Blade Bait Mold

Recently I have started using blade baits and today alone I went through 4 of them. With winter approaching, I will have a little more time on my hands. To keep myself busy when I can’t get on the river because of the cold, I want to start making my own blade baits. I’m not really doing it for the cost savings, but more for the fun of it. If I get good enough at it, I may be able to save a little coin at some point.

When I was younger, my grandfather used to make his own panfish flyes and I always had a blast helping him make and paint them.

I am completely new to this, so I will need all the gear. I’m assuming that all I will need to get started is a pot, mold, lead and a means to paint them.

So, here are my questions:
1. Where can I get a mold?
2. How is lead quality rated? Where should I go to get lead?
3. Which pots are people using or would you suggest?
4. I have read that an air brush is the way to go. What air brushes are people using? I would think that it should be fairly easy to come up with stensils for applying certain patterns.

Any info is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Drew

Jannsnetcraft.com carries them. as well as the blank that they mold them on.

are blades made of lead? my initial thought was no but I guess I’m not sure. looks more like a stamping to me.

jp

By no means do I want to steer you away from making your lures,but being your fresh in the making biz you may want to just buy the blades baits already molded and get into painting them.
I have made jigs for MANY a years and it a nasty process even when you start out with a high quality lead the smelting fumes are very harmful.

If you get into it BE SURE you have proper ventilation during the smelting process.

As mentioned Janns Netcraft is a good place to buy all you need to get started,There are a few good airbrush kits out there, just be sure it is a double action air brush, I have a high end Paasche . Dont buy a cheap one.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

JMHO Jeff

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Jannsnetcraft.com carries them. as well as the blank that they mold them on.

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I don’t know if it is possible or not, but I would like a similar mold to the b-fish-n, hutches tackle and deans tackle box blade baits. Maybe they all come from the same manufacturer? Pictured first is the mold from Janns NetCraft and second is the b-fish-n blade.

Drew

Steel with a lead weight in them.

Good luck with making them.

I make my own no-roll sinkers…certainly not for the cost savings if my time is worth anything, but for the fun of it.

With the price of blades and the time you’ll have into them…well just don’t count your labor and you’ll have a great time.

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are blades made of lead? my initial thought was no but I guess I’m not sure. looks more like a stamping to me.

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I was actually just thinking the same thing. Does a person have to buy blanks and the molds are simply for the weight size?

Drew

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Steel with a lead weight in them.

Good luck with making them.

I make my own no-roll sinkers…certainly not for the cost savings if my time is worth anything, but for the fun of it.
With the price of blades and the time you’ll have into them…will just don’t count your labor and you’ll have a great time.

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Yup – mostly a time filler for winter. Also, it would be kind of cool to catch a fish on something I made.

Drew

http://do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_9_43

There you go…

I make them, lots of them. I end up with about $.80 – $.90 in each, but I also use the VMC split trebles. I powder paint mine, then bake the powder, works pretty well.

I have the lee production pot, the bladebait mold that looks like the Heddons (your 2nd pic), lots of stick on eyes etc…

The big key for pouring blades is making sure you have high quality and very soft lead (No tire weights). I actually cleared out the pour holes on my mold a little more with a dremel tool. Get the mold warm before pouring.

I do not recommend pouring lead often, and make sure you’re very very very well ventilated when you do it. I’ll shoot you a PM with my number and you can give me a call with any questions.

PS. When I put stickers on the side of mine, you couldn’t tell the difference between them and a Heddon.

Drew, I have a Do-It mold to make Heddon Sonar clone blade baits. They use a brass or brass plated steel blade you place in the mold then pour melted lead to form the weighted body. The last special thing you need is a special form of treble hook that has a split shank. The finished product works splendidly.
Don’t get too worried about the evils of lead. I have smelted lead into thousands of cast bullets, hundreds of jigs, sinkers, and decoy anchors. Practice good hygiene and hand washing, don’t eat, drink, or smoke while casting. PM me for more lead melting and casting help if you need it. I’ve scrounged lead for 40 years. My stash probably shows up on a satellite image at the EPA. As anglers and hunters we don’t want to give up lead. We can be do it yourselfers with lead. Without it we are reduced to paying China for Tungsten.

Duke

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http://do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_9_43

There you go…

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Awesome, thanks much BK!

