mark poulson

Post script: I used a modified pair of side cutters to remove the sprues. but I still had to carve away some lead. Can someone here tell me where I can buy some flush cutters (I think they are called gate shears)? Thanks in advance.

Pouring update: I cleaned out the pot, removed the spout closure bar, and cleaned out the spout. There was a ton of crud in it, and in the bottom of the pot. I sanded the inside of the pot with 400grit wet and dry, and then sprayed WD 40 into the pot, and on the closure bar. Then I sprayed isopropyl alcohol into the pot, and wiped the closure bar with alcohol. I blew out the alcohol with my compressor, and heat dried everything with my hair dryer. I sprayed Drop Out into the pot and spout. I sprayed Drop Out on the closure bar, too. I let everything dry for several days, and then reassembled. In between steps on the pot, I fluxed 9lbs of lead with paraffin and burned it off with a lit paper towel. I skimmed all the crap (dross/) off the lead, and poured it into 1/2lb and 1lb ingots. Today, I heated the pot on 7, and melted 5lbs of lead ingots. I put my mold on top of the pot while it heated. While the lead was melting, I put a teflon bowl under the spout to catch any drips. There were none. Once the lead was melted, I lifted the spout closure rod to see how it poured. Holy crap! The lead flowed in a beautiful steady stream into the teflon bowl, and shut off, with no drips, when I released the handle. I did one pour with no hooks, and everything filled completely, so I loaded my hooks and weed guard pins. I put the mold in my metal working vice, and gave it a good squeeze, to make sure it closed completely with the hooks in place, and then I poured my first batch. They came out perfect! I wound up pouring 10 each of 1/4oz, 3/8oz, and 1/2oz weedless arkie jigs. Thank you all so much for all your help!

Dink, Does the torch affect the strength or temper of the hooks?

I bought some to try on my chatterbait heads, and it seems kind of rubbery. I don't think I would get the knocking I want from the blade's side to side action, so I'll use it for swim jigs and regular jigs, where head noise isn't important. I'm wondering if the "softer" head coating might mean less or more hang ups in rocks.

Progress report. The Lee pot was not new when I got it. Since I was not getting a consistent flow when I poured, I decided to start over completely. Yesterday I emptied the pot completely. There was a ton of crude at the bottom. Today I removed the spout pin, and scraped all the junk out. And I got all the crap out of the spout. All that junk is now in the recycle bin. I wound up with more than a pound of pure lead. I think its pure, but I will flux it with paraffin before I use it and add a flaming paper towel, per your advice. Evidently the previous user never fluxed his lead, and just dropped more old sinkers into the pot when his lead was low. Once I've got clean lead to work with, I'll try again, loading my mold with hooks and Teflon pins, heating it over the pot for five minutes, and then pouring at 850+ to see how the reworked system does. It won't be for a few days. Big rains coming tomorrow and Thurs, so I can't flux outside like I need to. Friday should be the day for fluxing and more pouring. Fingers crossed, and thanks to everyone for all the good advice.

Thanks again Dink.

I'll try that. Thanks.

I held it tight against the spout until I got some overflow.

Thanks Dink.

I'm running it at 3, and the lead is 750 on the surface with my infrared thermometer. What temp should I be looking for?

Thanks guys. I'll experiment with all the suggestions, until I get full pours. Of course, it's waaaay too cold for me to do it this morning. Maybe this afternoon, when it's supposed to warm up a little. It sucks being 75, but it beats the alternative!

Forgive a lead pouring noobie question, but I have search the site and can't find the answers I need. I was given a Lee pot, half full of pure lead, and a Do-It 3 cavity Weedless Arky mold with 1/4,3/8, and 1/2 oz cavities. I cleaned the mold face altered the hook eye spots to accept the round eye hooks I want to use, sprayed the mold faces with Dropout,, and install my hooks and my teflon weed guard pins (thank you Ted). I heated my lead to 750 degrees f., and put the mold up to the spout. I poured the lead in until it topped out. I am getting incomplete retainers at the bottom of the molds. The tops fill fine, the weed guard pins worked great, but I get varying amounts of lead down at the bottom Any tips on what I'm doing wrong, or could do differently?

Just remember that dust is explosive, and water-based paints create dust when they dry. So buying more expensive filters might actually work against you, because you'll be more hesitant to change them as often as you should.

I always used metal ducting in my home shop dust extraction setup, so I knew it was grounded. I know house dryer venting is typically PVC, or the same flex duct you show, and neither is grounded. I was always leery of ungrounded ducting in woodshop extraction systems, because dust explosions were a real danger when I was young, so I'm probably overly sensitive about the need for grounding.

Pete, does the ducting need to be grounded?

But it is cheaper than drugs.....so far! Hahaha

Those all look good!

I prime with Rustoleum Self Etching Primer, and don't have an adhesion problems.

Where can I buy the removable pins for my Do-It Weedless Arkie jig mold?

Good luck! I hope it works out well for you.

Building your prototype out of waterproof material like PVC decking speeds up the testing process, because you don't have to worry about water intrusion every time you make a change. Once you have a lure that works, you can duplicate it in whatever building material you like, so only have to fine tune it before you paint and finish it.

Agreed! A good swimming bait will get bitten, no matter what color or finish.

Thanks Ted.

How do you get the powder to stick, once the bait starts to cool?