cz75b Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 I've been intrigued by the relatively new sculpin helmets but was a little put off by the price, about $6-8 for 8. I decided to make my own using an original as a model tied on a size 2 Mustad 3366 Sproat hook. I made a silicone mold and cast a few then powder painted them various sculpin like colors. Three photos outline this, the mold, rough cast, painted and finished jig/fly. I will use these for smallmouth on the Upper Mississippi River here in Minnesota. I will try both a 7wt fly rod and an ultralight spinning rig and fish shoreline rock structure. Think spring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flippinfool Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Good job.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFish Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 The work on the mold is out of my league. Outstanding! Love the tie - is the body (not the fins) all saddle hackle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cz75b Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Body is chennile with palmered saddle hackle. Fins are hen hackle stiffened with clear nail polish. Mold was easy, the two part putty from the craft store, I used sprues from a do-it mold and 36 caliber round balls for mold keys. A Lego mold box and it was done in about an hour and a half or so. I tied original sculpin helmets to hooks and filled the hollow back with a glue to help it release easier. I've made a similar mould for a wobble jig original as that mold isn't available anymore. I've made about 100 copies using these molds and they still have some life left. I've also made molds for hourglass eyes for Clouser minnows. My first complex two part mold was a civil war soldier that came out ok. Alloy is clean wheel weight metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 What kind of putty, brand name or equivelent. I ask because I tried using the RTV silicone to make a 2 piece mold and I had to get modeling clay to suspend the original and it never came out right as I could never get the clay perfectly level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cz75b Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 The putty is called Amazing Mold Putty. Two parts, one white, one yellow mixed at a 1:1 ratio. No clay needed, fill mold box half full, embed your original to its half mark add you keys and sprue and let harden. Remove the keys, spray with a release spray ( I used dry lube gun lube) then mix another batch anf fill the mold over the half embedded original. At Michaels this runs about $20 for just under a pound. There is always a 40-50% off coupon somewhere. You can make about four or five of these small molds with one package. As an aside, the straight hook revolved in the first casting, a small dab of soldering flux on the hook shank fixed that. This putty is cheap, fast and holds up well to lead allow casting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
makokeith Posted January 22, 2013 Report Share Posted January 22, 2013 Jig looks real good. Going to check that putty out for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
