Making/pouring my own jigs and spinner baits ????'s

[Knoc]

Im thinking about starting to make my own jigs and spinner baits. Ive never made them before or really know anything about it (besides watching a few how to's on youtube). Ive been tying my own jigs for a bit and really enjoy it. So I figured Id like to go to the next step.

Ive looked at the stations at Jan's but am kinda lost yet (Still have some research to do). Does anyone in here make/pour their own jigs? If so, any suggestions or pouring station suggestions? What to look out for? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[GlassEyeangler]

i started making my own jigs roughly three years ago. i looked into it to save money, but found it to be as expensive as buying them in the store. i guess if i made a ton of them, it would be cheaper. what i experience is that they are fun to make. it's time consuming, but that's part of the fun. every spring/fall, when the ice comes or melts...i make up 30 or 40 and paint them myself. this is also a great time to tumble some of my smaller agates at the same time. i guess it gives me something to do when i can't fish, and it's kinda more rewarding knowing i caught a fish on a jig i made.

i have a Do-It mold, and use powder paints. i have tried the liquid paints and its really tough to get them just the way i want them. powder is fast and looks wonderful. i pour them from the small metal cup and ladle the kit comes with, using a small torch to heat. if i had the money i would purchase the bigger pouring station as it would be faster and safer!

be careful if you do it the way i do. always pour them in a well ventilated area.

good luck and have fun!

[Brad B]

I pour jigs, bank sinkers, flat bank sinker, walking sinkers(lindy rig type), & egg sinkers. for a melter I use a LEE Production Pot IV. it has a 10lbs capacity. for lead I just buy used wheel weights and melt them down. then I pour it into 1lbs bars of clean lead. like was already stated do the melting in a well ventilated are or better yet outside. A 5 gallon pail of wheel weights is 150Lbs and once it is cleaned you are left with roughly 100 to 120 lbs of clean lead. I have not tried pouring spinner baits or bottom bouncers yet because to pour them they need to be hand poured with a cast iron ladle. I may try it at some point in time but not just yet.

I use only DO IT Brand molds. I can give you some places that carry the do it molds just email at the address in my signature line. these places would have melters to including the same one I use.

Knoc better yet if you are ever free on a saturday swing to monticello and I can show you my melting setup and let you try pouring some jigs and/or sinkers just email me and we can set it up if you want.

almost forgot my jig mold will make 1/32, 1/16, 1/8, 1/4, 5/16, 3/8, 1/2 ounce jigs. you didn't say what size you were looking to pour in your post

Brad

[SpecialK]

Hey Knoc you should also check out http://www.hotspotoutdoors.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/forums/125/1/Rod_Building_Lure_Making right here on these forums

[delcecchi]

It is difficult to justify the cost of the molds from an economic standpoint. The bay or netcraft will sell unpainted heads for a very competitive price.

But if you want to do it for fun, then go for it.

[pureinsanity]

for lead you can go to most tire shops and ask for their old used wheel weights. From there you would just need to melt them down clean off the dirt and remove the metal clips the lead is attached too.

From there you could make ingots or use that lead when cleaned for sinkers.

Youtube videos are your best bet, or watch someone that has done it. I was lucky enough to be a part of a sinker pour for lead weights. It is really easy! You will want a lee production pot to use to fill the molds.

It is nice to have an old cast iron pan to use to heat, melt lead to make it clean for sinker making.

Be very careful as it is very easy to burn yourself. Dtro, if you see this post you should post the video of the sinker pour just to give an idea of what is done for making lead sinkers for catfishing. Making jigs is pretty similar.

[Northlander]

I had a buddy who used to do all our jigs but he/we found we can get what we want much cheaper in stores. Heck with bulk Northland jigs 50% off at our local Gander right now its not even close.

[Knoc]

I just wanted to do it as more of a hobby. Not looking to sell them.

What are the health risks of this? I had mentioned that I was gonna buy some jig making stuff and he said that working with lead esp. when melting it, is VERY bad for your health.

Is there any substitutes for led?

[Northlander]

Make sure you are in a very well ventilated area!

[pureinsanity]

Yes do outside!

[skyhawk]

Yes, safety first. Lead burns are painful and slow to heal. Although wheel weights will work, they are not pure lead. They are more brittle than pure lead. Probably not a problem with jigs but would be a problem with sinkers. I've found the best source of lead is lead shot.

[Brad B]

Yes, safety first. Lead burns are painful and slow to heal. Although wheel weights will work, they are not pure lead. They are more brittle than pure lead. Probably not a problem with jigs but would be a problem with sinkers. I've found the best source of lead is lead shot.

wheel weights work if you are pouring large sinkers (2 to 5 oz size). I have poured over a 100 of each of the sizes and have used wheel weights to do it. they do get a little dinged up from hitting rocks but all sinkers will. on the hardness scale wheel weight lead is harder then soft(pure) lead. lead shot is good but the cost of a 25lb bag has sky rocketed and costs over a dollar a pound. I can get wheel weights for $.65 per pound(last time I bought some, price may have went up or down depending on the metals market right now). wheel weight lead also makes good bullets if you cast your own. the only negative is that when you melt it down DO IT OUTSIDE.

[Great Outdoors]

Pour them in a well ventilated area, or have a small exhause fan similar to a dryer vent near your melting pot.

Tire weights aren't the best thing to use, as they aren't pure lead.

The purest lead is that removed from electric cables, have purchased mine from a scrap yard in Superior, WI.

Pre-heat the mold before pouring for the best success, especially on the larger jigs.

As had been mentioned earlier, you will not save money doing this unless you pour thousands of your own jigs, or sell a few on the side to defray expenses.

[Knoc]

Im not real worried about making my money back. It would really be more of a hobby and just overall satisfaction of catching fish on jigs I made.

You guys that are making jigs and melting the lead outside, any probs doing this in the winter? How long does it take for lead to cool?

[Brad B]

Im not real worried about making my money back. It would really be more of a hobby and just overall satisfaction of catching fish on jigs I made.

You guys that are making jigs and melting the lead outside, any probs doing this in the winter? How long does it take for lead to cool?

I normally pour only spring to fall. as for the time it takes to cool. it all depends on the size of the item you are pouring. jigs in the 1/32 to 1/2 oz size normally can be touched/ handled with in 10 minutes. when I do large sinkers (2 to 5 oz one) it can take up to half an hour before I start to handle them. it also depends on the air temp. if it is cooler out they will naturally cool faster but the opposite is true on hot days. there are ways to rapid cool them but it can be dangerous and it does also make them more brittle and more likely to crack.

[bucks-n-ducks]

KNOC or anyone else for that matter.......If you are looking at getting started, I have a melting pot/2 molds/a bucket of wheel weights/and some misc lead pieces taht would get you started! Also have hooks that go with my jig molds. Email me at [email protected] for more information.

Thanks!

[Down Deep]

I used to pour my jigs, make spinner bait, tie bucktails, etc. I had to buy such large quanities of parts that it wasn't cost effective and I couldn't use all the tackle that I made. I just got tired of doing it. On the upside it was fun catching fishing with my designs and color combos. I also would make up grab bags of tackle and give them to my fishing buddies just before walleye season opened. They always appreciated it. Look at making your own tackle as a hobby and you will get lots of satisfaction from it.