Kasilofchrisn Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 Hi guys I have been searching on this site for a week or so and have learned an amazing amount of info already. I am planning on making some more Large jigs for my saltwater fishing for Halibut,rockfish,lingcod,etc. The molds I intend to use are the do-it spire point in 12,26,and 20 oz. The flutter jig in 5,7,and 9oz. The ultra minnow in 5,6,and 8 oz. A hilts 24oz mojo bullet head and a Lil Mac 14 oz torpedo jig. I will also be making weights cannonballs and rock cods in 1,2,3,and 4 # sizes. I have ordered all stainless steel eyes and I know they will do better than the brass ones for my applications. I have a 3" fluid bed and am looking to adapt it to a 2" for doing the longer jigs like the Flutters and the Torpedo. I have a bunch of Pro Tec powder paint on order. and the appropriate sized 3D eyes. I have a pot and ladel as well as a hot pot as I know my bottom pour lee is not going t pour fast enough for these size jigs, I have done a few of the larger spire points in the past but mostly river sinkers using the lee pot. I have read the fluxing thread and the safety tips thread as well as many others. Any other tips you could give me on molding and painting these larger jigs? Are there any problems I should watch out for when making jigs of this size? Thanks in advance. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atijigs Posted March 25, 2012 Report Share Posted March 25, 2012 I think you may want to spray paint jigs of that size. I don't use a fluid bed so I can't say for sure if will work. On all jigs I paint over 2 oz. I electrostatically paint them. It gives a very nice uniform coat. The other option would be the powder sprayer. More people will chime in with a better answers but I would advise if you dip them hang them hook down because I foresee drips coming. The other suggestion I have is to make sure you do several pours without the hooks in them to get the molds heated up. Once the cavity is good and hot you should be able to get nice clean castings. Good luck and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Cavities that big should not take long to heat up. The biggest ones I do are 8oz. Fluke ball jigs, and 4 oz. Ultra minnows. I powder them both. Jigs the size you are doing...I think I would spray paint/air brush, then spray on a sealer. Are these going to be banging off of rocks on the bottom, of trolled off of the bottom? I saw a 32oz. minnow head type of jig.....and it was not powder coated from what I was told. That sounds like that carpral tunnel problem just waiting to happen if you don't use hangers and paint IMO. Before you pour, make sure your pot is up to temps, cut a large jig hook at the bend and grab the straight section with pliers......work in in and out of the spout to make sure you are getting full flow, keep you pot full so gravity helps shoot it out faster. It really helps on the larger items to do this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ogajiga Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 You probably know already, but my main problem pouring large jigs with pot and ladle was the molds would get hot enuf to scorch the plating of tinned hook eyes. So, anything that helps keep molds cool helps - pouring as many molds as possilbe in sequence, removing castings ASAP, and having a heat sink to sit molds on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted March 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 (edited) Thanks for the replies guys. These jigs will be fished in 100'-150'+ Mostly bouncing the bottom. I don't fish a lot of rockpiles but I am going to try some rockier areas this year and some of my friends whom I will be making some of these for might fish some rocky areas. I guess that doesnt mean there aren't any rocks out there where I normally fish though. I like the sand dunes type bottom. Most of the stuff I will be making uses either just an eye or a Mustad 12/0 34081 hook. The ultra minnow uses the Mustad 81715 and the flutter uses wires I bought with the molds. I bought some stainless eyes from Barlows that I think will work great,. The torpedo jig uses eyes only and hooks and spit rings are added later. I like the idea of powder paint for durability both in the water and in the tackle box. We can get some nasty weather at times and things get bounced around a lot when it gets rough. I fish Cook Inlet mostly and we have the worlds second highest tides. I try to avoid the worst of it but weights of 5#+ are not unheard of when the tide is at it's worst. Edited March 26, 2012 by Kasilofchrisn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLT Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Get the Badger mini sand blasting air brush and spray powder coat them. That way you can rig up a way to hang them in a box sitting side ways, and just spray them. Air gun cost between $28-$35 on Amazon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Thanks for the replies guys. These jigs will be fished in 100'-150'+ Mostly bouncing the bottom. I don't fish a lot of rockpiles but I am going to try some rockier areas this year and some of my friends whom I will be making some of these for might fish some rocky areas. I guess that doesnt mean there aren't any rocks out there where I normally fish though. I like the sand dunes type bottom. Most of the stuff I will be making uses either just an eye or a Mustad 12/0 34081 hook. The ultra minnow uses the Mustad 81715 and the flutter uses wires I bought with the molds. I bought some stainless eyes from Barlows that I think will work great,. The torpedo jig uses eyes only and hooks and spit rings are added later. I like the idea of powder paint for durability both in the water and in the tackle box. We can get some nasty weather at times and things get bounced around a lot when it gets rough. I fish Cook Inlet mostly and we have the worlds second highest tides. I try to avoid the worst of it but weights of 5#+ are not unheard of when the tide is at it's worst. Remind me not to complain about 3' swells at Castaic ever again!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 I make a lot of jigs between twelve and sixteen ounces. I use a turkey fryer and large deep cast iron pot. I've found one of the most important things to making a large pour succesful it the temp of the mold. I have an alluminum tray that sits about level, and next to my pot, that I rest the molds on to keep them hot. If the mold is to cold you will get large defects where the lead cools and shrinks away from the mold. I don't cut the sprue off either because the mold cools to much. After I pour them all I shut off the fryer and cut the sprue and clean them up. I then use the oven to heat and dip them in a bubbler. Get some red, black white and yellow powder paint from harbor freight. With big jigs you should base coat them white first then re-dip them in your more expensive paint. The first white coat also will hide any defects. Good luck. Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted April 9, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Well I got a few flutter jigs done some torpedo jigs and a few 20oz spire points. The fluid bed worked great. I had a few drips on the torpedos. I think it had to do with the shape of the jigs and being the first ones I tried to powder coat. I did find a white basecoat helped a lot and only had 1 jig out of 15 others dripped at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 Glad it worked out pouring large baits is hard. Did you try the harbor freight paints? If you see defects after the white coat you can sand them smooth and then do your second coat.post some pictures I'll try to post some of mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted April 10, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Glad it worked out pouring large baits is hard. Did you try the harbor freight paints? If you see defects after the white coat you can sand them smooth and then do your second coat.post some pictures I'll try to post some of mine I am using Protec for now. i was thinking of ordering some from Colombia coatings but might try Harbor Freight. I am just doing these for myself and friends so I don't need a ton of paint right now. The only pics I have are on my phone so I will try to post some later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 I am using Protec for now. i was thinking of ordering some from Colombia coatings but might try Harbor Freight. I am just doing these for myself and friends so I don't need a ton of paint right now. The only pics I have are on my phone so I will try to post some later. columbia has three pounds for 30 and their paint is great. Iget harbor freight paint for 4 dollars a pound great quality paint also.don't forget to bake them if you want the paint to last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
