Modifying Molds

[JIGSTICK]

I've heard that you can drill out the "eye socket" and hook shank areas out of say a jig mold and use red rtv silicone in those areas to allow for larger hooks, has anyone tried this with success?

[Long Lake Lures]

I've heard that you can drill out the "eye socket" and hook shank areas out of say a jig mold and use red rtv silicone in those areas to allow for larger hooks, has anyone tried this with success?

Yes, you can. I have also drilled out poison tail and snootie molds to accomodate wire for spinner and chatterbaits with RTV as a filler for when you want to use the mold as originally intended. you can also use the silicone to fill in football head molds to make flats, but the area with the silicone comes out rough, even with a very smooth silicone surface. Hope this helps, Dave

[mkvnmtr]

So far I have only had to use the silicon on one mold that I got a little sloppy on. I like to use larger hooks on a lot of molds and try to be very accurate with my modifications. The silicon might help if you wish to go back to a smaller hook.

[toadfrog]

It would be better if you don't use a hand drill to do mods. Harbor frieght has vises that trasverse left and right in and out. About $30 If you have a stand style drill press these two things help and you can do a more professional job with less screw ups. Dremel tools like the ball head burr cut nice hook channels. The mill tools will do a nice job on the hook eye socket. you can also drill some molds an install flat top rivets to make recessed eye sockets. might invest in a set of vernier calipers to aid in sizing the hole.

Edited September 27, 2010 by toadfrog

[airbrushextreme]

I have used JB Weld for this also most of the time I dip the hook in wax and place it in the moldthen patch with JB I nave done several molds this way my last was a football jig mold I modified to make a squirrel tail jig flat bottom recessed eye and wire bait keeper now all I need is the exact hooks and it will be perfected and ready for production