Javelin Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 What's the key to cutting the sprue off your spinnerbait heads to make it look plush with the rest of the head? I am using some small gate cutters but usually get too much or too little. Was thinking about using a dremel tool and grinding it just a little bit but it seems like alot of trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MDC Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 You should be able to take a pair of needle nose pliers and wiggle the sprue back and forth until it breaks. Hold the lead head with your other hand so it doesn't loosen on the hook or wire form. Sprues from my jig heads usually break clean. The most I have to do is scrape across where it was with an old knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jigmaster Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 alot depends on the hardness of the lead you are using.....soft lead will cut well, and fairly cleanly.......harder lead will not. I will take a file, and knock off excess lead, to flush the surfaces.....it works well. Takes a few extra seconds, but worth the effort. Try cutting when the lead is still warm from pouring....that may help regards JM www.daimonlures.com www.daimonlures.com/bassreview (my blog) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 I'm going to echo jigmaster, I cut the sprue off and take a small file to it, only takes a few seconds but well worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted September 22, 2007 Report Share Posted September 22, 2007 I do a lot of pouring, and when I need a lot done, I use...I'm pulling a brain fart here lol, one of those metal cyclinders for a drill press that you glue sand paper to, put it on low and use that to clean up the edge. If only doing a few items, file. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rr316 Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 I dont know, do you guys really want tiny particles of lead floating all over your work area? I dont grind, drill, sand or do anything to the lead thats gonna seperate tiny peices into my work area. Cut it with a gate cutters and call it good, fish could give a crap about the look of the head anyway, they have a brain the size of a pea and 1/2 a second to react to the spinner bait coming over there head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 I dont know, do you guys really want tiny particles of lead floating all over your work area? I dont grind, drill, sand or do anything to the lead thats gonna seperate tiny peices into my work area. Cut it with a gate cutters and call it good, fish could give a crap about the look of the head anyway, they have a brain the size of a pea and 1/2 a second to react to the spinner bait coming over there head. I'll agree with you only on one thing, that fish don't care about the excess lead left from a cut sprue. Also fish don't care about a milion dollar paint job. However, I don't sell jigs to fish. I could not and would not sell any jig to anyone, painted or un-painted that isn't perfect in my eyes. Quality of poured and painted jigs sells customers. I got into making jigs, because of the crappy work that's out there. By the way I cut my sprues with gate shears, and hand file the remains. Don't take this personally, I'm not here to bash your work. Everyone has the right to do what they choose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Pretty much what C-man said. I sell tackle also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Cadman's correct. Has anyone tried a hot iron for tidying up the cut sprue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 Cadman's correct.Has anyone tried a hot iron for tidying up the cut sprue? Hey Vodkaman, I'm going to try it with my soldering iron. I will post my results, to see if it's any faster or any better. I am thinking what's going to happen if my soldering iron does get to melt the lead, it will distort the lead profile or features of the jig. With a file I can control how hard to press, what side needs more or less, and with a half round file, I can get into my Arky jigs that hava a concave top. But, this is worth some trial. Good experiment to try. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clamboni Posted September 23, 2007 Report Share Posted September 23, 2007 I modified a pair of gate cutters so they cut fairly flat. Then I snip witht he shears, only cutting witht he very tip of the blades. You have to make a few jmore snips, but I rarely need to clean it up. Just make sure the gate cutters blades fit together perfectly. If you're going to break them off, you'll get the cleanest breaks if you barely move the sprue back and forth until it breaks off. Again, takes longer, but much cleaner break. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 Cadman, unfortunately, lead melts at 327 centigrade (621 fahrenheit) and solder melts at 183 centigrade (361 fahrenheit). It is unlikely that the soldering iron will touch the lead, though I could be wrong. I was thinking in terms of an old plumbers iron which is heated in a flame. A piece of iron bar, heated in a torch flame would probably do the trick. This may end up more hassle than it is worth. It all comes down to the numbers. If you have a thousand of these to trim up, then the iron method could be worthwhile. If you are only dealing with half a dozen, by the time you heat the bar, you could have been finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reeves Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 I will work the sprue back and forth until it breaks, only takes a second or two. I then dress that area using one of those emory board nail files the ladies use. They have coarse on one side and fine grit on the other and they are very flexible. Only takes a couple of swipes with one of these and they last quite a long time. Cheaper at the local dollar store too! Give it a try - with the wife's permission of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piddler Posted September 24, 2007 Report Share Posted September 24, 2007 i put my gates where the skirt covers it up and it doesn't have to be perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted September 25, 2007 Report Share Posted September 25, 2007 Another idea was to apply a flame direct to the trimmed sprue. The edges would level smooth with very little effort. A torch with a very fine jet would be required, but a test could be done on a scrap piece using a standard torch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
