Kasilofchrisn

If you want a good wireformer just buy a Twistech. Forget those cheapies and buy a quality one once! If you can get a true Twistech(yes there's fakes out there) then you're set. I hear they're in short supply though. I make all sizes of spinners and a quality tool sure makes it easier.

I see it listed on eBay right now for sale. And it says it will ship right away. Anything listed on eBay must be able to ship within 3 days unless it says otherwise. It would probably take at least a couple of months or more for someone else to make this mold. They usually already have a list of projects that they are currently working on and then they would have to do the cad work etc to make this for you.

Yeah there's some other new players as well. I've bought a couple jigging Rapala molds from Kdesautel on eBay and they have worked out well. They are also CNC machined lead molds. I've got a bunch of molds from Shawn collins and a couple from Bob at CNCmoldsNstuff. All have worked well for me. In fact I need to get working on another jig mold for a generic ice fishing jig I'd like Bob to make for me. If only I wasn't so busy right now!

You can usually buy raw steel blades. They would require less prep work than nickel plated blades. That's what I would do if I wanted to paint my own. Plus raw steel blades are usually cheaper to buy then plated blades.

.031 wire should be fine that's what I use on a lot of my salmon spinners as that's what I measured a salmon sized number 5 Blue Fox vibrax to be. If you have the tools you could measure the wire on a panther Martin that you're wanting to replicate. Or find someone with a set of calipers or a micrometer to measure it for you.

Going to be making some panther Martin imitations myself. I'll be using the Do-It worm rig sinker mold to cast the bodies. The Do-It lure body mold is another great one to have. With it you can make rooster tails and a bunch of other type spinners. I like to order wires with the loop on one end just because it's easier and it saves a little time. I like to order them longer than I need just in case I want to make something longer. You'll likely start on making panther martins then later expand what you want to make to different spinners. I bought wire in coils but getting them straight is a little bit of a pain so now I just buy them pre-cut. I own a Hagen's and a twistech wire former. Both work well but the twist tech is a little easier to use and about $70 cheaper. Though you could always just use round nose pliers and other pliers to make them, I really prefer the simplicity and the look I get using the wire former. The problem right now though is I'm not sure anybody has wire formers in stock. As far as the blades go keep in mind that worth blades might be a slightly different in size than Lakeland blades though they both may be marked a number five or a number three etc. I know it's been posted before which companies sell blades from which manufacturer but I don't remember it myself. Sometime You might buy blades from different vendors and they might be a little different. That's because they sell blades from different manufacturers. And I don't believe there's an exact standard to what a certain blade size is supposed to be. Just some things to be aware of when buying parts. Make sure and get some metal bearing beads as they'll work better directly under the blade. You can buy blades pre-painted or buy the plain metal blades and paint them yourself. Though you want to make sure you paint them evenly to keep the blade balanced. I think a lot of guys find it easier just to buy the prepainted blades. Hopefully that helps a little bit good luck you'll have a lot of fun making spinners as it's kind of addicting.

Yes they appear to be out of stock everywhere. Probably due to issues relating to the pandemic. Just like a lot of Do-It molds are currently out of stock. Wish I could help you find one but I haven't seen them available anywhere either. They are ~$70 cheaper than a Hagens. So if you find a Hagens keep that in mind when deciding what to purchase.

I've noticed with my Palmer Hot pot that it has very poor temperature regulation. But I generally only use it for very specific jobs such as melting tin where I want to be able to get 100% of the tin out. Tin is expensive so I want to make sure I use it all. But other than that I rarely use my Palmer Hot pot as I think it is the least favorable option for melting lead. I know there's a few guys that like them for regular casting use but I'm not one of them. Mine hasn't shown a lot of rust but I do scrape it out after use as it does tend to build up some gunk in it more so than my bottom pour pots or ladel pots. Have you noticed any pitting or loss of wall thickness? That would be more concerning than just a layer of oxidized metal forming.

Was watching some videos on YouTube of making inline spinners and I ran into this video. I know this is in Europe and I don't know if these are sold in the United States or not. I do know there are some members here who do live in Europe though. So if you're looking at buying a twist tech wire former make sure you're getting the real deal. Sounds like the fake ones are not the same quality.

I own the Hagens with the adapter that Cadman linked to and it works well. I also have a Twistech with the adapter and a Twistech magnum. Having used both if I had to own only one I would keep and use the Twistech. Its just a bit simpler and easier to use. Both allow unlimited length spinners something the Boggs does not. Be aware there are fake Twistech formers out there so make sure you're getting the real deal if you decide to go that route.

