Do- It - Molds Pros And Cons

[chrisv]

I new to learning how to make my own jigs and was wondering how well and good are the do-it-molds jig molds? I have been thinking of making my own molds our just using Do- It Molds products. Hopefully someone can give me a good reviews of them. 

 

Thanks

[cadman]

Chris,

   From the cost effective side, find a Do-it mold or two that you like, and learn how to pour them. Do-It molds are good and I really have no issues with them. Unless you're going to make your molds out of aluminum, anything like Bondo, Plaster of Paris or Durhams, will eventually crack from repeated use. Then you will have to make another one. If you're interested, I have some info on molds and powder paint. Send me a PM.

[andy1976]

It strikes me as strange someone would ask this question. They've been in business along time for a reason. What you see is what you get. They are cheap, well made, and come in a ton of designs and sizes. I haven't had a bad one and I doubt anyone will complain about a doit mold. I own quite a few custom cnc molds but I really like the hinge design and aluminum they use because its easy to get them to the the temp I need and keep them there by pouring quickly.

[rhahn427]

Do-it molds have been the standard for Lead Molds for as long as I can remember.  Now they have bought Chaney Creek to move into the molds for Plastics. 

[toadfrog]

Since they have purchased CCM which strikes me odd . They need to get on the ball . I haven't seen much action out of them . I'm just a little suspicious . But then me , myself and I conflict now and then . LOL

[Fatman]

I have no problems with their molds but IMO their customer service is the pits!!! They have the plans for their molds and how to cut/press you'd think it would be easy to re-work a mold that I asked about and would GURANTEE!!! to make them money. You don't even get a reply back - Seriously I'd be happy if they replied with go Pee (nicely worded)up a rope!!

My 30th anniversary is coming up and the wife said I can look at getting 1 custom mold and if the price is right 2 of them. But finding someone to make customs that you can trust from reading all the boards has become a tough issue.

Toad - I saw where they bought them and they're really putting out the PR on it, but c'mon don't forget the folks that have kept you in business all this time, and have fought like crazy against the lead ban issues.

Edited July 18, 2013 by Fatman

[rhahn427]

Fatman .......... they are not in the custom mold business ........ it's not their business. They mass produce the molds they offer and that's it.  They also buy successful companies with good reputations and keep their management to run it.  They did it with CS Paints and now Caney Creek.  I've had great service from them especially CS Paints and Caney Creek.  I don't see the problem.

[Fatman]

I can understand your point but Customer service is Customer service - at least answer the email!!

If you're in business it's to provide a product and to make money. I offered them the idea to make a mold to sell to everyone that would make them money, the email wasn't a request for custom mold services as YES!! I know they don't do that, I've been buying their molds for 35 years.

[DaBehr]

On "answer the email": Remember that a LOT of emails don't get delivered. They get stuck in spam filters, misdirected etc. etc.

 

And even if they do make it to their inbox...it's probably with 100's of junk emails (at least that's the way it is in our business) and unless the subject line is very good it's REALLY easy to miss a valid email in all the junk!

[smalljaw]

I can understand your point but Customer service is Customer service - at least answer the email!!

If you're in business it's to provide a product and to make money. I offered them the idea to make a mold to sell to everyone that would make them money, the email wasn't a request for custom mold services as YES!! I know they don't do that, I've been buying their molds for 35 years.

 

I can answer this for you guys, I actually got an email with a phone number and spoke directly to a person in product management with Do-it molds. They get request about modifications to existing molds to ideas for new mold shapes everyday that total in the thousands. The reason they don't entertain any thoughts of producing a mold that some asked about is because of something called back litigation were they think a mold is a good idea that would sell only to produce the mold and then get sued for royalties, at the advise of their legal staff they don't respond or even acknowledge the receipt of the email instead their system scans for certain words and it gets dumped so they can prove they didn't receive any request so Fatman's email was never opened by anyone as it was scanned and contained words that looked to be a request and was therefore dumped into a junk bin and promptly deleted by software, not a person. They also have a development team that when they make a new mold they must first go through thousands of small manufacturing patents so as the new design doesn't infringe on any type of trademark or copyright, and sometimes a patent will specify certain hooks so they do have similar shapes as some but they have enough differences, the last one to have a problem was a mold that was a weight forward spinner that was discontinued but the guy was nice and he explained that for legal purposes they can't really even look at certain customer emails because of product conflict so that is why Fatman never got a response, they never looked at his email as it contain words or phases that the software program found to be asking for a certain mold and it deleted it without anyone even knowing about it.

