mold questions for redman

[redear]

Doug, I don't know why Iv'e been making all the necks red, it's not really my favorite choice but the fish seem to like it, after the super glue soaks into it, it's not real bright anyway. I like to use black for the neck also. tied up a few today, 1/16 pinkie with brown and yellow, with red thread, this is called bumblebee by some of the plastics companies and I have talked to some guys that have had great luck with those colors too, Iv'e not tried it yet. I know that the black and yellow hair with the red thread is probably my best go to combo, it really gets results. been thinking about starting another mold, and keep changing my mind on what to make, so just tossing it around for now. never did go fishing today, too hot for me, I didn't have much energy either.

 

[redear]

notice how I make the second color of these kiptails a little shorter than the darker color, it just seems to make a better looking profile, and helps the jig have a good taper towards the back, otherwise they would look like a badminton birdie.

 

[Fatman]

Hey if the fish are smacking them who cares!!!!!!!LOL Waiting to get through the traffic today, I talked to the construction guys and they're talking about working this weekend BUT!!! it's supposed to rain like crazy all weekend so they might not. so we'll see what happens!!!

 

[redear]

back to work this evening, will be tying up some more jigs each nite when I get home, helps to unwind. also have those poured jigs to clean up. Did buy a new respirator the other day at lowes, don't have a clue what happened to the old one, maybe it'll show up now.

 

[Fatman]

That's usually what happens!!LOL or did the wife borrow it for working under the truck??

 

[redear]

she claims to have not seen it, but I'm suspicious, it always lays on my jig tying bench, and you know she's always spraying around the farm with that backpack sprayer, neither one of us has a good memory tho. lol the other day I got to modifying my custom pinkie jig mold made by shawn collins, it had a bad habit of pouring partial heads, so I deepened the sprue holes as close to the head cavity as possible and widened the actual sprue hole going into the cavity by a smidgen, it should pour alot better now. this mold has seven cavities, and was my only pinkie mold for years. want to tie up a couple of black/red hair jigs tonite with green chart. thread. the guys on the cdc va. board are using a plastic bait put out by kalin, a baby shad type bait with these colors and it has been a winner, their bait is black and red in the body with a little chart. stick tail, they get them from monks crappie, but I'm wanting to duplicate their success with a tied jig. I think kalin calls this color combo MONEY or something along those lines.

 

[redear]

didn't do anything with the jigs last nite as my son was awake when I got home and we watched tv for awhile. Did tie some the nite before, a few red and black with chart. thread, they sure looked ugly to me, I think it was the chart. thread, maybe try black thread and then use a chart. crappie nibble to get the desired combo. thinking about pouring some of those flat sided heads from the first mold I made too, the one with the six sided head, that makes a good bluegill jig at about 1/32. hung up working these 4-12 shifts for now so pouring is out of the question till thurs or fri next week. was looking at my peices of aluminum and need to complete cutting it into workable peices in case I bust a move on a new mold. lol

 

[Fatman]

Finally got to pour the mold today and made 125 of them on Size 2 sickles. It was sweet how fast that thing poured em up. Did have to stop a few times to let it cool down a little. Poured a bunch of other heads too. Just over 500.

 

[redear]

Doug, you sure got on a roll! I'd have a stiff neck if I'd poured that many, did the red sickles fit in there alright? they tend to be a little fatter than the golds.

 

[redear]

got home last nite and poured a few of those flat sided 1/32 heads on little size 8 sickles with the ladle and propane torch, then painted them and some 1/64 roundheads I poured about a week ago. just put some clear gloss on some of the flat sided ones, because they shine like a beacon, can't beatem for flash. took the flat sided jig mold and made the sprue hole deeper so that the lead won't have as much of a chance to cool down before it gets into the cavity. this really makes a difference in reducing pouring problems.

 

[redear]

the flat sided head mold has handles on it and they are working good, but the mold is easier to handle without them I believe when it comes to putting a hook in there etc. need to stop tying and put all these jigs away cause I got jigs stuck in cardboard boxes everywhere, which is what I do to let the paint dry, they been cured long enough, time to make room for some more. doug, I know you been tying or pouring today unless you went fishing, come clean man, the truth will set you free!

 

[Fatman]

Yeah with the #2 sickles, I'm gonna have to clean some flash but it's not that bad. I was gonna pour some size 4 gold mustads that I bought from Toad in it but the back started to bother me and I was almost out of lead in the pot. Luckily I took mini breaks as I was melting down a bunch of 1/8oz sinkers that aren't allowed for use here anymore and popped the sprues off. Saved alot of work afterwards.

It was wild how fast that thing poured and didn't even have to heat it up first.

 

[redear]

If ya use a bronze or gold size 2 sickle it'll fit because the gold one is what I pressed it with. size 4 red sickles should fit also. yeah, I pour mine cold too and it works, I am pretty sure the shortness of the sprue hole has alot to do with that.

 

[Fatman]

I actually poured one of those #10 gold hooks in it. Course there is no room to tie anything on it.

 

[redear]

been tying some two tone 1/16 pinkies, a few each nite after work, electric chicken, and also green and gr. chart. all with red thread, no paint just clear gloss. thinking about making a few mississippi style jigs too, man the weather is getting right for fishing, and I have a vacation comming up the 17th need to try the crappies at least.

 

[Fatman]

Next time I pour it I may try holding it by the top or get 2 pair of channel locks. I know when I used the #2 red sickles and held it by the side it had a tiny bit of opening on the opposite side and I think tht's where I got the flash. I poured 125 of them and I have them all trimmed, just got to get some painted up!!!!!

 

[redear]

doug, heres what ya gotta do. take your channel locks and put them on the mold so that the tips of the pliers are in the dead center of the mold. those red sickles are fatter than the gold ones and you need to go down to a size 4 if you are wanting to use red ones. never hold the mold by the edges always in the center. the other thing that causes flash is having the lead a little too hot. I open the channel locks all the way and like I said put the plier tips in the middle. If the hooks are too fat then there is really nothing that you can do to pour without flash.

 

[Fatman]

I'll post a pic of how I'm holding it, that may be the problem!!!!! operator error!!LOL Yeah I did pour #2 red sickles and from what you said above that may also have caused it, but for that size 125 should be enough for a while, I really want to pour up those #4 gold mustads that I bought from Toad, but have family things to do for the next few days, so I may have to wait.

 

[redear]

Doug, the other thought I'm having is, your channel locks have to be able to open up far enough so that the back molar teeth of the jaws are not putting any pressure on the mold, just the front tips of the pliers, if they won't open up that far you need a bigger pair of channel locks, I have one pair that won't quite open up far enough, and another pair that does.

 

[Fatman]

Here's my channel locks and how I was holding it - you can see a slight gap on one side.

and based on what you said like this??