one-off baits Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 I have multiple big swim bait molds I have made. All are too big (8"-10")for my 10/0 swim bait hooks so I would like to try to rig them for line through. How would you guys suggest I rig these baits or molds for this. Some molds are resin, some silicone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 I don't know about resin molds, but I use spinnerbait wire as locators for my silicone swimbait molds. What are you planning to use as a line sleeve? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 I am thinking on the same lines as Mark, molding in a sleeve. I recently did this on one of my molds and it worked well. Another possible method is to pull line through with a baiting needle. Line without a sleeve will easily tear out. A sleeve could be inserted down the line if pulled tight. Even two short lengths of sleeve at the entry and exit would probably work. The sleeve material that I use is from cotton buds. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNC Molds N Stuff Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 If you plan to make them with a ballast weight your ballast weight can also double as the line sleeve to a limited extent. If you are using a hard plastic the bait will hold up longer than you might think. If you are using a soft plastic, the line will slice right though it in no time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one-off baits Posted March 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 What's cotton buds? Yeah they will be soft plastic and I don't know how to mold a ballast weight in. So a sleeve will work pretty good? I guess I could pour with a metal rod and then slide sleeve in after the bait cures?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 If you are going to mold the sleeve in the body, then a metal sleeve would be better. You could make a separate mold for attaching/pouring the ballast lead to the tube. As for cotton buds, just Google, simpler than me trying to explain. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one-off baits Posted March 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 So would you suggest using a small metal rod to mold the hole in the bait and then later slide a sleeve in like say maybe a small coffee straw? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 What's cotton buds? Q-tip on this side of the pond Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one-off baits Posted March 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 Ahh. So how can I keep the ballast weight in place when pouring?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 (edited) I'd use egg sinkers, and drill out the center hole so the sleeve rod goes through it. I think someone (Spike-it?) sells a bonding coating so the plastic will stick to the lead. Edited March 14, 2016 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 http://static1.squarespace.com/static/53874c16e4b08610fe282e50/53b085bfe4b044d9476f2e61/53e7e7d9e4b02f6b824d7477/1407707161754/605.JPG?format=1500w Maybe this will help you understand how to do it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 Frank, is there a line-thru insert that's used with that bait? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruthunter Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 Here are (2) line thru's I did yesterday using line thru weights. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 Here are (2) line thru's I did yesterday using line thru weights. Those are really nice. Which line thru weights do you use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 I'd use egg sinkers, and drill out the center hole so the sleeve rod goes through it. I think someone (Spike-it?) sells a bonding coating so the plastic will stick to the lead. Yes, Spike-it bond coat I have some, ive only used it to glue plastic to plastic, but its designed to glue plastic to anything Takes almost an hour to dry (will not stick until completely dry) so do several weights ahead of time 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Frank, is there a line-thru insert that's used with that bait? Yes I use one with that mold. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkman Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Mark I have that mold but have not used it yet, it's from bobs tackle shack They sell an insert that goes in it real nice, I bought a few but the go for $1.10 each I'm going to try using a mojo weight, file a few grooves in it so the plastic holds on to It 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one-off baits Posted March 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Thanks for all the valuable infpr guys. One more thing. ... how do I keep the ballast in place while I pour. What I mean by that is how do I keep it from being slid all the way down to the very bottom of the metal rod? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majic man Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 If it was me, I would use a teflon tube, groove it up, and pour the lead to the tube. Insert into the bait. All done. But this would require a mold to be made for it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CNC Molds N Stuff Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 (edited) If it was me, I would use a teflon tube, groove it up, and pour the lead to the tube. Insert into the bait. All done. But this would require a mold to be made for it. I did some baits recently with Teflon tube inserts. It worked ok, but Teflon tube is not very stiff compared to metal tube. It also did not bond to the plastic very well. I wound up just using it as a guide to pull the line thru, and then pulled out the tube. I also tried casting some ballast weights with Teflon tube inserts, but the Teflon tubes didn't stick to the lead any better, and because its flexible the lead weight tended to pull the tube out of shape in the mold. There are some good ideas in there, but I haven't figured out the exact application yet. If you are going to mold the sleeve in the body, then a metal sleeve would be better. Dave What about line cut on the tube ends? Brass tube is nice, but even if you de-burr it really well the ends are pretty thin. Maybe if you round the ends over like a rivet, but then fitting it to the mold is an issue. I have played with the idea of a complete cast lead insert and line thru tube, but the ends sticking out of the bait might be too undesirable for some folks (same with other tubes except you can cut Teflon off smooth with a sharp razor after the fact) To be honest I've been kept busy with custom work and have only thought about that last one. Lead (and chrome plated brass) line thru ballast weights are in use in many line thru swimbaits. For most of them just the weight is used. Any "tube" or rod is just used to leave a path for the line later. Its easier to design for in an open pour mold. Predator Swimbaits are made that way. In an injection mold you have to plan all the details before you start. FYI: Predator puts a thin wire thru the bait to help with packaging, but also to make it easier to get the line thru the bait for the angler. Another thought I had was to make a weight and a tool designed to install weights and thread lines after the bait is complete. The weight is designed as a stack of over lapping cones. (like the bait keeper on some jigs and swimbaits) The tool is a stiff straight fat needle with a hole on the pointy end, a washer (stop of some kind) welded (afixed somehow) in the middle, and a handle on the other end. You place the weight on the tool, push the weight in from the bottom, and pull the line back thru with the needle. If you are making baits for sale you could pull a thin stainless wire thru, and print instructions on the labeling to use it to pull line thru. Edited March 16, 2016 by Bob La Londe 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majic man Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 I had thought with a large enough od. Grooves could be cut to hold the lead to the tube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 I had a very early version of a bottom hook/line thru swimbait, and it used a washer on a wire harness to keep the hook from pulling back into the belly. It worked, and I still have the original harness somewhere. It got me thinking that one (you or me) could use buzzbait rivets at each end of the line thru, to protect against the line cutting through the plastic. I envision making my rivet/ballast/rivet assembly being mounted on my thru wire, sprayed with the Spik-It plastic bonder, removed after drying, and then rethreaded onto my guide wire as it is inserted into my silicone mold. I'm sure I'll have to tinker around with the length of the ballast lead, so there isn't any bare wire in the pour, but that's just a matter of playing around with the ballast length. I'm thinking of using Darkman's Mojo/type sinkers as ballast, or egg sinkers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one-off baits Posted March 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 SQUIRREL!!!! Lol I'll ask one more time I guess. I'm molding my bait around a small metal rod(ballast slides on rod). How do I keep my ballast weight from sliding all the way down the rod and resting on the bottom of my cavity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one-off baits Posted March 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 How do I keep ballast weight from sitting on bottom of my cavity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted March 17, 2016 Report Share Posted March 17, 2016 I suggest a blob of a soft glue. You may have to experiment with different types. I would be starting with something like a standard tube of UHU rubber cement. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
