Fatman

Sorry Brian but Cadman gave you the best and quickest fix. Any time you modify a mold you can run into this problem. Heck, I've seen it on by Pony Head mold when using sickle hooks you'll get a small bunch of lead around the head of the swivel. You can carefully try and remove it and most times it comes off, but if you modified the mold you probably took out too much material hence the JB weld fix. As everyone else has said if you come up with something better let us know, cause I know Cad told me about the JB Weld fix and I've used it. This is a common problem when you modify, somthing you just have to live with or take the advice given. If you can post a picture of the jig with how much lead is coming through, if it's a trim job no big deal but if we can see it maybe we can help you in how to use the JB's to fix the problem. Fatman

I usually use regular paint and they seal it with two part epoxy and same for the eyes. There's a few of the guys that I believe use fluid beds but I haven't tried it yet myself. Fatman

May be that you have hard lead, but not knowing what brand of flux you used I can't tell you for sure. I use plain candle wax it will smoke then ignite and then you stir it in. If you have some pure add it to some of the stuff in your pot and see if that helps. I have some molds that I can pour harder lead into and others that require PURE or they won't come out at all. I've poured tire weight lead down to 1/32 in several molds but others it won't work. If you were using tire weights and you had your melter up on 10 it's also possible you got a zinc wheelweight and it melted in. Never used paste flux before just the candle wax. Try some more fluxing, add a bit of pure to your stuff and see if it works. If not maybe it will pour in a different mold. Fatman

Cad, JSC is correct, they were bought out by Dolphin Sports. Here's the site address: Hilts Molds: quality fishing tackle making products. but as you can see at the bottom it hasn't been updated since 2002. On the online store that hasn't been updated since 2005. This is their contact info from the site: Dolphin Sports, Inc. 881 South Rose Place Anaheim, CA 92805 Phone: (714) 687-9160 Email: info@hiltsmolds.com You can find a few of them on ebay but you have to search under Lead Molds and that brings up the old Palmers, Avant (sp), Herters etc. Fatman

I'm pretty cheap so I have the one from Netcraft that I bought years ago and it's still puttin out the spinners. But alot of the guys here have the Boggs tacklemaker and there are several in the Stamina catalouge. Might use the anniversary to get the wife to get me a boggs though. Fatman

Always fished the messed up ones myself, but I'm gonna have to try that heat up and wipe off trick sounds good. Thanks Fatman

I powder paint most of my jigs but I also still use Testors model paint, use a white base coat, then two coats of your color and let dry. I then mix up some two part clear epoxy that I get from Janns and coat the painted jigs with it. Nice hard finish and I'll usually lose the jig before I worry about the paint coming off. Fatman

I've also heard Renegade but no proof of it. Check a bag and see where they list them and then check that Manu on the web. Fatman

I spent a while looking and the only thing I can find is a proposal to ban plastic shopping bags. I'd like to see more info also. Fatman

Couple of options: Well if there's a small piece sticking out grab on with a pair of Vise Grips and just twist until it comes out. Now if there is enough use a small propane torch and gently heat the pouring spout until the lead melts and you can pull the bit out If not enough to grab, look inside the pot and see if the top of the drill bit can be seen from inside and try pulling it out that way. If the bit is broke off flush you could try taking a nail of the SAME size as the bit, and gently tap the nail with a hammer until you force the bit inside the melting put. No matter what DON'T try drilling out the other bit!!!!! One slip and you void any warranty you have and even if it clears you may make the hole to big for the pouring peg to stop the flow of lead. I also use a long piece of spinner making wire for clearing the hole, and I also have an old jig head with the barb cut off and make the wire L shaped and when your pot is empty but still warm push it up into the pour spout to clean it out. Just stuff I have tried that works. Always wear gloves no matter which way you try Fatman

