Jigs with wireguards

[gat0r]

I'm wanting to modify my football mold further. I took the original do-it football mold and had it modified to accept the flateye hooks. I also tried to modify it to accept basepins. However that has not been working well for me. There is a lot of sprue to work off each jig.

Now I'm wanting to try a wire weedguard. My question is:

Are you guys pouring casting jigs or football jigs with wire guards? If so are you using the coated wireguards and do you powder paint and bake with those wireguards intact? IF so does the plastic sheeth melt or do you cover it?

It will be a slow process so I'm asking the questions now to get some opinions on the best way to modify my mold to make this process effecient.

Thanks!

[mikel7@mac.com]

Sounds Like You Just Need To Clean Out Your Base Pin Holes. I Used A 1/8 Drill Bit And It Worked Fine. When I Modified For The Wire I Just Used A Blade From A Hacksaw On One Side Then Painted A Small Nail Closed The Mold And That Marked The Other Side. Clean And Enlarge These Grooves To Fit The Wire With A Drimmel. I Paint And Bake With The Wire In. It Burns A Little But I Can't See What It Hurts

( Just A Little Ugly )

[Munkin]

I do not use the coated wire guards but the easiest way to pour wire weedguards is with a spinnerbait collar. Take a piece of wire and bend a small hook in one end that will attach to the hook and prevent it from falling out of the mold. Next slide a rubber skirt collar down the wire shaft and place it where the basepin meets the jighead and close the mold. The collar will get black but not melt and can be used about a dozen times before it is destroyed. When you pour the head the collar will prevent the lead from filling up the basepin area. There will be a little flashing around the base of the collar that can be easily removed.

Allen

[JBlaze]

I mold a two jigs with no weed guard or base pin. Be careful because the hot lead will sometimes run out through the weed guard slot. when the jig cools, cut off the lead spurs that formed in the weed guard slot right against the body of the jigs. Next take a nail file or emory board and smooth this down. Open the mold all the way and lay it on a flat level area. Put a thin coat of vaseline over the area you filed smooth and put the jigs back in the mold one on each side Mix up a little JB Weld and fill the weed guard slots with it. Take a straight edge and drag across the JB Weld to level it. Try not to get any of it on the face of the mold or you will have to sand or scrape it off. Otherwise you will get a lot of flashing. Let it dry and remove the jigs. place a hook in the mold and lay your wire weed guard down the center of the JB Weld. Carefully close the mold and lightly press it together with a vise. open it back up and you should see an impression of your wire weed guard in the JB Weld. If the mold is closing all the way, you won't have to do any thing else. If not, you will have to cut a slight groove down this impression for you wire to lay in. don't cut it deep or lead will surround your weed guard. Hope this helps

John

[gat0r]

Thanks fellas... I like the suggestions and will let you know how it all turns out.

[kkwtww]

I use a twisted wire weed guard like used in Jewel Pro Spider jigs. I used a hacksaw blade to cut the slots in my molds (no need for a dremel). I have done this on a round head and football head mold, works great and I do use powder paint. I can sell these if anyone needs some, just send a PM. They have half round offset to set around the hook in the mold. Finished product will look just like factory.

Edited December 30, 2008 by Spike-A-Pike