Jigsisme Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 1st question: Just got the Do-It football shakey head mold and poured a few along with my usual footbal jigs this weekend. Pouring the shakey heads, do you have to "hook" the hook with the "screw" wire or can you just place the hook in and then place the "screw" wire in? I poured them without "hooking" them together. 2nd question: Some of the 1/8th oz heads were not tight to the hook, kinda loose. Maybe I pulled them out too soon? I always remove the jigs from the mold by grabbing the sprue. 3rd question: While pouring this time, my Lee Pot was not "pouring", it would just "drip" pour which made getting a complete jig almost impossible!! Took 5 pours just to get 1 good jig. I always flux, I did it 2-3 times this time, I adjusted the adjustment screw, I "cleaned: the spout with a piece of wire like I normally do...but nothing I did would create a steady pour like it usually produces. I've always left the lead in the pot, do I need to empty it out after I'm done each time? I've been using this pot for 100-200 jigs now so I consider it fairlly new still. Any suggestions/comments will help. Appreciated as always! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apdriver Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 1st question: Just got the Do-It football shakey head mold and poured a few along with my usual footbal jigs this weekend. Pouring the shakey heads, do you have to "hook" the hook with the "screw" wire or can you just place the hook in and then place the "screw" wire in? I poured them without "hooking" them together. 2nd question: Some of the 1/8th oz heads were not tight to the hook, kinda loose. Maybe I pulled them out too soon? I always remove the jigs from the mold by grabbing the sprue. 3rd question: While pouring this time, my Lee Pot was not "pouring", it would just "drip" pour which made getting a complete jig almost impossible!! Took 5 pours just to get 1 good jig. I always flux, I did it 2-3 times this time, I adjusted the adjustment screw, I "cleaned: the spout with a piece of wire like I normally do...but nothing I did would create a steady pour like it usually produces. I've always left the lead in the pot, do I need to empty it out after I'm done each time? I've been using this pot for 100-200 jigs now so I consider it fairlly new still. Any suggestions/comments will help. Appreciated as always! Jigs, Can't really help much with your first two questions, but the old timer who got me into making my own baits put a screw in his pour hole and quit using it. He said it dripped and was just too much trouble to mess with. He had a small ladle with a pour hole. I found one at an outdoor store in their reloading supplies. Works nice and allows you to make precise pours. The other thing is you need to heat your mold up. Some guys lay it touching their pot and as the pot is heating, the mold will also get hot. I use my heat gun and put it in front of it and get it good and hot that way. Makes a BIG difference in your ability to get a good pour. Also, I think your lead mix makes a difference too. If you are using straight wheel weights you may want to add some pure lead. I think some guys use 70%ww to 30% lead. I use 50/50 but have a good supply of lead. Hopefully some of the more astute guys with lots of experience will chime in. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atijigs Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 3. If your pot is dripping the nozzle is blocked. Be careful, use a longer wire with a 90 degree bend. Keep your hands away from the nozzle. Raise the pouring handle and insert the wire all the way to the top of the pouring nipple. The lead will start to flow freely. When you turn off the pot be sure to have a couple of inches of lead in it. Always be there when you turn it on because it may leak as the lead heats from the bottom. Have a screw driver ready and turn the pin if you start getting a run before the top liquefies. In my experience that is the worst time for run away lead. . 2.) Could be your lead alloy. If these are for yourself, take a non serrated pliers and give it a little squeeze. You could also warm your hooks a little. Use a softer alloy or pure lead and this won't be an issue. 1.) There is more than 1 style of screw loc-coils. If you can interlock them I would. They will work either way. They may break but they should not pull out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted May 16, 2012 Report Share Posted May 16, 2012 I don't have that mold so I don't know about those questions. On the pot. I sometimes help my lead flow with a spinnerbait wire. Sometimes I doesn't last long and I take a propane torch and heat the drip spout of the pot then run a good flow through it to remove the clogging matter. When it gets to where neither or both of those processes work, I drain it and clean it thouroughly. My pot is about 20 years old and I have to empty it once or twice a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigsisme Posted May 17, 2012 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2012 Appreciate the help. I'll try the different tips come next week when I can get the time. I'm sure they'll fix my problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilfish4774 Posted July 15, 2012 Report Share Posted July 15, 2012 umm, I thought that they were supposed to leak. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