HB This is no damned different than all the lead bans going on, especially when the facts prove otherwise. I also think it's being pushed by the tackle companies to knock off the cottage industry companies. And with all the Environmental groups pushing on top of it don't help either. I would have no problem pouring non-lead tackle if the companies out there would provide a product for home molders that was as cheap as lead BUT THEY DON"T. If you get around the boards you'll hear it everywhere, I know some guys out in California that are stock piling wheel weights IN THE TONS!!!!! because the laws just changed that they can't use lead wheel weights on cars anymore. Make sure to fight the proposed ban in Maine, write your Congressmen and woman. Fatman

Use the vinegar and then rinse them off in warm water. Keep a piece of heavy line or wire to push through the hole in the head to let the vinegar through. When you dip them you're going to need to put a wire through for dipping so the paint doesn't clog the hole anyway. On the epoxy use 2 thin coats not one heavy as it will drip. Fatman

Okay Brian got one more place for you to try Home This is a buddy of mine from the Crappie.com board. If he ain't got it he can get it. Take a photo of exactly what you're looking for and use the link at the site and email it to him. He'll get back to you. Prices are good and if you find what you're looking for a want a skein tell him. If he can get it he'll order it by the skein for you. Hope this helps. Fatman

I didn't want to pay for the pliers so I just bought the Netcraft wire bending tool YEARS ago when they were $7.95. Still using it although the Boggs looks really nice. Fatman

Looks like it should work. Might be a pain trying to make a two piece mold though as you'd have to make sure everything lined up and you'd have to cut pouring spouts etc. If you go for it let us know how it works fatman

That mold comes up on ebay frequently. You'd have a hard time modifying the erie jig mold to that config, plus you'd be trimming a lot of lead Fatman

Blade Great Tip on the rolaids bottle Thanks Fatman

Bass First if you cut off the nipple make sure it's smooth and re-bake the head and it will finish curing. Second - If these are the first you have done you'll end up with them it's just part of the process, it's happened to all of us. The problem is you're gettting too much powder on them when you're dipping them. Either you're not getting them hot enough to dip or you're leaving them in the powder too long. Gave you both scenario's Fatman

I've always made it a point to try pouring every type of lead in all my molds and whatever works best is either scratched on the mold handle or written down in my molding log (cheap notebook) and then that's all that ever gets poured in those molds. I also have 3 big rubbermaid box's with lids one tire, one pure, and one 2/1 mix. And buckets of tire weights that need to be cleaned - hopefully it's nice out this weekend. Right now to stretch my pure (I have three times as much tire weight as pure) so I mixed up a batch of 2 tire/ 1 pure and it pours perfect in every crappie jig mold I have down to 1/32 oz. and that includes my pony and horsehead molds. Fatman

I use an umbrella net and before putting it in the water toss some cornmeal in the water to see if any are there Believe me You'll know, If there put the umbrella net in and then a medium size handful of cornmeal and when they hit the center of the net lift it quick!!!!!!!!!! I usually end up with 3 different size's of minnow's Fatman

After I pour mine I break off the sprue, then I use an old barlow knife to trim off any flash and smooth off the sprue spot and that's it. Unless you have a business anything more than that IMO is a waste of time. I've tried 10 different colors of powder and never had anything but smooth finished heads. Fatman

Southern Plastics has a web site but it's interfaced with all their other divisions, I spent about 40 minutes trying to get to the fishing one and no go. Pitbull, yeah Hagens has some but their colors bite, and it's way cheaper on a smaller order if you can get someone on this site to make them for you. Fatman

I'd call Hagens and ask them if a plastic one is available, Now that I've seen it I know what it is and I've never seen one in plastic. Hagens would be able to tell you. Fatman

Perch I powder paint them then use stick on eyes then put epoxy over the top to hold them but the thread Bass was talking about is Powder water http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/wire-baits/16679-powder-water.html I havn't got around to ordering any yet but I'm gonna when I get some cash together. Fatman

are you talking about a skirt for the hook??? or a covering or replacement body for the spinner??? If the body they have large size oval beads but it's tough to get the spinner going as theirs no weight to the spinner. Got a photo to clarify exactly what you want. Fatman