Painter1

I haven’t made anything smaller than 3/8 ounce, so thanks for the intel on hooks.

Gami 604 works well as does a good coat of the lead release paint in every recess. pull up from the hook bend a bit, grab sprue with NN pliers. Problem solved. I made 50 of them this past weekend

I think the big advantage is being able to add virtually any hook and it can be used to swim a bait with extra action.

BTW, I found a fitted lid for my Pro-Melt furnace on e-bay made of a good solid aluminum plate.

I don’t wear a mask when I make Jigs, because I don’t do things that would cause me to ingest it, but if you do choose to wear a respirator, look for the purple edged 3 m cartridges. They are made specifically for filtering LBP dust smaller than 10 microns. I buy 100 lbs of lead nuggets from Robometals and it requires very little cleaning or fluxing. When I clean up, I NEVER do it with compressed air Always a HEPA vac and/or wet rags. I scrub well before going in the house and leave my work clothes in the shop, including shoes.

no, I’m pretty sure the hoops are different sizes with respect to being thicker wire. The smaller ones fit the mold. I have some big wires for spoons that don’t work in that mold. Dont get discouraged, Scott. I’ve made hundreds of them. Best blade size, for 3/8 & 1/2 oz is 3.5 willow.

Last year I posted a tutorial with pictures about this issue. Use the Spoon Wires and cut them all in half (doesn’t need to be exact) with a side cutters. After you put your hook into the mold, lay the wire into place with the gap in the hoop facing forward. Where the wire meets (crosses) the hook, touch and leave a mark on the wire with a Sharpie. Remove wire, and at the mark, bend the wire 90 degrees (or a bit more) down with your pliers. Then snip off enough so that the wire sets flat against the hook and the mold closes properly. This keeps that wire secure in the jig, unlike the WEY375 wire. After painting the jig, the swivel split ring slides on easily and a quick pinch closes the gap in the hoop.

I am now mostly retired but since my livelihood was based on the removal of Lead Based Paint (LBP), as a State Licensed Inspector and LBP Removal Designer in concert with Industrial Hygienest and Consulting Engineers, I’ve learned a lot about lead and other heavy metals on human health. While not meant to hijack the thread or minimize good ventilation planning there are some higher priority factors for your consideration. Please find the following suggestions 1) Find or fabricate a lid for your lead furnace. It will save energy and hugely limit emissions. Also remember your almost certainly not heating lead to a boiling point where is becomes dangerously gaseous. 2) Read and understand the primary method of lead poisoning/high blood lead levels. That is INGESTION. The heat that comes out of the melting pot is not nearly as dangerous as the dust and small filings typically generated after casting. 3) Lead dust on your workbench is the 2nd most dangerous condition. Most dangerous is smoking with dirty, dust laden hands. Carefully clean up your work space, your hands and your face. If you have young children wash and keep your clothes away from them . 4) When you get your annual checkup and they do blood work ask them to check your “Total Lead” level. It’s typically $35. If you score at or higher than 50 ug/100 m1 do something about it. By the way, I have a large commercial / industrial kitchen hood over my work space but mostly because of plasitol (soft plastics) fumes. I run it very low or not at all when making jigs. My blood lead is typically between 2-4 ug/100 m1.

Excellent information. Thank you, gentlemen. Are you using natural bucktail hair along with the faux hair & feathers?

I don’t remember who makes it, or where I bought it, but if you can find “Fluffy Stuff” add a small amount to your heavy powders and they will fluidize better.

