Kasilofchrisn

You do realize Shawn makes custom molds right? That means if you can dream it he can probably make a mold for it. I currrently have him working on a smaller freshwater version of one of my saltwater jig molds. I have another set of molds that makes jigs from 1/8 ounce all the way to 24 ounces all from Collins customs and all exactly the same just smaller or bigger. If it were me I would first try modifying the Aspirin head jig mold from Do-It. http://www.barlowstackle.com/Do-It-Aspirin-Head-Jig-Mold-P173.aspx Either that or geting some jigs and making them how you want then then making yourself a silicone mold off those jigs. If they work out as planned then look into an expensive CNC mold from Shawn Collins Or Bob Lalonde of CNC molds n stuff.

I'm sure Shawn could make him what he wants. I have quite a few of Shawns molds and they are great. But the cost is usually more than most people realize for something custom like that. Especially compared to a sandcast Do-It mold.$30 vs $200- $300 is a big difference. But then again you do get exactly what you want.

You use Plexi glass in making your fluid beds? I've never done them that way. I just made some more using 3" end caps epoxied in some aquarium valves and they worked great.

I just bought a kit of heat shrink tubing from Home depot. A whole arrray of thin walled stuff in a bunch of different colors. It might work for this?

Trim the flash with a small pair of end nippers and get a hobby file. File them slowly over an old cookie sheet or similiar to capture the filings and make them as smooth as you want/need. Trim the keeper as cadman suggested.

2 sources. EBAY from this seller he doesn't have any listed now but he often does. http://www.ebay.com/sch/pc-fishing/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from= Also from this retailer in the UK http://www.fishingweightmolds.com/productinfo.php?product=1290 I hope this help you. Shipping from the UK can be a deal breaker.

I don't believe an alloy could do this. Now there may be other contaminates from unkniown scrap lead causing issues with the corrosion. Another good reason to make ingots by melting in a seperate pot using a ladle and only putting clean fluxed ingots in your bottom pour pot.

WOW I'm glad my lee pot works good. Yes it drips sometimes but not bad enough for me to get too mad about it. I do the turn the plunger with a screwdriver back and forth trick and it stops for awhile. I use a burner and pot for my larger saltwater jigs but on the smaller stuff the bottom pour sure is nice. I too have gottten zinc contaminated lead and it sucks. I make all my ingots in a large cast iron dutch oven. I flux them and clean all lead very well before making ingots. Only clean fluxed lead ingots go into my bottom pour pots.

Use the search feature to search out Vein powder paint. I Know several manufacturers make a vein paint nowdays. I have personally never tried it but know a few forum members have played with it.

I use 200# and 300# Kevlar assist line from western filament.I buy it in 100' spools. I use Eagle Claw straight shank hooks. I tie them then add a drop of super glue and then some heat shrink tubing. They are really easy to tie. secure them to solid rings then split rings attach it to the jigs.

I had the same issue. I had to back out and reconfirm my shipping and it went through fine. Somehow it had changed on me.

Not trying to Hijack this thread but since it was brought up I will mention few more things on lead and respirators. First one is you must be fit tested with a current respiratory medical to receive the true benefits of a respirator. If it doesn't fit properly then you really aren't protected like you should be. I get fit tested every year from my employer and they provide the respiratory medical for me as well so I am covered. But if you have not been fit tested and had a respiratory medical you are not really protected as much as you may think. A respirator that is too small or large could mean you are still exposed. Not having the respiratory medical may mean you might be at risk for other problems from respirator use such as undiagnosed breathing disorders etc. Also those cheap dust masks do nothing for fumes they just protect you against dust. So do your research and make sure you need a respirator then make sure you have the correct one and that it fits you properly. Aslo remember to change your cartridges daily if you are wearing ones for fumes. I know they are spendy but your life may depend on it. It isn't as simple as picking one up from the hardware store and putting it on. Also be sure to store it properly in a sealed bag such as a 1 gallon ziplock. For me I will wear mine with certain paints but not for lead casting or powder paint in my fluid beds. For those I will use good ventilation like I said previously. A blood test may also be warranted if you are concerned with your lead exposure. I do wear coveralls that stay in my shop when casting. I also wear safety glasses with side shields that meet OSHA standards and sometime a faceshield. Leather gloves are a must also. Stay safe in this hobby. If you have questions talk to a safety professional or prefferably a industrial hygenist. My company has 2 industrial hygenists on staff that I can talk to if need be and a pile of safety personel.