[gone2long]

they also don't cnc their molds they are sand casted in a foundry so there is no machine code to modify with your special request for modifications.

[Fatman]

Okay based on SmallJaws reply I'll send them a new email that should get answered as it meets ALL of their legal guidelines.

Do-It Corporation - You currently make a mold Item #3418

Walleye Jig - WHJ-7-AR which comes with recessed eye slots for stick on eyes and a ring and barb collar - this mold makes assorted sizes.

As you already have all the legal rights to make this type jig - and as a service to your longtime customers, could you make a production mold of this jig in

1/16th oz., and have it with no collar.

This is a mold that many would buy, and increase your profit margin.

[smalljaw]

Okay based on SmallJaws reply I'll send them a new email that should get answered as it meets ALL of their legal guidelines.

Do-It Corporation - You currently make a mold Item #3418

Walleye Jig - WHJ-7-AR which comes with recessed eye slots for stick on eyes and a ring and barb collar - this mold makes assorted sizes.

As you already have all the legal rights to make this type jig - and as a service to your longtime customers, could you make a production mold of this jig in

1/16th oz., and have it with no collar.

This is a mold that many would buy, and increase your profit margin.

The phrase "could you make" will get it dumped, what you need to do is call or send an email that states that you need to talk to someone directly on the phone, they will email you back with a number to call with times they are available.

 

EDIT: Fatman, contact Hi-tech lure molds, they should be able to help you out. If you can pour one and cut the collar off and send it to them they will quote you a price, the downside is you may only be able to get a 1 or 2 cavity mold.

Edited July 18, 2013 by smalljaw

[smallmouthaholic]

There is most definitely a market for custom,CNC lead molds. Most hobyist however,may cringe @ the cost of multi-cavity ,lead -CNC molds. Do-it has been very successful  w/ their low-priced,sand-casted ,production molds.It seems,@ the present time,Do-it Corporation does not want to enter into the custom CNC market place. That may change in the future as younger management enters into this field. Didn't they purchase Jason's CNC machine when they purchased his company?

[AKFerzy7]

there is a section on caney creeks website's forum dedicated to lead mold requests from do-it that is checked frequently.

[Fatman]

Ok - I registered on the Do It customs bait.com site and posted my idea there. 

 

While they do pour them, they do cut the originals and plates by CNC -  Got this reply back!!

 

Thanks for your post.  I agree, that would be a nice jig and is something that will be given consideration.

Typically we bring out an assorted mold for new designs and if it hits a certain popularity, we look at building combo and production molds.

Here is little insight on how we produce our molds.  All of our jig molds are poured in a foundry.  We actually build patterns that are attached to match plates that are then processed in the foundry by pouring molten aluminum.  We do create all of our designs and patterns on a computer that are cut on a cnc machine, but the cost of creating a pattern and a match plate make it cost prohibitive to produce custom molds in this manner.  This process costs several thousand dollars and needs to be carefully evaluated before we move forward with new designs.  With that said, many of our new designs are a result of feedback from our customers, so thanks for your input.

 

[gone2long]

Ok - I registered on the Do It customs bait.com site and posted my idea there. 

 

While they do pour them, they do cut the originals and plates by CNC -  Got this reply back!!

 

Thanks for your post.  I agree, that would be a nice jig and is something that will be given consideration.

Typically we bring out an assorted mold for new designs and if it hits a certain popularity, we look at building combo and production molds.

Here is little insight on how we produce our molds.  All of our jig molds are poured in a foundry.  We actually build patterns that are attached to match plates that are then processed in the foundry by pouring molten aluminum.  We do create all of our designs and patterns on a computer that are cut on a cnc machine, but the cost of creating a pattern and a match plate make it cost prohibitive to produce custom molds in this manner.  This process costs several thousand dollars and needs to be carefully evaluated before we move forward with new designs.  With that said, many of our new designs are a result of feedback from our customers, so thanks for your input.

 

I stand corrected thanks for the effort and posting the response!

[Guest Gangel]

I tried emailing Hi-Tech yesterday, email wouldn't go through, acted like the addy was dead?