HAWGHUNNA Posted January 31, 2009 Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 I have used some custom jigs with the custom wire keeper running along the bottom of the hook,they work great and I want to add this feature to some jigs (H-E Brush) that I'm about to start pouring once my supplies come in. My question is,does the mold have to be altered to accept the wire keepers,or will the mold close enough to pour once I insert the hook and lay the keeper in position against the hook? Thanks in advance, Terry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted January 31, 2009 Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 Yes you have to modify the mold. Just go slow and measure twice cut once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAWGHUNNA Posted January 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 Thanks Ted, Any suggestions on doing such? Dremel,I guess? Best blade to use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted January 31, 2009 Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 The best way I found out how to do this is this. Take a thick black marker, and mark the area you want to start cutting. Now take a straight edge, and a sharp pointy nail or a scriber, and etch out on the mold over the black marker, outline the lines and the location of the wire. The reason for the black marker, is so you can see you layout lines better. Do this to all of the cavities if that's what you want. Then with a Dremel, sharp utlity knife and or a small diamond file, start slowly cutting away material. I prefer not to use dremel, because it has a tendency to wander. This is going to be a slow process, so don't hurry, or you'll screw it up. Remembr if you cut too much, you are going to get flash. So cut....fit..... cut some more.....fit...etc...etc... until you get a nice close fit....Good luck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAWGHUNNA Posted January 31, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 Thanks again Ted, Let me ask though,using a 1 to 10 scale,how well does the molded in keeper on this model mold work as is once you pour the jigs? Any complaints with the keeper? Do you think that a better one,as the option that I'm thinking is really worth the effort? Myself,I usually use Baby Paca Craws with a hollow tube body as a trailer most of the time,and MOST keepers want hold them into place very well or for very long.Causing me to have to put on another after a while (tears end of craw after slipping down several times). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted February 1, 2009 Report Share Posted February 1, 2009 (edited) Thanks again Ted,Let me ask though,using a 1 to 10 scale,how well does the molded in keeper on this model mold work as is once you pour the jigs? Any complaints with the keeper? Do you think that a better one,as the option that I'm thinking is really worth the effort? Myself,I usually use Baby Paca Craws with a hollow tube body as a trailer most of the time,and MOST keepers want hold them into place very well or for very long.Causing me to have to put on another after a while (tears end of craw after slipping down several times). Terry that is a tough question to answer. I’m going to start this out by saying if that’s what you want, then try it. The rest of the info I’m about to tell you is my personal opinion, so do with it what you will, I don’t want to sway you with my decision, because I could be all wrong. If this were a ball collar jig, like the bullet bass jig, and if it were a big jig like the bullet bass jig, then I would have no qualms about saying go for it. I did do this to a bullet bass jig, and it does work well. I think a better choice for me would have been to go with a custom mold. But here again, that is costly and I didn’t want to pay a couple hundred bucks, however everything would be in line, and the lead would flow around the hook and the wire. Going back to your brush jig, my concern would be that since it’s a tapered collar, you will have a lot of wire keeper showing, which will not fill because there is no void there for the lead to fill it. You can hog out more material, but I don’t know what that will do to the look and function of the jig. If you go with a thin wire keeper, that might be your best choice. Like .015 - .020. However that thin of a wire may be too wimpy and bend a lot. These are a lot of variables to consider. If you are set on trying this then by all means go for it. Try the biggest size, and just do one cavity, see how it goes, and take your time, and learn from your experience. When you get done, post the info here, so others can learn from your experience. As far as is if it’s worth it to do! If that’s what you want, then you will have to do it, because you have no other choice, unless you go custom. It’s only a $40 mold, if everything works out the way you want it and you are happy then yes it was worth it. If it doesn’t come out like you planned, there is always JB Weld, where you can try to restore it to its original state. Let us know how you do. I hope this doesn’t stop you from experimenting. That’s how we all learn. Edited February 1, 2009 by cadman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old man in the boat Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 I used a hack saw blade to cut a grove in my molds. Worked like a charm. The grub keeper goes in the mold thn the hook. The hook keeps presure on it so it does not fall out. I always put the keeper so that it is on the top side of the jig so it won't catch on anything if I'm not using a grub. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HookUp Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 I use the smalles diamond headed cutter on a dremel and work slowly. Use a piece of straight scrap metal as a straightedge. If the blade walks, its only on the scrap (scrap metal is a very old metal ruler) Scribe first, then cut slowly with the dremel. Wire insert looks like this If you add a curl to the end of the wire that goes into the leaded head, you'll have no problems. If you dont, the wire will pull free easily. If you screw up and cut to much, you can always fill in the cut w/ JB Weld Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