I melt all my scrap into ingots outside on a nice breezy day. I let any fumes from contaminates burn off before making the ingots. Everything is cleaned well then fluxed and cleaned again. I only use good clean ingots in my workshop. I do not wear a respirator as I am not creating airborn dust. I also monitor my temps with a lead thermometer and when it starts to get too hot I turn it down quickly. I open windows and crack my shop door so I get some good cross ventilation. After working in the mill at the lead mine I feel I am being safe doing it this way. yes I have a respirator and have training in dealing with lead. When I was at the mine they checked our blood every 3 months. Mine never got to be a problem. By the way Once you open a package of respirator cartridges they expire in ~12 hours. Thats for the Organic Vapor(OV) cartridges that handle fumes. If your wearing Hepa cartridges(purple ones) they are only good for dust and do nothing to protect against fumes. The Hepa cartridges are basically good until they get plugged up. You can also buy the defender cartridges that are a stacked Hepa cartridge over an OV cartridge. If you are wearing a respirator get the right cartridges and change them out when they expire. otherwise you are not really protected at all. Lots of harmful fumes are oderless so don't take chances in your respiratory health if you are needing a respirator.

Absolutley! With the right adhesive applying the foil really is easy.

Yeah,but not long enough. Especially making jigs and sinkers to 3#. My 25 oz are fairly popular. If I sold retail it would be gone as fast as I can make them. I have offers to buy all I can make and I set the price. But that's more work than I really want to do. Especially with a full time regular job. That and I don't know how long that would last before its no fun anymore. Right now I'm keeping it small. I found someone selling some pure lead. He thought there was 2,000# but it weighed up at 756# for $.90 a pound I couldn't resist.

My wife gave me her old pan when I asked. Then she went out and bought a new one. The one I have is a bit flimsy so now I use my mismatched ingot molds and my cast iron wedge pan instead. I have enough now that I can fill them all then dump them all then start again. Even when the molds get real hot by the time they are all filled the first ones are ready to flip. I just keep a cycle going that way until I have enough ingots made. I have roughly 1,000 pounds of scrap I need to get ingotized when I get time.

http://www.roseyspowdercoating.com/ looks like a good sale. I just ordered some to try.

Nice baits Mark! When I get home from work this time i'm going to try a bunch of different things. I am even thinking of trying to foil a round head jig just to prove it can be done and to see what it looks like. Although the foil does cost me a little bit more for the supplies I can see a lot of applications for this technique. I can also see a lot of combos of foil and paint or foil and powder paint. Since I already have the foil and other supplies to make a few hundred jigs I am going to keep playing around with this technique. A lot of people who see these proto types really really like the look and I am getting a lot of positive responses on them.

I think the best way to get a good look at one of these is to make one. What matters most to me is what the fish think of the jig. If the fish like it then thats all that really counts right? Like I said they are hard to photograph. I did take one pic outside and it shows that these are really reflective jigs. Thats the point of these is to have as shiney and reflective of a jig as possible and in my poinion this method achives that. Basman did a nice job on the jigs I sent him. hopefully others wil try this technique as well.

My powder painted jigs do not chip!!! You can dent the jig and it wont chip. I have customers mushroom the bottom of a vertical slab jig that is powder painted and it still did not chip. Properly cured powder is the most bullet proof paint there is. Plus it has very little fumes.

You know Mark I think it really is that easy. I am thinking his method of coating and heating the foil then applying it is something I am definetly going to try. I also like how he was able to coat 100% of the lure by this method. I am definetly going to try that as well. Painting the seams works fine for me but I think getting the jig 100% foiled will be a better look. I will most likely still use my carpet lined vice method first them do the seams afterward. I think you need to order some foil and binder Mark. Then you can show off your foiled creations.

Since I have plenty of D2T and can get more locally if I run out I think I'll just stick with it. Ordering it is cheaper but in a pinch I can buy some locally if needed. I have thought about having it sent to my sisters house in Iowa and having her send it to me. But why bother when I already have a workable alternative?

I found this video awhile ago as well. This might be another way to do the foil. It appears he paints the foil with foil binder heat sets it then applies it to his lure. I suppose this method might work well for jigs as well. It will be awhile before I can test it out but maybe in a couple of weeks I can get to experimenting again.

Just got an email from DN that they can't ship to AK so they sent me a refund. So it looks like D2T is what I will be using afterall. Thanks for all the replies and advice guys.

These jigs will mainly be used ice fishing in freshwater lakes and jigged vertically. They will not see the abuse my powder painted saltwater jigs will see. While nothing can truly withstand the rocks I have seen pictures of my vertical saltwater slab jigs where the bottom is mushroomed out pretty badly and yet the rest of the paint is holding up fine with no chips or missing paint other than where it is actually mushroomed. That bottom eye is stainless.