficient and easier for me and was greatly appreciated). Sometimes the sharing of ideas and information fuels the think tank and gets the creative juices flowing and other related ideas evolve from it. As of now, building baits and or tools to make baits with is a hobby for me. I work six days a week and look forward to the time when I can retire and devote a lot of my spare time to this passion. Maybe one day when I have more time and God willing, it will turn into a small business . Again, thank you for posting your tutorial. I have used your tool many, many times and am always grateful for your having shared it with all of us. Good luck with starting your own company I hope you are successful. John Blazier

Worth gets my vote, good quality, good finish and smooth polished edges. I also think their BB swivels are second to none.

I have one and as Cadman says, it powder coats well. It is probably one of the most useful molds that I own. I use it with some modification to make weighted hooks for casting flukes and other plastics. I make my own worm weights (similiar to the MoJo but a little longer and skinnier), ballast for crankbaits. It is a mold of many uses.

What Cadman said!! +1

Great Tip, thanks for sharing. John B

http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=viewimage&img=3244 I made these using .011 spring stainless wire. They are fairly resistant to snagging, but distort terribly when smacked by a fish. They are easy to bend back into position. I will use a little heavier wire next time I make some. Have never tried the braided wire. but I would think it might unravel if used bare/uncoated.