mark poulson

Nice bait! Why do you like the spring spacer?

This is so true! Hot plastisol can make burns that last forever.

I would suggest you play around with what's out there now until you find something that works for you, and then try to find a similar mold.

I use thread to build up layers, and then wire tie with .026 floral wire. I've never had a jig/spinner bait/chatterbait come unwrapped.

I got my .062 sst wire from LurePartsOnline: https://www.lurepartsonline.com/Lure-Making/Shop-By-Product-Category/Wire-Wire-Forms-Tools/Wire/Wire-Forms?page=1

I appreciate anyone who will take the time and effort to make a detailed reply, even if they misread the topic. It's far easier to criticize than to actually contribute.

Are you talking about chatterbait blades or spinnerbait blades?

Wow Smalljaw! That's a sh-load of bad stuff to have to handle all at once. I hope you get it turned around soon

X2!!

My computer is fast. It's me that's slow! Hahaha

Let's hope people vote with their pocketbooks, like you did. We all know it costs to run a business. Be upfront about it, and give us the chance to decide if we're okay with what you charge.

It is. I guess I'm just slow.

Is it just me, or is the new Tacklewarehouse site almost impossible to navigate? Whatever happened to, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"?

Small channel lock pliers.

Thanks.

I've never seen a mold with a lamination plate. Do you remove the plate while the plastic is still hot, or do you pour each half separately, and rely on the second half's heat to bond it to the first half?

Update: I tried tempering the 5/0 stock Victory jig hooks with my 1000 degree heat gun, and the eyes still snapped. Same with the Mustad hooks. So I used the propane torch to get the hook eyes red hot, let them cool on the metal tray I use under my lead pot when I pour, and then opened the eyes with an awl, driven through the eye into a piece of plywood. Then I loaded the hooks into my jig mold, and poured six 1/2oz heads. I powder coated the heads at 350 for 45 minutes, added my skirts, and crimped on the chatter blades. No breakage, and the eyes were hard enough to close to make me confident that they wouldn't open up on a fish. I don't know if it was the hot lead, or the baking at 350 when I powder coated, but something worked. I didn't try any 4/0 or 3/0 hooks, since I don't need any smaller hooks for my chatterbaits. If I do, I'll report back on what works, or doesn't.

My first step would be to even up the two molds so the blending block sits level. That would eliminate one possible problem. Then use a process of elimination to see what the problem is.

I just made up some chatterbaits with the 5/0 hook eyes heated to cherry red, and then allowed to air cool, which was pretty quick. The eyes opened and closed fine, and there was no breakage. The hook eyes were hard to close. Same with the 4/0 hooks. The 3/0 hooks broke half the time. I tried tempering some of the hooks at 350F for an hour, and they all broke. I'll try the heat gun next, and report back.

Thanks everybody. I think I'll try reheating with my heat gun to see if I can get to the straw color. Funny, that's the color we quenched to in metal shop, back in the 60's.

Bob, if I want to temper in my toaster over, what temp. and for how long do you suggest?

Lots of spam again

Thanks Dink. I just ordered the smaller wire. I have a shlod of left over trailer hooks, since I can't use them here on the Delta.

I used to open the hook eyes with an awl, but the newer Mustad jig hooks are too hard and brittle. Only the 5/0 will open without breaking.

Ted, the Mustad jig hooks I'm using are soft after I heat the hook eye red hot. They stay soft and don't break, like they did before I heated them. I was hoping to find a way to re-temper them so they would still be soft enough to bend, but no longer be brittle when re-bent, like the originals.