Got my stuff today

[Bkabina]

I ordered a lee pot, hooks, and a mold from Barlows a few days ago and everything came today. Did pretty good for my first session I think. I only poured about 50 each of 1/8 oz. and 1/16 oz. no collar round heads. Number 2 and 4 sickle hooks of course.

Some of the hooks are loose. I think I wiggled them loose in the lead when I snapped the sprue off. Mostly the 1/16 oz. heads. There were kinda hard to hold on to while work the sprue back and forth.

Any thoughts on the loose hooks.

 

[Fatman]

You could have pulled them from the mold too soon, you could have pulled them out by the hook. Make sure you always grab the sprue to pull them from the mold.

The loose ones won't be all that bad, when you powder paint them and cure it should take care of it.

 

[Bkabina]

I pulled them out of the mold by the sprue. I tried not to put pressure on the hook through the entire process, but the 1/16 oz. we're hard to hold on to with my fingers.
I may have took them out of the mold to soon. How long does it take? I waited only a few seconds. 3 to 5 maybe.

I ordered 100 each #2 and #4 hooks, I can already see that, instead of ordering a couple hundred hooks at a time I will have to order them by the thousands. Lol

 

[CrappieHappy]

Nice work, I believe your hooked now!

 

[ScottV]

Lots of times on small heads the hook will get loose in the head when breaking off the sprue. Like Fatman said, they will be tight after you powder paint and cure them.

 

[LedHed]

Your lead might be too hard or you could be taking the jigs out of the mold too soon after pouring. I usually pour two or more molds at one time - allows some cooling time between pours.

Do-it pro molds have a smaller spru - lot easier to clean...

Light cut with flush cutters, before you "wiggle" the spru, might help. Don't cut all the way - you will have to do some filing...

 

[Ron Don]

I agree with LedHed. The best way to prevent loose heads and prevent a lot of filing is to take you cutters and place them right on the gate (where the head meets the sprue). Slightly pinch and then twist the head NOT THE HOOK!

 

[Fatman]

BK - now that you have the one mold you'll want more and yeah you'll find yourself ordering the hooks in 1000's from now on.

 

[cadman]

I found a couple of things that will help your jigs just fall out of your mold instead of prying or pulling them out of the cavity. If you tap the lead sprue that is formed from pouring with the mold open, your jigs should fall out. This way you should never have to touch the hook or do any prying. If not, definitley spray your mold with Frankford Arsenal (Drop Out) mold release. It will make a 100 % difference. If you want it to work easier than that, then take some chrome cleaner or rubbing compound on the end of a dremel polishing cone and polish out the inside cavities, especially the edges that are up against the mold halves. Sometimes when the nolds are cast, and they come back and plane the mold halves there is a very small burr that forms. You can't feel it but you can see it with a magnifying glass. Polishing the edge will remove that burr, thus eliminating the poured jig head from sticking to the cavity. Do this to both sides of the cavity and all cavities. I had this problem with my brush mold. I had a hard time to get the poured jig out of the cavity. After I polished and re-applied Drop -Out, the jigs just fell out of the mold. Try it you will be surprised.

 

[Bkabina]

Poured today. Used my last 100 hooks. Went a little better today. I used two pair of pliers and twisted the sprue off. No loose hooks today.
I need to get some powder but haven't found anyone around that carries it yet.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Did the pliers leave bite marks on the heads? I use gloves to hold heads for sprue removal.

 

[Bkabina]

It did leave marks on some of them. It was my fault though, I squeezed harder than I had to at first. Not really bite marks,but more like two very small flat marks.

I can't seem to hold the 1/16 oz. heads with my fingers without putting pressure on the hook, wich is causing them to become loose.

 

[Fatman]

I bought and tried gate shears and went back to twisting them off as I kept mis-cutting the sprues off. I pour a 1/32 nd round head on a size 10 jig hook and the sprues come off fine. I'd say since you just started you might just need to get used to it.

 

[hookup]

ANother tip is to 'smoke' your molds.

Take a candle & hold them over the heads where the lead will go. That'll put a black soot in the mold that'll make heads easier to remove.

 

[Bkabina]

Thanks. I did smoke the mold before I started. I have no problem getting the jigs out of the mold.
Only problem I had so far was holding on to the small 1/16 oz. heads with my fingers.

 

[JSC]

For your first Powder Paint I would use TJs .. Check out the how to Videos on his site as well ..

As suggested by LH & others ... With Gate Shears -- barley clip where sprue joins the head then twist or "wiggle" off.

 

[slipbobber]

And with the gate cutters. Barely clip the jighead where it meets the sprue. And make sure the flat part of the cutters against the jighead. It will snip Easily. Sounds like to me your lead is really pure and soft. I had that problem awhile back. I use a mix 3 ilbs of pure to 1 ib of wheelweights. It kinda hardens up the lead

 

[Fatman]

Guess I've been lucky - I've never had to smoke my molds, they might be loosening up cause they haven't had a chance to firm up before removing. I know to use up some of my tire weight lead I've done the same thing as slip I use a 2 parts tire weight to 1 lb. pure and it pours fine down to 1/48 (Pony head)

 

[slipbobber]

Ive never smoked my molds either. Are they hard to keep lit? lol jk. Being serious ive never smoked them either. Mine always pop out really easy. Also waitabout 7-10 secs before removing them from the mold see if that helps

 

[Bkabina]

The lead is very soft, maybe some of the problem I was having. I don't think I would have to smoke the mold, but it only takes a few seconds and I figured it wouldn't do anything but help.