I pour all of my own jigheads. I can make anything from 1/48 oz to 2 oz. in roadrunners. I have 4 different molds, just for different sizes and models of those wonderful little jigs.
So where do you find the molds?
Not many retail tackle shops carry jig molds. If they do, they usually don’t have much of a selection. I have several online suppliers that I get them from…Cabelas, Janns Netcraft, etc. However, BARLOWS probably has the biggest selection and usually the lowest prices.
I have been making my own jigs for many years and I have accumulated over 30 different molds. I also have shelves full of various paints and glitters. There are not many jigs I can’t pour, paint and decorate.
Here are some pics.
Do you already make jigs? If not, and you would like some info on it, I have several personal writeups on everything from basic pouring to advanced painting and glittering. I can attach them to another post if you’d like to read them.
Yes I would love to read anything you have written. You can IM me or start a knew thread. I haven’t done anything in the way of jigs only some flies and I believe I would like to add this talent to my list of things to do.
Pat, the rainbows I fish for really liked this one that you sent tied with a brown marabou[inline “Bronze Sparkle.jpg”] tail. Thanks for the inspiration. Are you using oven dried paints and glitter to achieve that professional finish?
TubeDude has a whole other side to him when it comes to tackle manufacturing. Get all the info you can from him.
BTW, pouring jigs and painting them is a lot of fun and helps pass the long frozen winters when you can’t fish.
z~
Second picture of the mold, how are the hooks set on that?
Here are some of the different topics, in Word documents. I will post them here, rather than PM them, so that others may read them too, if they choose.
I do not use the powder paints (oven dried). Some of them result in great finishes but do not offer the range of color options I get with my “system”.
The one in question starts with painting the lead with brown vinyl jig enamel. Then I mix bronze and green glitter in clear vinyl jig enamel and apply two thin coats…to get the desired degree of glitter over the base coat. Thinner coats dry quickly and do not run.
**After the glitter coat dries, I add the eyes. After that, I paint one coat of clear vinyl over the whole head. This helps add extra protection against the eye chipping off and adds “depth” to the glitter effect. **
The last step is to apply a coat of clear two part epoxy and to allow it to dry for 24 hours before touching.
A couple of keys are the proper mix of glitter to the clear vinyl and keeping it properly thinned while working. Otherwise it will clump up and turn rough and ugly. Do it right and you end up with a glasslike finish that holds up well and really reflects the light well from the glitter.
Sorry, I have not included a pic of the hooks being placed in the mold. I need to shoot a few more pics of the processes.
To answer your question, you first lay the mold out flat. Then you place the hook in the slot designed to hold the hook. If making roadrunners, you also have to drop in a small “crane” swivel in the other notch. Then you carefully close the two halves of the mold, hold it under the melting pot and pour lead in to fill the cavity. That molds the lead around the hook and the one end of the crane swivel.
If you can’t visualize it, let me know. It is a simple matter to shoot some more pics.