joelhains Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 I have an Arky Flat eye jig mold. For the most part the jigs pour nice and look complete until I remove the sprew. Underneath there is a cavity that didn't get filled almost every time. I am pouring soft lead that has been cleaned twice and fluxed. I'm not sure what I can do differently to get a complete pour. I can get these holes to fill in if I do multiple coats of powder paint but I am wasting paint this way plus it is also more time consuming to try and get these holes filled that should be there in the first place. Here are several pics showing the pour process and the result. Any thoughts? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jig Man Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Are you holding the mold against or away from the pot spout? How hot is your lead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass100 Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 (edited) Although I don't have that mold I do have that problem on several different molds. On some molds you can simply tilt the mold one way or another when you pour and that will let the air escape. I normally cut vent holes in the mold. A hacksaw blade and about 30 seconds per cavity is all it takes. You just cut a line from where the air pocket is to the outside of the mold. You don't have to go deep at all. If the air pocket is at the sprue hole it usually comes from filling the cavity very quick like with a bottom pour pot, switching to a ladel or slowing down your pour will usually work. Edited September 21, 2013 by bass100 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joelhains Posted September 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 (edited) I hold the mold about 1/4-1/2 inch away from the spout. I'll try a ladle next time to see how that works. Edited September 21, 2013 by joelhains Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Joel, Lot of good answers here. I would also try to put the pot nozzle into the sprue hole and force feed your lead. This may solve your problem. It looks like you have air trapped . If you don't want to cut vent holes. Here is what you can do. Take some masking tape and tape a piece to the inside of 1/2 of the mold. The closer you move the tape to the hinge the more gap you will get. The purpose of this is to gap the mold so you release any air that is being pushed into the cavity via the lead. You want to gap it so you get perfect pours without flash. One other thing I noticed, is that you don't use drop-out on your molds. Let me tell you if you are not using this on your molds it's like cooking eggs on an aluminum pan. Drop-out is the equivalent to teflon in the food industry. "Don't pour without it" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 You can get the Teflon at Home Depot. Pb blaster is the brand. It's like five bucks. The pocket also has a lot to do with the temp of the mold. If the mold was super hot you wouldn't get that problem IMO. The Teflon puts a barrier between the lead and the mold. For small molds I like the pb blaster it's more fine but you can also get franks drop out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joelhains Posted September 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 (edited) Ok, now I am going to feel stupid...What are "drop outs"? Release agent for the mold? Edited September 21, 2013 by joelhains Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apdriver Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 I think instead of pb blaster, the name of the stuff you can get from HDepot is Fabulous Blaster. It's a graphite spray lube. PB Blaster is a penetrating lubricant. Spray it lightly on your mold as a release agent instead of smoking the mold with a candle. Also helps in getting a full pour in your cavities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Yes "Drop Out" is a mold release , bullet makers use to release lead bullets from aluminum molds. Barlows, Jann's or Zeiner's. You can use the other release mentioned as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Having tried both options I prefer Drop Out from Frankford arsenal. It goes on much better for me. Either one works though. They are graphite based aerosol products. http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/frankford-arsenal/catalog.asp?product=Drop-Out-6-oz-Aerosol I bought my last few cans from Barlows. It works great and I apply it to all my molds when I first get them and reapply as needed. I add masking tape to the wording (hook size etc.)in the mold then spray the rest with drop out. It cleans off easily with mineral spirits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Having tried both options I prefer Drop Out from Frankford arsenal. It goes on much better for me. Either one works though. They are graphite based aerosol products. http://www.battenfeldtechnologies.com/frankford-arsenal/catalog.asp?product=Drop-Out-6-oz-Aerosol I bought my last few cans from Barlows. It works great and I apply it to all my molds when I first get them and reapply as needed. I add masking tape to the wording (hook size etc.)in the mold then spray the rest with drop out. It cleans off easily with mineral spirits. x2, clean up is easy when using "Drop Out" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallmouthaholic Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 I prefer drop-out in the sprue(top) cavity of the mold and candle smoke in the rest. Candle smoke excess is easier to remove vs. drop -out. I 've experience candle smoke results that are superior drop out..That said, I have some spinner bait molds where it's necessary to smoke the internal hook eye and wire form to get a complete pour w/ harder lead alloys. Candle smoke is quick,easy and non-solvent based.