wannabefishing Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 just wondering if anyone has added vent holes/slots on an aluminum mold by their selves? i got a 5 1/4" paddlestix from Del and for the life of me i can't seem to get maybe 1 good bait out of 5 or 6 (reduce salt and it improves) taht i make, i'm getting near 3/4 tails, just looks like an air bubble or 2 is caught in there. Tried pouring slowly, straight centered and almost to the point of scorching and the results were the same 1 in 5 or 6, frustrating when i gotta have 400 made up by the 1st of April lol So if someone has vented any mold, please post a pic so i know how/where to put the vent... thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dutchman Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 You have to pour the tail first and then close the mold and pour like a senko. The paddle tail will not pour without doing the tail separate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwampBaits Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 I think that's why most people pour the paddle tails without salt! Even if you pour the tail seperate, it will not bond to well with the main body, unless the mold is HOT! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 just wondering if anyone has added vent holes/slots on an aluminum mold by their selves?i got a 5 1/4" paddlestix from Del and for the life of me i can't seem to get maybe 1 good bait out of 5 or 6 (reduce salt and it improves) taht i make, i'm getting near 3/4 tails, just looks like an air bubble or 2 is caught in there. Tried pouring slowly, straight centered and almost to the point of scorching and the results were the same 1 in 5 or 6, frustrating when i gotta have 400 made up by the 1st of April lol So if someone has vented any mold, please post a pic so i know how/where to put the vent... thanks!! Take a hack saw blade and cut a small groove down to the end of the mold from the tail you can do one in the center and one on each side also. Just out of curiosity how much salt are you useing? we have lots of customers pouring them with salt and they pour fine with out any modification, I think they are light on the salt though. for production some guys have been cutting .004 out of the bottom of the mold that meets the tail for faster pouring. how ever if your using to much salt venting will not help. try the hack saw deal first and let me know how it works, also send me a pm on my board with your forumla and I will try it here and see whta I come up with) You have to pour the tail first and then close the mold and pour like a senko. The paddle tail will not pour without doing the tail separate. Yes they will, people been doing it for 3+ years now and hundreds of those paddle stick molds. I think that's why most people pour the paddle tails without salt! Even if you pour the tail seperate, it will not bond to well with the main body, unless the mold is HOT! I pour with 1/2 the amount of salt I normaly use in a senko.Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabefishing Posted March 15, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 Thanks for the tips guys, i will be doing lots of half salt pours after i get my pots up and running, until then i'm just trying to get a bunch done for a fishing show April 1st still have 95+ days to go before bass season even opens up here... will do Del, you have a PM on your board now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dutchman Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Sorry, it was the curl tail you had to do the tail first not the paddle tail. My mistake. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Yeah the curl tail is one you have to pour separate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubeman Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 Instead of a hack saw...why not a Dremel tool with a abrasive cutting wheel, seems more accurate ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dampeoples Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 I would say the hacksaw blade would be more accurate, gonna be hard to hold a 10k RPM Dremel tool straight and even pressure all the way down, ehen you could just whip a few strokes with a hacksaw and go on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 Mike I suggested a hack saw for the simple reason most people have one. that and most people useing a dremel will hurt them selfs cutting alum ... Abrasive wheels load up and break IE explode in alum and using a little cutter it will grab the metal and run the cutter into your chest, hand face, leg etc. a bur tool will work but it must have a lot of flutes so it does grab if you want to really do it right get a router with a sharp bit and lots of oil( smallest bit possible) then mill a 3/8"s wide slot .006-.008 deep. if you don't use lots of oil you are wasting your time on Alum and will wreck the mold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubeman Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 Del,your right it all depends on user experiance. My cutter wheel is made of a fiber reinforced material, is about 1 1/2 inches in dia, 1/8 thick and will not shatter. I have enough time in using it to slot aluminium with a fairly straight line and with a few lightly pressured passes you should have a small channel made. You could also use a small piece of plate steel as a guide to keep the cut straight. For those that have the extention flexible wire shaft, that might even be easier use. As for the safety precaution, I would think most people would have the common sence to wear safety glasses and gloves when using power tools. A bur tool will not work, it will load up to quickly and you will not find one small enough to cut a channel that small without getting clogged. I'll try it out and post my results, just trying to help out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubbah rubbah Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 Ive modified a few Do-IT molds to accept 9/0 and 10/0 hooks and found the best way to do it was to use the router base that comes with a dremel and use the smallest flat headed milling bit that dremel makes- I used a lot of 3 in one oil (thats all i had laying around) and was able to make perfect cuts into the aluminum. This was major surgery as the depth and diameter of my cuts had to be perfect to keep lead from flowing into the eye of my jig hooks, so a vent hole would be a piece of cake if you did it this way you will have about 1/8th of the control if you use a cutting disk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted March 18, 2007 Report Share Posted March 18, 2007 do-it molds are made out of cast alum, they cut extreamly easy. you need to use lots and lots of oil to cut 6061 molds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tubeman Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 Bubbah, your method will work way better than using a cutting wheel. I tried it and your right about the lack of control. Del's hack saw blade method is the safest and easiest. I can never seem to stop experimenting with that Dremel though, just made a wooden model of a new jighead for my swimbait "Shadzilla" that should go 3 to 4 oz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 the dremel tool is the emergency rooms best friend Remember those round saw cutting blades. crap those things took alot of fingers and other body parts halfway off. Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabefishing Posted March 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 I might give the dremmel router attachment a try, i happen to have one laying around that i've had for a few years and never used, may aswell now... thanks for the tip, will give it a shot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 if you use it go the slowest rmp you can go, or around 1000 rpms and lots of OIL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wannabefishing Posted March 19, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 will do, gonna finish up the hacksawing method on the first mold and then will try a single cavity with the dremel see which seems to work best/easiest for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delw Posted March 19, 2007 Report Share Posted March 19, 2007 dont worry about messing it up, cause you can fill it in with bondo or epoxy and it will work just fine. Delw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