Shawn can be that way sometimes. I know i emailed him about making me a larger version of one of his existing molds probably 3 months ago. He emailed me back saying it could be done and that it would likely use a larger size of the same hook used in the existing mold he makes. I emailed back to him asking him to give me a price and I would send him the money via PayPal and he could get started on it whenever he had time. He still has not responded back even though I have emailed him back a few times. I've got quite a few of his molds 20(?) or so. Pretty much all of them are just his existing designs although some I have had made in sizes he was not making before. He quotes me a price I pay him and I get what I want. But he is getting harder and harder to get a hold of and it's kind of frustrating for sure. Would be nice if the man could at least email me and let me know that he was too busy to do it or that it was going to take several months or something! I may have to get with you Bob as I have a mold I would like to get made for next winter. Have to figure out how to modify it though because I know you don't like to copy other people's work. But it's an ice fishing jig that's been on the market for 20 plus years from a number of different vendors it would just be nice to be able to make my own paint them how I want them etc.

It's oxidation your wanting to remove. Dip them in vinegar or acetone. Vinegar is cheaper and less hazardous but Acetone seems to do a little bit better job.

I usually buy all my SS sinker eyes from Barlows. But they don't carry the #1 long. Last time I bought #1 long SS sinker eyes it was from River Guide supply. But I believe they might have gone out of business. Wish I could be more help. If you find a place let us know.

Can't say I've heard of anyone. But I don't fish bass or use either mold. Curious what your hoping to achieve with this modification?

They are hit and miss with lead. If your lead is clean and shiny on top they don't read well. I'm guessing it's a reflection issue? That and if your over the 716 range then you wouldn't really know and that's when you really need to know. I often cast at 750*f. But if I get to 850*f+ I quickly turn down the heat. Usually that's more of an issue if I'm running on the propane burner. Start at full blast and turn it down once it's all melted. But if you forget it gets too hot real quick.

That's a tricky one there. There really isn't a good way to mount a thermometer to a hot pot. And the hot pot doesn't have a way to adjust it yourself other than unplugging it if it got to hot. I suppose you could take periodic temps with your thermometer just to be sure your not getting to hot. I have a lee 10# bottom pour pot and a lee 20# bottom pour. I also have 3 different sizes of cast iron pots I run on a 60,000 btu turkey fryer style burner. One is 20#, the next 50# and the biggest holds ~196# with several style/size ladels. I also own a Palmer hot pot. The hot pot imho is the most dangerous and the one I worry the most about spilling lead all over myself if it ever were to happen. I really only use it when I cast in tin as I don't have to clean my bottom pour pot and I can utilize all the tin out of the pot. But I do feel it gets a bit hot for the tin which melts at temps lower than lead. I'm usually just casting a few tin jigs anyway so it isn't on too terribly long. If you can get a bottom pour pot later on I would do so. They are much better for stuff under 3oz. And a ladle and burner are better for the big stuff. But if your careful the hot pot is ok. This is just my opinion so take it for what it's worth!

I keep various sizes Duo-loc snaps on hand. I size them to the size of the blade. They go on easily and seem to work well.

My swingtail saltwater jigs use a sinker eye with the hook either cast in or preferably with a hook attached via split ring. The split ring just makes it easier to swap a bad/damaged hook out. I use SS sinker eyes preferably the long version if they fit. I get them from Barlow's. Those things are not coming out and cannot be unbent once cast. There is one sinker eye for the line tie and another for the hook.

Another vote for drop out. It's great stuff and way better than other graphite sprays.

Obviously your lead wasn't very clean. Looks like the dross I get from dirty scrap lead. Such things as rust coated old plumbers lead pipe. I ingotize mine outside on a turkey fryer in a dutch oven. Flux three times before pouring ingots. As for your hooks this site has them in a 2/0 but I've not bought from them before so cannot add anything about their service. https://chuckanddeb.com/jig_hooks_page.htm

Yeah lots of things pass through here in route from asia. In fact our first case of covid was a crew member on a cargo flight from asia that landed in Anchorage. Anchorage is the world's 5 largest cargo airport because of our proximity to asia. I find in all cases that shipping from the USA is much quicker than from China regardless of where in the USA it ships from and keep in mind I do live in Alaska. If I lived in the lower 48 states shipping from a USA vendor will be even quicker and from china could take longer.

I'm not trying to be rude here but bear with me. To be honest I have to ask why? If shorty's has the hooks why order them all the way from China? I mean I could order my finished jigs from there as well and most likely be cheaper than ordering from you right? I understand that if a mold calls for a hook made in China we may not have much choice. But I try to support american vendors as much as I can. Even if it cost me a bit more for those hooks. Besides the fact that I'm not waiting on my hooks to ship from China if Shorty's has them in stock. So I'm wondering is it really worth it to save a couple bucks a year on hooks? Not for me isn't!

Personally I'm not a fan of nail polish. I certainly don't like the smell. I also prefer the look and texture of the cured powder paint over the nail polish. Nail polish can be done cheaper though. I vote for powder paint but I have lots of it and the fluid beds, curing oven etc. already.

Those are most likely from the existing Do-It mold. In fact I own that mold. But they only go up to 3/8oz. The OP is looking for 1oz and larger sizes

I thought about that as well. You would have to be careful to get your pull pin slot even on each side. Does the mallet method make a deep enough slot or is a dremel also needed? I suppose if a person had one of these pencil sinkers of the appropriate size you could also cut off the eyelets and make a silicone mold. Or use lead wire shape the ends and make a silicone mold.