Pouring Buzzbaits

[Mumpy]

I wanted to try my hand at making a few Buzzbaits for the summer so I purchased the mold and equipment to do so. Obviously the mold doesn't fit under the Lee Pot so I need to use a Ladel but I have yet to have one pour successfully.

 

I'm at wits end here. Thanks for any and all help, would LOVE to get on the water tomorrow morning with a personally built buzzbait!

[cadman]

Mumpy,

    If it's the Do-It, Keel Weight buzzbait mold, then they are a P.I.T.A. I always have to pour those with a ladle, and I always have to crack the mold to let air escape. Also "Drop out" helps tremendously for that mold. Finally watch the pour ratio. If the mold is really hot, pour the lead in fast. This will vary on lead composition. Hope this helps some.

[smallmouthaholic]

I use this Lee pot for ladle pouring-

 

1- Keep the ladle submerged,in the pot w/ hot lead in between pouring

 

2- Close the loop around the hook tightly w/ pliers or in a vise

 

3- The hook eye w/ wire form must be centered in the wide part of the head cavity-not down towards or @ the collar

 

4-Put a very small piece of masking tape in the wire form entrance of the mold to keep the position of the wire form and hook w/out slipping. Seat the very small sliver of masking tape in the wire form cavity-but not into the mold or it will flash. Your wire forms will slip w/out this trick and result in incomplete pours.

 

5- You must use a small eye,spinner bait hook

 

6-Caution: Warm your ladle as the lead begins to melt. Placing a cold ladle in the hot lead can cause serious splatter and hand/facial burns.

 

7- Use lead w/ antimony or your buzz-baits will loosen up on the shaft after a fish or two.lead must be fluxed and clean. Soft lead is not good for buzz-baits and/or slpnner-baits

 

8- This small pot will push the lead temp over 1000 degrees. I monitor the lead temp in all my pots w/ a digital pyrometer w/ an immersion probe.

 

9- i use the original Do-it buzz-bait molds

[yoda]

All good advice also have you smoked the mold? that can help with the lead to flow smoothly.

[JSC]

"have you smoked the mold?"

 

For years I did this but have found as stated by Cadman ... Try "Dop Out"

[smallmouthaholic]

"have you smoked the mold?"

 

For years I did this but have found as stated by Cadman ... Try "Dop Out"

Drop-out works well on the sprue holes but I prefer smoked cavities inside the mold. Drop -out dries very quickly on the inside of the mold and will cause the mold to flash requiring 200 grit sandpaper to remove it. Smokes cavities are "wipe-clean" easy along the outside edges.

[Kasilofchrisn]

Drop-out works well on the sprue holes but I prefer smoked cavities inside the mold. Drop -out dries very quickly on the inside of the mold and will cause the mold to flash requiring 200 grit sandpaper to remove it. Smokes cavities are "wipe-clean" easy along the outside edges.

I haven't had flash problems with dropout. If I have some overspray I just wipe it off with a little mineral spirits on a rag and it comes right off.

[JSC]

I have been able to wipe it clean with Alcohol  ...

[smallmouthaholic]

I'll give your suggestions a try-thank you

[atijigs]

  I have one do-it buzz bait mold that is impossible.  The sprue empties into the terminal part of the bait where it is the thinnest..  The sprue can rarely be removed without pulling the lead away from the hook.  I don't use hard lead for these so I don't know if that would help or not.  The design was changed for good reason.  The new design is easy. ( I don't know when the change occurred but I am going to give the old one away with free shipping on Ebay ) 

[cadman]

Drop-out does not cause lead to flash. I have used it for two years straight now, and never had lead flash from using drop-out. Tape off everything you don't want sprayed with drop-out. I have even gotten lazy and not taped other areas and never had flash problems from spraying "Drop Out". Things that cause flashing is particles on mold halves when molds are closed or excessive gapped molds. I also use mineral spirits to clean drop out and it takes it all off with ease.

Edited April 22, 2013 by cadman

[Mumpy]

Excellent advice and thank you to everyone who replied. I did manage to get some successful pours (About 3 out of 5 were coming out) by ensuring my ladel was staying heated between pours and making sure I pour the lead out of the ladel and into the mold in a very FAST Motion, kind of trying to dump it in there instead of actual pouring.

 

Where do you purchase the Drop out? Did you order it or is it found at like Lowes or Home Depot? I think I'll try Smoking my mold next and try it with the above suggestions and then try Drop out if I'm having problems still.

 

The Design was changed? What was the design change?

[cadman]

Excellent advice and thank you to everyone who replied. I did manage to get some successful pours (About 3 out of 5 were coming out) by ensuring my ladel was staying heated between pours and making sure I pour the lead out of the ladel and into the mold in a very FAST Motion, kind of trying to dump it in there instead of actual pouring.

 

Where do you purchase the Drop out? Did you order it or is it found at like Lowes or Home Depot? I think I'll try Smoking my mold next and try it with the above suggestions and then try Drop out if I'm having problems still.

 

The Design was changed? What was the design change?

Mumpy,

    I believe, Barlow's, Jann's and I know for sure Zeiners has "Drop Out". You won't be sorry you ever bought this. If you are having problems pouring, this will eliminate 90% of your problems, because it coats the mold. Once you use it , it is like cooking an egg on teflon. Once the egg is browned, it just slides right off.

[smallmouthaholic]

Drop-out does not cause lead to flash.

Don't mean to argue but drop-out left as an over spray inside Custom CNC lead molds most definitely will cause flashing.I speak from experience using 34 different ,custom CNC lead molds. Possibly the tolerances are a bit looser on the sand casted Do-it molds and they'll accept some drop-out-over spray outside the internal cavities w/out flashing.

 

I've carefully applied drop-out and cleaned all over spray but a smoked mold seems to work better and- is much easier to clean. I do like the drop-out applied to the sprue entrance to the cavities.

 

I approached Jerry Bond 20+ years ago concerning custom lead mold designs but he adamantly refused to make them regardless of an open check book. Custom CNC lead molds cost approximately 3x's + the cost of a standard Do-it mold but their performance in conjunction w/ a custom design is well worth the extra money.