Jig pouring problems

[Bassin Dude 365]

Hello to you all here at TU!  LONG time lurker but I finally need some help with my lead pouring.  I have been noticing that on the jigs, spinnerbaits, etc, that I have been pouring, the jigheads are loose so to speak. I can grab the head and twist and there is wobbling going on. I notice it mostly on heads that have been fished but my spinnerbaits definitely have that problem when brand new. I only pour for me and close friends but I don't want to gift junk tackle to people. I am using lead that was given to me in a big sheet. I melted it all down, fluxed, and made ingots. I feel like the lead may be too soft?  The old lead I had, I never had this issue. I also noticed when cleaning up the heads after removing the sprue that they were real rough looking with deeper grooves than I ever remember seeing when I would take the file to the heads I was pouring with the previous lead. Thanks in advance to those who take the time to help!  That's what makes this site so cool!

[smalljaw]

Welcome to TU!!!!  You answered your own question, the only thing that changed is the lead.  You need some antimony, I purchase 3%-5% antimonial lead from Roto metals.  https://www.rotometals.com/antimonial-lead-ingots-5-pounds-3-5-antimony-lead/

[cadman]

It looks like you've been pouring for awhile, so I won't ask the basic questions. First of all like Smalljaw mentioned, your lead may be too soft. So adding antimony will help harden the lead which in turn will make it a bit harder to pour, which in turn will make the jigs harder and keep the hooks from possibly moving in the lead. I also use the same lead to antimony ratio that Smalljaw uses, sometimes a little harder. I mix my own, so I don't always get 5% antimony, maybe more, which doesn't hurt at all.

On another note you mentioned that you have deeper grooves in the sprues when you take them off with this lead. Are you cutting the sprues off or do you break them off. If you are breaking them off, many times you will break off the sprue and it will leave a divot, which you will never file off because of the hole left. This divot is usually the result of using harder lead, and the lead doesn't crack smooth with the head. If your grooves are from using gate shears, and you still have a hard time filing them, then your lead is still too hard.  These are just some observations for you to look into. I'm not there, so I can't fully help. Good Luck and post back when you found your solution.

Edited October 28, 2019 by cadman

[Bassin Dude 365]

2 hours ago, smalljaw said:

Welcome to TU!!!!  You answered your own question, the only thing that changed is the lead.  You need some antimony, I purchase 3%-5% antimonial lead from Roto metals.  https://www.rotometals.com/antimonial-lead-ingots-5-pounds-3-5-antimony-lead/

Smalljaw thank you very much. I have learned so much from you on here over the years. 

[Bassin Dude 365]

1 hour ago, cadman said:

It looks like you've been pouring for awhile, so I won't ask the basic questions. First of all like Smalljaw mentioned, your lead may be too soft. So adding antimony will help harden the lead which in turn will make it a bit harder to pour, which in turn will make the jigs harder and keep the hooks from possibly moving in the lead. I also use the same lead to antimony ratio that Smalljaw uses, sometimes a little harder. I mix my own, so I don't always get 5% antimony, maybe more, which doesn't hurt at all.

On another note you mentioned that you have deeper grooves in the sprues when you take them off with this lead. Are you cutting the sprues off or do you break them off. If you are breaking them off, many times you will break off the sprue and it will leave a divot, which you will never file off because of the hole left. This divot is usually the result of using harder lead, and the lead doesn't crack smooth with the head. If your grooves are from using gate shears, and you still have a hard time filing them, then your lead is still too hard.  These are just some observations for you to look into. I'm not there, so I can't fully help. Good Luck and post back when you found your solution.

Cadman, another person who has unknowingly helped me out in many ways over the years! I learned the tap brush method from you plus other things. Anyhow, I use needle nose to gently rock the sprue back and forth until it breaks. I grab the jig by the hook and hold the sprue with the pliers. I usually have a knob so to speak that needs to be filed down. When I file that down I'm noticing the grooves in the head that weren't there when I did that in the past. 

[smalljaw]

Another quick observation, try using a gate shear and cut the sprue off. I could be wrong but I'm guessing the lead is still a little warm when you are breaking off the sprue. If it is, there is a good chance you are causing the lead to break free from the hook and the wire. I know a lot of people were having issues with the mid west finesse jig mold because they would break the sprue off instead of cutting it. Working the sprue back and forth or twisting it off is something I stopped doing because light wire hooks would get slight bends in them and sometimes I'd actually work the head loose. Try using a gate shear, diagonal cutter will work but you may not be able to get close enough.

[Apdriver]

Another technique that will loosen your head/hook bond is demolding by grabbing your hook and pulling while that head is still very warm. Never grab the hook and always demold by grabbing the sprue. You’re remelting that anyway and I grab it with a pair of pliers and pull the bait out of the mold. Small jaws rec on cutting the sprue is spot on also. I would recommend a good pair of gate shears that are made specifically for the job. As a rule, they will shear the gate very clean and flush and won’t require any cleanup, filing, or what have you to clean up the shear. Xuron makes a very nice set and never use them for anything else except shearing sprues. Other uses will tend to dull them.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=xuron+2175&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8-Lx2szB5QIVPf_jBx1XvwTPEAAYASAAEgJXMPD_BwE&hvadid=153688645198&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9025854&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=b&hvrand=6606773216449222227&hvtargid=aud-649564993678%3Akwd-300332154&hydadcr=15246_9501196&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_8zrzd8cnoi_b

[cadman]

Apdriver,

     Very good info, I have the heavier gate shears I use for the harder lead, and the lighter ones for the softer lead. The Xuron brands gate shears are very good. Worth every penny.

 

One final comment that you made and that is never ever use gate shears for anything else but the lead you cut. You will screw them up.

 

Very good advice.

Edited October 29, 2019 by cadman

[Bassin Dude 365]

Thanks Again to all of you! You know, now that I think about it, I don't give the heads time to cool down before I cut the sprue off. I do grab the poured jig by the sprue when de molding. But, I can see how the way I take the sprue off combined with the fact that I'm not letting the heads cool down causes the separation of hook and head. I do have gate shears but I never use them because I couldn't get that flush cut that Apdriver was talking about. I will check out Roto metals, and will look at the better gate shears.