I have a powder with clearcoat and glitter. I do the normal color, warm up again and give it a coat of that stuff. Bake the blade, and it’s good to go. The lead will dent before the paint chips. If you don’t bake them, your paint will chip off pretty quick.

I’m sure a lot of my questions could be answered by doing the homework myself, but as long as people are willing to humor me and help save a little time I am going to keep asking.

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I have the lee production pot, the bladebait mold that looks like the Heddons (your 2nd pic), lots of stick on eyes etc…

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Where do you get the eyes from and what size is required? If I’m lookig online I don’t want to pick out the wrong ones.

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I powder paint mine, then bake the powder, works pretty well.

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Which is better: a sprayer or powder? It would seem to me that poweder is heaver and would chip easier banging against the rocks. Also, how do you do custom patters with paint. It would seem to me a person could create stencils for the custom patterns and a sprayer would be easy for application.

Thanks for all the great info guys!
Drew

You can definately get fancier paint jobs with an airbrush. I do a lot of single color blades or simple two tone blades. In the Mississippi the water’s usually stained enough that two colors are enough, but I also am looking into airbrush for some fancier stuff.

If you bake the blade bait after powder painting, it will be practically bullet proof. If you don’t bake it, they will chip easily.

I have both the shad and the ZV Vibrating Lure. I haven’t found too much in the way of fish preference for one over the other. Learning to spray with powder paints is most definitely the way to go if you want a high end looking finish that is thin.
I picked up a convection oven at an estate sale for $10.00 that was new. Two racks inside plus the blower. Perfect for baking the powder paints. After using the powder coated, you’ll hate the other paints. The finish is super tough.

As mentioned, just make sure your working in a good ventilated area. The fumes are toxic when your burning the crap off of the lead.

what size treble hooks are you guys using for 1/4 and 1/2 oz blades?

8s for 1/4 and 6s for 1/2

For the top notch blade bait hooks, look at the VMC split hooks

http://lurepartsonline.com/s.nl/it.A/id.17520/.f

Thanks to all who replied to this. I have picked out all the necessary gear (I think) and below is a list of items to get people started. Considering that most of these items will be x-mas gifts, I should out not having to spend much at all. I went with a nice pot and air brush then probably needed, but oh well.

Lead Melting Pot:
– Url: http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/lead-melters-tools/734307900090.aspx
– Cost 58

Gate Cutters:
– Url: http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/lead-melters-tools/781898000043.aspx
– Cost 8

Paint:
– Url: http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/createx-airbrush-paint/385200.aspx
– (001) Black ($3)
– (002) White ($3)
– (159) Opaque Blue ($3)
– (194) Opaque Purple ($3)

Clear Coat:
– Url: http://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-Company-Air-Opaque-Airbrush/dp/B00462QCM8
– Cost: 9

Air Brush Cleaner:
– Url: http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/createx-airbrush-paint/385212.aspx
– Cost: 7.5

Do-It Blade Bait Mold:
– Url: http://do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_9_43
– Style ZV Vibrating Lure – ZV-4-24 (Item Number: 3332)
– Cost: 41

Blade Bait Lure Blanks:
– Url: http://do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=136
– Blade Bait Lure Blanks – Blanks, ZB-M Nickel (25) (Item #: 1960)
– Cost: 11.20
– Blade Bait Lure Blanks – Blanks, ZB-S Nickel (100) (Item #: 2366)
– Cost: 36.90

Silver Glitter
– Url: http://www.createforless.com/Stampendous+Glitter+.5+oz+Ultra+Fine+Jewel+Silver/pid91134.aspx
– Cost: 3.19

Gold Glitter
– Url: http://www.createforless.com/Stampendous+Glitter+.5+oz+Ultra+Fine+Jewel+Gold/pid91132.aspx
– Cost: 3.19

Blade Bait Treble Hooks:
– Url: http://lurepartsonline.com/s.nl/it.A/id.17520/.f
– Size #8 (10 Packs at 2.43/pack) (Cost: 21.6)
– Size #6 (5 Packs at 2.43/pack) (Cost: 12.15)

Lead:
– URL: Google search for “lead for sale” and find the Amazon one. It should be a 5lb brick.
– Cost: ~11

Air Brush Kit:
– URL: http://www.paascheairbrush.com/Double_Action-TS-SET.html
– Cost: 125

Maybe check out this site for hooks….lots cheaper in the long run.

http://www.captainhookswarehouse.com