mold questions for redman

[redear]

fatman, I can put handles on a mold no problem, but they won't hold the mold together without a hinge, and so far I haven't been satisfied with the hinge situation, two out of three molds I have hinges on need some more work so the mold closes all the way across, part5 of the problem is there is no such thing as a precision made hinge that small without all the slop, endplay as they call it is taken care of by the pins but the slop around the hinge pin makes it difficult to get the heel of the mold closest to the hinge to close seamlessly, I can adjust the hinge to do that but it won't stay, thats a hard pill to swallow when I have drilled and tapped six holes for thge hinge and two larger holes for the handles. I'd just rather hold the mold together with pliers until we get this figured out. just looked at the aluminum order and it was shipped from wash. state so thats why it is taking longer. I did order the wrong length belts for my belt sander, thought I had a 6x89 but it's a 6x80 I built the sander years ago, but forgot the specs I guess. this sander comes in handy for squaring up the mold, and sanding any wood things I need.

 

[Fatman]

Had to take a shot LOL!!!!!!!!!!

 

[redear]

what gets me exited as much as anything is making a jighead that can hang horizontally balanced. I have wanted that feature for a long time, and redmans jighead style makes that alot easier to accomplish with all that weight up front. when casting or trolling a roundhead will work fine, but they were always a pain when trying to keep tham hanging right under a bobber.

 

[redear]

the ups man came today before I left for work, he brought the aluminum peice I was waiting for, and the right size sanding belts for my belt sander, it only took 26 hrs. for the belts to get here from penn. trying to figure out the best way to cut the aluminum, the chop saw will probably cut it straighter, but the bandsaw will use less waste due to the blade being so thin. anyone ever cut aluminum with a bandsaw? It's 3/4" thick.

 

[redear]

I did have a freind give me a lead ingot last nite that he says is supposed to be plumbers lead, feels like a good 10 pounder, it's old as dirt, and kinda whitish on the outside but not too bad. I hope it's decent stuff, really want to do a little pouring. have to get a chisel maybe so I can knock chunks off of it small enough to fit into the new pot.

 

[Fatman]

There ya go - lot's of times I'll use a baking tray and using a propane torch cut a block into pieces that will go in the melter but the chisel works as well and banging the heck out of it you can wear off a little stress!!!!!!!!!!LOL

 

[redear]

fatman, I never thought of using a propane torch, glad you mentioned that.

 

[redear]

put a new belt on the sander last nite, for trimming up those mold blocks. and looking at the aluminum peice to see how I'm gonna cut it up. this alum. is supposed to be 6303 t52 which is softer than the 6061 I have been using. should make it easier to press a 1/16 or even a 1/8 head, if it turns out good, will have to order some more. may have to try redmans method of making a drill bit divot in the mold halves before I press a head too. I still like waiting till later to press the hook. I plan on marking my drill bit divot spot by barley pressing a tiny ball bearing, just enough to mark both mold halves. need to make a couple more jighead blanks too. the 1/16 redman shaped head is a little flattened, not as much as the 1/24 was that I made the mold with, trying to decide if I want to use this semi flattened blank which would probably be just beautiful, or make a new blank and go with a conical look. there is also a blank for a redman head in 1/8 that I made from a 1/4" drill bit, butt end. haven't tried that one yet. about done with the wifes hunting bow and arrows as well as the sons, glad to get that stuff out of the way.

 

[toadfrog]

Apple cider vinegar cleans lead on the outside just like new . Soak it over night by morning it is nice and clean as a new dime . Try it on a corroded sinker and see .

 

[redear]

thanks toadfrog!

 

[Fatman]

Just make SURE it's dry before you start melting it LOL!!!!!!!! or you'll be really hurting!!!!!

You should get hold of a couple of Ledheads 1/32nd football heads and press one of those.

 

[redear]

fatman, pressing a lengthwise football shaped head is no problem, but pressing a football head like the bass fishermen use wouldn't work reall good as the ends of the football shaped blank would have to do the penetrating into the aluminum, and it would roll over, it's possible a guy could drill starter holes first fairly deep and get it done, also the football blank would have to be exact from one side to the other, don't know of a way to make sure of that.

 

[redear]

thinking about messing with some 1/16 oz. size heads next, maybe a lengthwise football shape with a collar for the old hair jigs, and balance that to hang horizontal too. Also a 1/16 redman style, and also the 1/16 redman that I squashed a little. wish I had more time and energy, I'd be plunking away at it every day, but I work 7 days in a row so I only get 3 breaks a month, and my nerve disease saps the energy out of me alot too. so I just peck at it when I can. Iv'e got a freind that caught some big shellcrackers the other day, so they are biting now. I used to get out there and fish for them in this heat too, but it would make me ill now.

 

[Fatman]

Hey ya do what ya can when ya can. Keep us posted as you do stuff.

 

[redman]

redear As I remember we pressed the hook in first then where the 90 degree bend is is where we drilled the divot. Man its been a long time. Takes some talk to jog my memory. Getting the shop slowly cleaned up way to much stuff. Lots of junk also. No need to hold on to trash.

Redman

 

[redear]

yeah redman, I remember you saying the h ook was pressed first. and the divots were drilled at the 90. and I'm sure that works good. I just don.t have alot of confidence in pressing the head blank in perfect position to the hook, I might be wrong but it seems to me that by laying a hook over a head cavity and taping it down, and looking at it for a while, and moving it around till it looks perfectly lined up with the head, I just feel more confident in getting it straight. It's hard to judge a rounded shaped jighead as to weather it's perfectly straight, especially with my eyes. drawing paralell lines to the jighead with a sharpie and a machinists square onto the mold face, helps me determine the exact plane of the jigheads alignment. In other words, one line on each side of the head cavity, helps me gauge the straightness of the head cavity and also the hook I'm taping down, so far this has worked great.

 

[CrappieHappy]

Kip, very nice work Sir. No problem on posting the pics for you. Keep up the great work!!

 

[redear]

thanks crappyhappy for the nice words! I have thurs. and fri. off so will have to get out in the shop and turn the little window unit ac's on. been working 4-12 shift this week.

 

[Fatman]

I really hope this gets put in a sticky so that it's not lost!!!!!!! This is great stuff.

 

[redman]

redear give my method a try it has never failed me. You will have to trust me on this one.

Redman