jdr418

If this is a jig head you use a lot of, you might consider having an aluminum mold made. I used hitechluremolds.com to make a jigging spoon mold several years ago. A good mold at what I thought was a reasonable price.

Robalo01, Check out makelure.com. That is alumilites site for using their products for lure making. Larry Dahlburg has loads of videos on how to use their products for both hard and soft baits and molds. They are on youtube under makelure. I have used the regular casting resin on some projects and it works well if you are going to paint the casting. Their clear product can be colored with the colorant they sell.

Bob, There's a real good tutorial on water slide decals at rodbuildingtutorials.com. It is located in the misc. tutorials section and is by Dave Rogers. It is several pages and has good color photos.

Years ago I bought some RTV from Barlows and made several molds. I still have them and have cast many lures with them. I think the product was Dow/Corning 3120. If you want to use RTV find some 3120 or a product with similar specifications. It will work and make lots of lures. One secret I learned was to keep the lead just above melting point and dust the mold with talcum powder after a few pours.

http://www.crappie.com/crappie/jig-tying-lure-making-forum/51261-buck-tail-dye.html This is a link to a topic on another forum site that gives all kinds of details on dying with Kool-Aid. There is actually a lot of info out there on the subject just do a search for kool aid dying bucktail.

If you have lead casting that have been laying around for a while, they can oxidize. The powder coat may not adhere well. Dipping or soaking in white vinegar will remove the oxidization. Let the heads air dry completely and then paint.

cz75b is right on the money. Alumilite's silicone is easy to work with. Alumilite's web site, Makelure.com has some excellent videos on making molds with silicone.

Jig Man, I think you need to use a pigment to color or tint epoxy. Something like TAP Plastics opaque pigments. Rod builders use pigments to color their finishing epoxy when they marble a rod. Some guys use the thick stuff from the bottom of testors model enamel as a pigment. Mud Hole Tackle and Bullard Int. Rod supply sell some really hot colored pigments for this and it is designed to work mixed in exopy.

Sammy, Harbor Freight has a pressure pot that lots of peopel adapt for casting resins. It is about $100.00 but they run it on sale for about $80.00 fairly often and you can use one of their 20% coupons and get a good deal. Do a internet search for DIY pressure pot for casting resins and there is all kinds of info out there including you tube videos. Good luck. http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=paint+pot

Check out TJ's Tackle web site. He has powder coating videos that show exactly what you are wanting to do, to include using the powder coat air brush. I have one of the air brushes and it is fairly easy to use....good luck

Kris, If the compressor is pumping up to pressure and cutting off that indicates that it is likely getting up to around 120-125 psi in the tank. If little air is comming out of the compressor, there is a restriction somewhere. Start at the regulator and work backward. You should be able to get high air discharge by adjusting the regulator up to its highest setting. Remove the regulator and pump the tank up and see what the air flow is like. If the air discharge is strong without the regulator that is the issue.

I have a little bender called The Little Blue Bender. It is sold in several of the supplier catalogs. It makes excellent R bends

I used mine the other day to frost the bottom of a mason jar for a red neck wine glass. worked pretty well.

http://www.kbs-coatings.com/diamondfinish-clearcoat.html Here is the link to the web site. I believe it is a moisture cure urethane. I have seen post elsewhere that it can be used as a clear coat over painted rod blanks and as a clear finish for lures. It is suppose to be crystal clear and dries flexible but hard. Bloxygen is the product that is used to slow down the curing process of the unused product left in the can. There is lots of info on kbs coatings web site.

Juice Its a Bagley Model B flat side. Probably from the 80's. I mave have a few in my crank bait box along with some Bagley Smoo's.

Take a look at Do It's catalog WCK-5-AWG Might be just what you want.

Many boat trailers use a special grease seal that it designed to not pull water into the hub when the trailer is backed into the water. The seal is a double lip design. if you replace seals be sure and get this type. You can purchase a tool to remove the grease seal. It looks like a sort of hammer with a special shaped claw to pull the seal from the hub. In some instances you can remove the spindle nut and the front bearing, then replace the nut on the spindle and slide the hub over the nut until to contacts the rear bearing, then gently pop the bearing against the nut while rotating the hub and the bearing will pop the seal out of the hub. Be sure and use a water proof grease to pack the bearing after cleaning them.

TCP Global has about the best prices and good stock. I just bought everything from them to put quick connects on my hoses and air brushes. Got adapters for the different brand brushes so all have the same connection now.

Check out Larry Dahlberg's Hunt for Big Fish site. He has some video posted on how to make molds using RTV.

If you are going to sell tackle be sure that you comply with Texas Sales Tax, Assumed Name for Business requirements and Federal Sport Fishing Excise Tax regulations. You dont want the State Comptroller or the IRS knocking on your door.

Thanks alot for all the input on my question. It is nice to have a knowledge base as large as this one to pull from. I have been casting lures and jig heads for years and have a good collection of molds, both commercial and custom. Sometimes in the past it was a matter of trial and error but input from other lure makers with experience helps in the decision making process,

Cadman I considered those problems and know that they likley could be resolved so long as the size of the head cavity is the same or close to that of the Ultra Minnow spinnerbait mold. I dont care about the 1/8 oz size so much. What I was after is 5/8oz. in the same mold with 3/8 and 1/2oz. These three weights are probably the most popular in my part of Texas. Lots of people throwing 5/8 in deep grass in clear water lakes. I can handle the mods to the mold in my shop. My thought process was to try and avoid buying two molds to get all the head sizes I wanted.

In order to get the head weights I want for spinner baits without buying two Ultra Minnow spinner bait molds, I was thinking about getting the jig head mold that cast 1/8 to 5/8 oz heads and modifying it to take the spinner bait wires. Has anyone else done this modification and how did it work?

Lodaddyo, Here is a link to the mfg. of similar poppers. These are molded foam. http://www.comaltackle.com/catalog/reddi_rattle.html

Howdy from Texas, I recently ordered a mold from Hi-Tech. The mold is for a jigging spoon or 'Slab" and what I received is a high quality aluminum CNC machined mold. He only makes single cavity molds but the quailty is excellent and the price is resonable. E-mail communications was good and after I sent my master and some wire forms, he sent me a sample for approval after he cut the mold. I paid for the mold and a few days later it arrived in the mail. If you want to mold that will last longer than a plaster mold this is a good option.