- to each his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dink Master Posted September 21, 2013 Report Share Posted September 21, 2013 Try heating the Hook? It looks like the hook is cooling the lead to fast in that spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apdriver Posted September 22, 2013 Report Share Posted September 22, 2013 I have this mold and get the same results as this from time to time. Mostly full pours. What I do is heat my mold with a torch before I start pouring. Never tried heating hooks. Run my lee pot on about 7 but never really measured it temp wise with my IR thermometer. I think if you'll get your temps up, smoke/graphite your mold ( dealers choice ) that should help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 22, 2013 Report Share Posted September 22, 2013 You got great advise, the problem is trapped air and the 2 simplest solutions are to use the masking tape or a ladle. The ladle will get the lead in faster and that should be enough to push the excess air out, the masking tape is another great idea and if you like the idea of adding a vent to your mold, a small needle file is all it takes and you basically want what amounts to a scratch in the mold, that is all you need for the air to escape. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigatollah Posted September 22, 2013 Report Share Posted September 22, 2013 You can also place your mold on top of your furnace as its heating to bring it up to proper working temps. Its all in the venting as the other guys have mentioned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBird Posted September 23, 2013 Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 I might be nutz here, but you guys missed the biggest tip. SMOKE your mold. I always do this, works fantastic, Preheat the mold by pouring lead on the front and back of the closed mold ( the faces) and I pour lead into the molds and let it sit for about a min. But smoke that mold man, Smoke it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cadman Posted September 23, 2013 Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 (edited) I might be nutz here, but you guys missed the biggest tip. SMOKE your mold. I always do this, works fantastic, Preheat the mold by pouring lead on the front and back of the closed mold ( the faces) and I pour lead into the molds and let it sit for about a min. But smoke that mold man, Smoke it. BlueBird, That is the whole purpose of Drop-Out or the other mold releases the guys mentioned here. Spray it on and you don't need to smoke the molds anymore. Just my opinion, but smoking the mold has never worked for me and it is very messy, getting all that black soot all over your hands and everything else you touch. Mold release in my opinion, is the only way to go in this day and age and it works 100's times better than smoking a mold ever did. Try it and you will never go back to smoking molds. Edited September 23, 2013 by cadman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasilofchrisn Posted September 23, 2013 Report Share Posted September 23, 2013 I was going to reply but Cadman beat me to it. I think he was the one who first suggested I use drop out and so I bought some. I tried it on just one mold at first and have never looked back. I now spray all my molds when I get them with drop out and reapply as necessary. I never have smoked a mold but I don't ever see the need as drop out works so well for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 I might be nutz here, but you guys missed the biggest tip. SMOKE your mold. I always do this, works fantastic, Preheat the mold by pouring lead on the front and back of the closed mold ( the faces) and I pour lead into the molds and let it sit for about a min. But smoke that mold man, Smoke it. I guess I have used the wrong kind of candles or something but I tried smoking my molds numerous times in the past and it didn't do anything but turn my molds black. I still haven't done drop out either as most of my molds don't give me much hassle but I do know that cracking a mold is a great way to get rid of trapped air, so masking tape is always close by. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallmouthaholic Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 Use soft lead-(sheet lead) when pouring jigs- not wheel weights You can cut vents in aluminum molds w/ a box cutter knife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBird Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 I used the ultra minnow spinner, I could not pour a jig with that mold to save my life, Then I smoked it, I have a 90% success rate. the 10% is my bad, not the mold lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted September 24, 2013 Report Share Posted September 24, 2013 I guess I have used the wrong kind of candles or something but I tried smoking my molds numerous times in the past and it didn't do anything but turn my molds black. I still haven't done drop out either as most of my molds don't give me much hassle but I do know that cracking a mold is a great way to get rid of trapped air, so masking tape is always close by. That's the point of smoking the mold, when you get that black coating it is carbon which is a great release agent. I personally have smoked my molds and have had no ill effects either with the pour or when powder painting said jigs but mold release just adds another layer of protection and helps the lead flow. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted September 25, 2013 Report Share Posted September 25, 2013 I had a similar problem yestersay. My squid head mold has a very fine line from the top of the head to the outside of the mold. It wouldn't pour because I had covered it with drop out spray. You may be able to etch a very fine line from the head going to the out side of the mold. I bet it would work. The jigs are 8'10'&12 oz and the vent hole is super small but absolutely necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painter1 Posted September 26, 2013 Report Share Posted September 26, 2013 I have noticed that the melting pot quantity can affect the pour also. When the pot is full there is more head pressure at the nozzle and the material drops with extra force. When the hot streaming metal is in the dead center of the opening the force causes "splash-out" If ladling works, the answer may be to use less metal in the Lee pot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
