Will Wetline

Guys, try this technique for securing Owner Centering Spring Pins into ElaZtech:

It will dull an X-acto blade quickly. I'd pick it out.

Big Epp, In 2012 Massachusetts prohibited the use of lead weights and jigs under 1 ounce and I've now become comfortable with several alloys. www.rotometals.com blends them and their service and shipping is excellent. The first I tried was their 281 alloy which is 58% bismuth/42% tin. The 281 refers to the melting temp and that's too low for a full cure with powder paint. When their Lead Free Bullet Casting Alloy Bismuth based became available I switched to that and, with a melting point of 395º, I cure powder paint at 325º for an hour. This finish passes my "bounce it off the loading dock test." One thing to remember with any alloy containing bismuth is that you must use mold release (Drop Out or other dry graphite spray) because bismuth expands as it cools. Set your Lee pot's dial at 3. https://www.rotometals.com/lead-free-bullet-casting-alloy-bismuth-based/ Although even more expensive than the no-lead bullet casting alloy, I wanted to try pewter. This is cake to cast - no expansion- although I still use Drop Out release spray on the mold. https://www.rotometals.com/alloy-ac-casting-pewter-ingot-92-tin-7-75-sb-0-25-cu-britannia-563f-650f/ I had also wanted to try casting with a ladle so I bought Lee's smallest open pot and their smallest ladle. I leave the other alloy in Lee's bottom pour Production Pot IV. https://barlowstackle.com/Lee-4-Lb-Lead-Melting-Pot-110-Volt-Model-P349/ https://barlowstackle.com/Small-Lead-Ladle-P354/ Ladling molten metal takes some practice but after a few dozen pours I had the hang of it - especially after spraying the ladle with Drop Out to keep it clean. Set the pot's heat adjustment dial at 7.5 for this pewter alloy. It's good to keep lead out of the environment. After 8+ years of alloys my wallet is thinner but production goes smoothly and loons still fly over my home waters.

https://barlowstackle.com/Casting-Release-Spray--P361/ I've used Frankford Arsenal's Drop Out for years and highly recommend it. Unfortunately, it's out of stock at this time at Barlow's Tackle where I get most of my supplies for jig making. A Google search will probably turn up another supplier.

Used a Copic G99 Olive marker for the barring. I like the fine point on one end. I let it dry for a few hours, soaked it, and then dried it out again. Looking at it a week later, it has faded a bit but I'm not going to worry about it - it still suggests a perch to smallmouth and the rocks will still love it.

Welcome, Cuda!

Everything you're showing is neatly crafted and well proportioned to my critical eye.

Thank you, smalljaw. I'll stick with the Sharpie and if the jig evades the rocks long enough for the markings to fade, I can touch it up. I asked the question because I found a jig I had tied several years ago and had left in a box. It had faded in storage. I brought the stripes back in a couple of minutes with the Sharpie. I may still get an olive Copic to try because I want to tie a few perch patterns with a sculpin olive bucktail top. Thanks again for taking the time for the testing. WW

It's not a problem for me to tie a bucktail perch pattern jig, but the last step applying the vertical stripes over the yellow bucktail could be improved: the Sharpie markings fade. Is it worth the extra expense to buy a Copic marker? Is Copic ink more colorfast? Has anyone developed a different method for making these stripes? Thanks for all input.