Jig Making ?

I’m thinking of starting to make jigs for myself and friends.

I can’t find a mold that I like. Who makes a good tapered head jig mold(looking for a h2o type jig mold)?

What brand of hooks do most prefer?

Good sources of lead?

Vinyl paint or powder paint??

I’m trying to obtain as much info as possible before I make the leap. I’d like to look at the cost of getting started, so I can see if it is truly worth it. I would like to start tying hair jigs also.

Thank you.

http://www.do-itmolds.com/prodmolds.aspx?c=226

Powder coat with clear over is about as tough as it gets

Like so many other hobbies do not do it for the money, it’s not worth it. If you enjoy your time making jigs then fine. Some tire service stations will give you wheel weights for free. You can melt these on a Coleman stove out in the garage in an old pot. Skim off the steel clips and debris, then pour into steel muffin pan to make ingots. The Do-it company makes an extensive line of jig and sinker molds. Most of those are priced at $40. A solder pot & ladle is nice to have to fill the mold with molten lead at a consistent temperature. The Do-it molds will specify exactly which hooks are needed. The paint or powder coating are somewhat expensive. If you are starting with nothing and buy new it might cost up to $150 to get started.

Powder coat paint is the way to go.(as long as you bake them). I buy most mine unpainted and just paint them myself.

Good advise above I would add make darn sure you work in a well ventilated area lead fumes are not good. Have fun

I like light wire hooks by Eagle Claw and the fumes from vinyl will kill most people. Powder is the way to go but once you start buying colors, there is no stopping because the variety is endless. Some plumbers have old lead laying around and it is a lot purer than most. I also like Do-It molds and the satisfaction you get from catching fish on something you made yourself is very rewarding.

Good responses…The real eye candy, multi colored jigs are mostly air brushed but that is more expense and expertise to accumulate…

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looking for a h2o type jig mold)?

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You won’t find one…that is a custom machined mold and costs about $400 or more, especially with the weight imprint and wire keeper…
Stick to Do-It Molds…granite powder can be found in many catalogs…Pro Tech makes some awesome colors…Mustad hooks…Jansport and Netcraft are good sources.

Powder paint is the only way to go at home. fast ,easy NO MESS ,build yourself a rack and bake them in your oven for 15-20 mins @350 degrees, remebering to BUST ALL jig eyes prior too baking.

No need for a clear coat with powder paints , after baking they come out very glossy anyway with a very durable finish.

For hooks I use Mustad and buy them by the 1000ct @$30-$36 a 1000ct ,verses $4.99 or higher per 100ct ,you do the math .

When pouring jigs I uuse the softest lead I can find ,plumbers or medical lead is the best, Most scrapiron places will sell it..Watch the metal market and see what it is selling for ,it changes daily, when I find a CHEAP price I buy 100-200 lbs.

When it comes to making jigs tho, unless you make ALOT it may be CHEAPER and HEALTHIER to buy the jigs you want/need from someone ,then just tie your own.JMHO

AS stated above ALWAYS smelt lead in a VERY WELL ventilated area.

You can buy ALOT of jigs for what it cost to start up pouring your own.

Any more questions just holler and we try to help you out.

Like Tom said there is a lot of good information here. If you buy your jigs from B Fish it would cost you $0.40 per jig. You would have to loose a lot of jigs to off-set the inital set up cost and the price of learning what lead to use and not to use. Wheel weights have too much tin to make them hard, which also takes more heat to melt. When you have to have your lead more hot your mold gets hoter and you have to slow down your pouring process. Other wise you will have jigs with voids. Trumar is correct virgin lead is the best it has a very low melting point, watch the prices and buy at least hundred weights. Like Tom said custom made production molds cost about $400 and they are nice all of the seams match so you don’t have to trim excess lead. The Lee Production Pot is on sale for $45 at Cabelas, this is the same as the one I used 25 years ago. Wow it has been that long. Lead fumes are toxic be careful for yourself and others around you.

I almost forgot don’t use the lead from batteries, too hard also. 63% lead 37% tin will melt at 350 degrees I think

Plenty of great advise given to you.
If you are in it to save money, you won’t
All you will do is buy more paint, materials for tying, more molds, and hooks. Trust me I know. I have more jigs poured than I and the rest of the IDO staff could use in a summer.
If you want to catch fish with a lure that you made, painted and tied, than go for it and have fun doing it.
One thought for you, before you buy all the things that it takes to pour and paint try just painting some jigs. There are plenty of places to buy unpainted jigs. If you want some let me know and I will get you plenty of them. That way you will find out if you like painting jigs as you will spend as much time painting as you will be pouring.

Ron