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Will Wetline

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Posts posted by Will Wetline

  1. 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.

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  2. 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.

    %233-M.jpg

     

  3. 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

     

     

     

  4. 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.

  5. Welcome back to TU,  cat_in_the_hat.

    Right off, I have to tell you DO NOT use an alloy with zinc in it. I was told this by someone on Lee's help line who said zinc will eat through the liner of the pot and make a "hot mess."

    I've never had an interest in blending my own alloys and, as I've said above, I get good results from Rotometals'  Lead Free Bullet Casting Alloy which is 88% bismuth/12% tin.I don't remember the source but I read that this alloy is about 85% the weight of lead.

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  6. Welcome to TU, DWYMAN,

    I've been using this alloy, above mentioned by Apdriver, for several years and it works fine. Set melting pot at "3".  Cure powder paint at 325º.

    https://www.rotometals.com/lead-free-bullet-casting-alloy-88-bismuth-12-tin/

    Coat the mold cavities thoroughly with mold release because the bismuth in the alloy expands as it cools.

    https://barlowstackle.com/do-it-molds-and-lead-molding-supplies/lead-melting-pots-ladles-and-accessories/?sort=featured&page=2

  7. smallie42,

    The release spray is worth the investment. Try it.

    I don't know if there's a formula for determining the melting point of an alloy, but the post below is about results from using Rotometals'  281 bismuth/tin alloy (58% bismuth/42% tin):

    https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/162966-six-degrees-of-separation/?tab=comments#comment-1844299

    I'm assuming that you're powder painting. If so, let me pass on a source that smalljaw generously recommended to me:

    https://www.tjstackle.com/

    I use both their fluid bed and powder with good results.

    When I first made the transition to lead-free, the question arose, "How do I match a 1/8 oz. jig head with existing molds when my alloys weigh only 85% (88/12) or 62% (pewter) of lead's weight?"

    My approach has been to match rod/reel/line to make a balanced presentation. I'll leave you with a pic of a pewter, hair and hackle football jig from a 1/4 oz. cavity:

    IMG_3548-M.jpgIMG_3545-M.jpg

    I don't think much anymore about how POed I was initially about having to make the transition to lead-free.

     

     

     

     


     

    • Like 1
  8. I live and fish in Massachusetts and have been pouring lead free alloys since 2012 when MA prohibited the use of lead under 1 oz. in freshwater.

    The alloy I use most of the time is from rotometals.com:

    https://www.rotometals.com/lead-free-bullet-casting-alloy-88-bismuth-12-tin/

    Set the pot at "3."

    Do NOT heat the mold. DO coat the mold liberally with:

    https://barlowstackle.com/Casting-Release-Spray--P361/

    Bismuth expands as it cools and this must be used to remove the finished casting from the mold. Depending on the mold, you can reasonably expect 2- 6 dozen castings before you need to spray another coat. I've been making Do-it's Poison Tails, ball jigs and Midwest Finesse jigs. Football jigs I cast from pewter but you could probably use the 88/12 as well.

    I powder paint at 325º for an hour for a fully cured finish. Again, you can experiment with this too, but all of the above works well for me.

    Feel free to post or PM for more specifics.

     

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  9. 2 hours ago, mifon said:

    These look really good also! Just wondering, do these Crinkle Colors require any extra attention in applying or curing?

    Thanks

    Mike

    Mike, I haven't noticed any difference in application, but there is a label on the jar that says, "Cure at 400º for 10 minutes. I can't do that because I cast a bismuth/tin alloy that melts at 395º.

    Cured at 325º for an hour, I can whack a head against my bench vise and not see any evidence of abuse.

    In the photo below, the color of the football is TJ's Crinkle Copper and the naked Poison Tail is Crinkle Penny.

    IMG_3400-M.jpg

     

    • Like 2
  10. ChrisNick78,

    Living and fishing in Massachusetts, my learning curve casting and painting non lead alloys began in 2012 and I am now quite comfortable with materials and procedures.


    Over a year ago I responded to another MA angler/lure maker about my experiences casting and painting bismuth/tin alloys. You can read it here:

    https://www.bassresource.com/bass-fishing-forums/topic/184855-pouring-and-painting-lead-free-jigs/

    It's a lengthy post, but if you read it to the end, you'll have the information to get good results right off the bat.

    Don't hesitate to ask if you have questions.

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