Ball Head Mold Mod

[RSNeely]

I have a Do-it RWR-3-AYS (Ball head mold). Can I modify the hook eye slot so that this mold will accept a 4/0 Heavy Mustad hook? I've never modified a mold before so I'm a little worried. 

[Anglinarcher]

Can it be done? Yes. 

 

Can you do it? That depends on your skills. 

 

Some years ago I did this with a Dremel tool and it works just fine, but, remember, you can always remove material but adding material if you take too much off is NOT SO EASY.

[smalljaw]

Which hook, a flat eye or regular eye?  I'd also like to know what you are going to use it for. I ask that because that mold is similar to the Eakins jig only smaller sizes and the hook it uses is standard wire hook. I use the Mustad 32893 a lot as it has a sproat bend and it does a great job of hooking and holding the fish. I use 8lb up to, and never over, 12lb line with the jigs I make with that mold, if I want a heavier hook I use a different jig as 8lb line isn't going to drive a flipping style hook through a fish's mouth too easily. That is why I'm curious as to what you want to do with that, maybe something worth looking at but normally if I want a heavy hook I'm going to go at lead 1/4oz and then it will be an Arky or Banana jig.

[jc_aka_bird]

i have just started pouring this jig and im using the mustad 38109 flat eye the problem i have is with the 1/8 weed guard used base pin sent with mold and cut them so they fit with the hook but the hole just is not right so i drilled them out on the jig  glued them. in next attempt i poured with weed guards in and some still came out is the 1/8 the wrong weed guard or is it the hook and i need to modify base pin the jigs that the weed guards stay in are coming out the way i want but the weed guards falling not good .  most of the problem is with the 1/8 size jig 

[RSNeely]

Which hook, a flat eye or regular eye?  I'd also like to know what you are going to use it for. I ask that because that mold is similar to the Eakins jig only smaller sizes and the hook it uses is standard wire hook. I use the Mustad 32893 a lot as it has a sproat bend and it does a great job of hooking and holding the fish. I use 8lb up to, and never over, 12lb line with the jigs I make with that mold, if I want a heavier hook I use a different jig as 8lb line isn't going to drive a flipping style hook through a fish's mouth too easily. That is why I'm curious as to what you want to do with that, maybe something worth looking at but normally if I want a heavy hook I'm going to go at lead 1/4oz and then it will be an Arky or Banana jig.

I have a customer that wants 1/4 ounce jigs with a 4/0 heavy hook. They would be flat eye hooks.  I plan on using Mustad 32796BLN hooks on this job.

Edited February 16, 2015 by RSNeely

[smalljaw]

I see, I know my question to you was a little unorthodox but I see more and more guys wanting finesse jigs with these heavy hooks and that is ok but there are better heads that work well with heavy hooks, finesse style jigs don't fall correctly so it loses its effectiveness in that aspect but these are for someone who wants it so not much you can do. To modify that mold you will need 2 things, a dremel and a round needle file. Use the needle file to widen out, and deepen the hook slot at the bottom of the collar, take the Dremel with a small engraving bit and widen the hook eye out, this isn't hard but make sure you have the hook and check it often, it doesn't take much and you'll be surprised how quick it is to take material off the mold. Go slow and you'll be fine, the difference in thickness isn't much, remember that so you don't get carried away.

[smalljaw]

i have just started pouring this jig and im using the mustad 38109 flat eye the problem i have is with the 1/8 weed guard used base pin sent with mold and cut them so they fit with the hook but the hole just is not right so i drilled them out on the jig  glued them. in next attempt i poured with weed guards in and some still came out is the 1/8 the wrong weed guard or is it the hook and i need to modify base pin the jigs that the weed guards stay in are coming out the way i want but the weed guards falling not good .  most of the problem is with the 1/8 size jig 

 

Bird, welcome to the board, if you have a problem that is different even though it is the same mold, please start a new post, what you are doing is called hi-jacking a thread. I'll try to help but I don't understand what the exact problem is.

[EironBreaker]

Let us know how it goes with that big of a hook.  I have the roundhead mold that is the 1/8, 3/16 and 1/4 oz size also.  I'd have a hard time getting a 4/0 flippin hook into that 1/4 oz mold.  One of the problems I have with going up in hook size is keeping the eye close to the head and still having the shank of the hook close to the center of the mold.  The length of the hook neck to the eye increases with hook size so it wants to stick out further from the jig to be able to line up the shaft going down the jig.  If that makes sense.  You can get off center with the hook shank but not too much.

 

Also getting the jig to fill properly with a bigger hook size is more difficult.  The shaft takes up a lot of room in the mold and sometimes the cavity won't fill properly.  Not to say that it can't be done.  I bought a small drill press from Harbor Freight to make modifications to my molds with.  Hardware store has Dremel bits, I use ones that are a little heavier so I don't break them.  One is flat on the end, the other rounded.  I can do just about any modification with those two bits.  I use the drill press so I can keep the mold flat and the drill at a set angle every time.  So much easier than doing it free hand.  And you can control the depth also.

 

I also have a very small half-moon file.  Round on one site and flat on the other.  The edge has teeth so I can open up the notch for the hook if need be and keep it rounded.  It also works to add a slot next to the hook shank to add a wire trailer keeper.  I've bought other drill bits but I really only use those three tools for most any modification.  As long as you go slow, take a little at a time and check your work repeatedly with the hook as you go, you will get good results.  What the heck, its only a $40 mold right?  lol  Good luck and takes some pics for all to see when you are done.

[Kasilofchrisn]

Do-it does make a ball head mold that will accept heavy hooks The STL-6-A willl accept a 3/0 in a 1/4 oz and most likely a 4/0 will fit.

I have this mold on order from Barlows right now.

So if you have any trouble modifying your mold consider the option of ordering a mold that is built for these hooks already.

[smalljaw]

Do-it does make a ball head mold that will accept heavy hooks The STL-6-A willl accept a 3/0 in a 1/4 oz and most likely a 4/0 will fit.

I have this mold on order from Barlows right now.

So if you have any trouble modifying your mold consider the option of ordering a mold that is built for these hooks already.

 

That is the steelhead jig mold, what his customer wants is a light Eakins jig with a flipping style hook in it instead of the standard wire flat eye. This has a collar for a skirt and a bard to hold a threaded plastic trailer on it, completely different.

[RSNeely]

Well i modified it this morning. It works but i don't like how much the hook eye is away from the head (As described already by Eironbreaker). Or, I'm not even against buying them already made. 

Edited February 17, 2015 by RSNeely

[EironBreaker]

Well just send one example to the buyer, he may not care about the eye distance from the head.  Just that he got the hook he wanted.  Or if you do the skirt spider style, it may cover up that detail a little bit.  Nothing to loose at this point.

[RSNeely]

I'm going to make them in 5/16 instead which will allow for the bigger hook. I think it will work out good. Fingers crossed