I’m wanting to make some Prayer/Preacher jigs and am interested in learning about the best materials to use. What do you think of this faux hair? https://www.barlowstackle.com/Fish-Skull-Faux-Bucktail-P3852.aspx?ItemId=370228&Options=26517

When this hobby got its hooks in me I went all out with both jig and soft plastics equipment. I’ve loved every minute of it but now I’m becoming overwhelmed. I have a business, 5 Fish Lures LLC , that focuses on Ozark area bait shops, and am focusing on selling custom made bass jigs wholesale since that is what the bait shops I deal with really want a lot of. But I can’t keep up with that and the plastics. I just got a 3,000 jig order to fill and am still finishing up the last order. I have notified the bait shops that plastics won’t be available from me this year, though the BTS Craws, Custom “Leggy Centipede” and Finesse Worms are very popular. I am shipping out the last of those to my best client and then need to make space in my shop for more jig production. While I just recently offered to sell the entire plastics operation, unless someone buys it very soon I need to put this stuff in storage. I enjoy making the soft plastic baits and may get back to it in the future unless it sells. I can put it in temp controlled space but am wondering about prepping the equipment and materials for storage. Those dessicant capsules that come in pill bottles would seem like a good idea for the glitter and powders, oiling up the shooting star systems and pneumatic clamps with (???) would seem necessary. I have a lot of colorants and don’t know how to preserve them or what their shelf life is. I figured to put mothballs in every package to keep critters out and then shrink wrap. Your ideas are most welcome.

Having the same issue, I followed Cadman’s advice. Perfect outcome. I would add that I respray the mold release paint from time to time.

good tip. thanks

Thanks for the instruction, sir

I use some flashabou in a lot of the jigs I make. A lot of experimentation has helped dial it in for hair, silicon & combo jigs. I owe a lot to Small jaw and his instructive videos. He sets the imagination to work. I bought this stand/wheel from barlow’s but as you can see in the picture not all of the packaged material fit well in it. your thoughts and suggestions are most welcome.

That is correct, Frank. Some plasitol residue solidifies in the plumbing and I want to keep it cleaned & lubed between uses.

Thanks, guys. I’m familiar with MEK and was reluctant to have it around due to the low flashpoint. I went to the lead tech at our linings division and he suggested a product by VersaFlex called Dzolv. Flashpoint above 200, organic with no solvent smell. He told me to heat the pot(s) to 140 and flush with that. I have a gallon, will try it and report back.

What is an effective solvent for breaking down soft plastic ? Neither alcohol or mineral spirits paint thinner does the job. MEK, Tolulene, Naptha?

Thank you, Sir. I will try that.

Thanks, Frank. Do you leave it in the pot & tubes between uses? Do you heat the pot at all with the solvent in it?

I bought the mold and made up a batch to try on an upcoming trip to El Salto. I really like the KVD Mustad hook that keeps the head of a worm in place with a hard plastic nodule at the bend and will be using these in size 6/0 with 10” and 12” worms. It seems like a great combination and hope it performs as well as expected.

I just made a large batch of these in 1/2 oz for fishing in Mexico this winter. I used 5/0 hooks in the Mustad 746 and the Gami 604. The ripper style swim-baits I make, and will be using, are similar to the 5” Havoc Grass Pig and they snug up real nice. I noticed that the 604 hook shaft runs “downhill” from the head but that provides a slight upward tilt to the hook point that may be a slight advantage for successful hook ups. I’m real interested to see if the Gami is worth the extra $ against the Mustad and look forward to trying them side by side. Leaving for El Salto in a couple days for 6 days of sun & fun. I made a few jigs in 3/8 oz with 4/0 Gami 604 for use with 3.5” baits but may need to drop to a 3/0 for that size bait. Those will need to wait until Spring back on Table Rock for testing. I like the double barb but expect every Bass will destroy the plastic bait. I like the lead “foot” on the head because I like to deep-swim it a few feet and let it drop to the bottom. I expect the foot will give me a slightly better feel. I stopped using braided line and my catch rate has gone up but, of course, sensitivity has decreased so I’m looking forward to using this head to help close the gap. Happy New Year

I’m looking for some sort of material that will act as a solvent to flush out a ShootingStar dual pot system. It sits for fairly long periods between uses and I think it needs to be as clean as all my other tools when i’m finished. I want to flush it clean and then pull a bit of light lubricant through it before putting back on the shelf. As always, I appreciate your thoughts. Happy New Year

This is a great tool for clearing jig eyes. http://www.lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Fishing-Accessories/Jig-Eye-Cleaner-Tool.html