Veto Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 I'm having problems pouring small sizes jig heads. I heat m mold as usual and when I pre-pour the lead covers the whole jig but when I put the hooks in (pre-heated) I'm not getting the full pour of the heads... I have no problem with the bigger jig heads just the 1/8 and 1/16 sized ones.... Any ideas????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Welcome aboard Veto, 1. What mold are you pouring? 2. What part of the head is not pouring? 3. Are you using pure lead or scrap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veto Posted May 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 I'm using a do-it mold and it is the bottom of the jig head that is not pouring... I'm using pure lead 99.9%. Like I said my pre pours are coming out full but once i add the hook I get a shotty jig. I use the requested hooks by the mold also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Sounds like the collar isn't filling. the first thing I do is add a mold release (Drop Out) is the most popular here. I know that you preheat the hooks, and that is my next step. I lay the hooks in the mold and wave a mini torch over them for a few seconds, close the mold and pour. This usually solve my problem. You should get some more responses with some other methods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veto Posted May 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 I have not tried a mold release but I have smoked the molds although I know some people frown on it but I have found it to help especially when casting split shots! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basseducer Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Smoking the mod is fine, I smoked all my molds before I started using the mold release. When you try the mold release you will be surprised how much of a difference it makes. Are you using a bottom pour or a ladle? I like to hold the mold right up against the nozzle of my pot. This hits the center of the gate and does not give the lead any time to start cooling before it hits the mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smalljaw Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 There could be a number of reasons for this, to me it sounds as if there is air trapped but it can also be a heat problem and being that the hooks are heated and the pre-pours are fine, I'd say it is the lead not being hot enough. Lead will cool super fast, if you are using a LEE pot, bump the heat up another notch like if you are on 6 try 7 and see if that helps. Your lead is cooling before it completes the color, drop out will help but try bumping the heat first, I know I have some molds that I have to pour very hot to get complete pours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBull Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Take a small file our better yet a very small sharp knife (wood chisal)SP? and make a fine line where the hook shaft and lead meet. Have it go strait down and away from the hook. This will let the trapped air find it's way out and the lead will work it's way down a lot easier. You only have to do this on one side of the mold Good luck......Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fatman Posted May 7, 2015 Report Share Posted May 7, 2015 Can you tell us exactly what mold it is?? I know when I poured split shots (we have to use non-lead split in Vermont now) I never got perfect pours with them, they were always hard to pour. Any inserts involved?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veto Posted May 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 Some good ideas to try next...My mold is a Do-it round head jig with barb Fatman! no inserts are involved... Smalljaw, I'm using the lee 20lb bottom pour lead pot and I have tried to increase the temperature to max without any change but I will try to put the pour spout tight to the mold next... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted May 8, 2015 Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 You can get mold release at home depot. Its in the lock and door handle area. Name is fabulous blaster dry graphite lube. I would think it would work especially well on small cavities as its pretty thin. I pour a lot of lead and use it in every thing. I'm pretty sure your real problem is the lead isn't hot enough also. I have a commercial pot. I crank it full blast when doing small stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veto Posted May 8, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 I will try the mold release asap. As far as the temperature goes, I have turned the lead pot all the way up to 10 and from what I have been reading that should be roughly 950 to 1000 degrees F. I don't have a thermometer to confirm this though. I kinda think what Bassbull posted is what i'm seeing happening. The lead cast fine without a hook in the mold but when I insert a hook I'm losing the barbed collar. Sometimes the whole barb and shank and sometimes just the barb. I just don't know if I have the guts to start carving into my mold to let the gases escape!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy1976 Posted May 8, 2015 Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 I'm sure the graphite will help. Don't know how I ever poured with out it. Let us know how it turns out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 8, 2015 Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 After trying all the above, another worth trying is solder flux. Heat the hook and dip in the tin of flux, a touch more heat then in the mold. Flux is designed to clean the surface of all impurities and it reduces the surface tension of the hook metal, which I believe is your problem here. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBull Posted May 8, 2015 Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 Good Morning all....Veto the mark ( scratch) should only be a hair line type of channel. I take a wood chisel and I just give it a small tap on one side of the mold and it works just great .Have a good day...STEVE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodtimesfishing Posted May 8, 2015 Report Share Posted May 8, 2015 Sounds like it needs vented to me. If you don't want to scratch your mold, use the tape method to vent your mold. With no hook you are getting good pours because it is venting thru the spot the hook goes. When you put the hook in, it fits tight and leaves no place for the air to vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Veto Posted May 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 I have not had time to try more ideas yet! Fishing opened yesterday here in MN... LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LimpNoodle Posted May 10, 2015 Report Share Posted May 10, 2015 One thing I've learned working with a spin casting machine is that plain old talc works wonders on those hard to pour molds. If I'm having trouble getting a mold to fill out I dust both sides with talc and it works like a champ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jigatollah Posted May 11, 2015 Report Share Posted May 11, 2015 Like mentioned above, talc will work as it allows the lead to flow easier into the cavities. I also add tin to my lead along with anthimony to make it more rigid especially when pouring spinner baits. Tin will make it more fluid. The venting is also another option. It might create a little flash, but I would rather have that than incomplete pours. Try a small jewellers file to scratch a vent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
