DIY Leadheads
Well as most people know, I love making and using my own leadhead jigs.
Obviously I've outlaid a bit of money to do it, but you can do it a bit cheaper if you make your own molds from plastibond. However those types of molds are consumable, and if I'm doing something I like to do it properly.
Last year I made some with my students at school and in the process they used my camera to take a few pics of the process. Here's a brief run down of the process for those who might be interested.
1) Set up leadpot outdoors with fan for additional ventilation. Wear overalls, steel cap boots, safety glasses and gloves when pouring lead.
2) Position hooks in mold. (Mustad 34184 hooks came from Campbells. Mold from Barlows Tackle in the US)
3) Pour lead. Third hand is handy!
4) Carefully open mold after lead has cooled - about 10 seconds. Never 'wet' the mold. Water in the mold will cause molten lead to explode.
5) Trim sprue. Place sprue back into leadpot carefully with a spoon, so as not to splash lead.
6) Place jig heads in a toaster oven set at 180 degrees to preheat them. Once preheated, dip in powder coating powder. (I use dulux powders from Powderline Powdercoating in Wangara - $10 per kg in 2007. Keep them in dry airtight containers and they will last several years)
7) Return back to toaster oven to allow powder to flow into a smooth liquid coat. Keep an eye on it, if you leave it to long the powder will form a drip on the end of the nose. Remove and allow to cool on a hanging rack for 10 minutes.
8) Optional step - dab on enamel paint eyes with two different diameter pieces of round material (dowel, nail head etc).
9) Bind on white or fluoro firetail tail with 'C' Speed rod binding thread. (Both available from Campbells)
10) Seal bound tail with araldite.
11) Finished products.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
 of IMG_2784_1.thumbnail.JPG "2nd fish in tinny")
schecky
Posts: 1645
Date Joined: 25/08/08
nice stuff big john what
nice stuff big john
what school you work at?
formerly fishoreub
mako magic
Posts: 5785
Date Joined: 03/08/05
nice row of fishished
nice row of fishished product there john, great thread there, top work, good to get your students to make your fishing gear too
The Tackle shack, for all your fishing needs
huge range of stock to suit any fisherperson.
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Faulkner Family
Posts: 17868
Date Joined: 11/03/08
looking good B J but looks
looking good B J
but looks expencive to set up
i know normal sinker moulds are not cheap and they are basic and i use an old pot to melt in and a ladel to pour, basic set up but it works
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Pot and ladle
Pot and ladle would work fine as well Faulkner Family.
Leadpot however is a much safer option when working with students. Can buy them through gun stores, as they are mainly used to make your own ammunition.
Work in Onslow Schecky.
John
I head a little FURTHER NORTH each year,
Leave the cities behind, out of sight of mind,
.......
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
PilbaraBrad
Posts: 3628
Date Joined: 16/05/07
looks the goods BJ!
looks the goods BJ!
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
That's fantastic Big John
Great info. Do they have smaller sized molds?
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
All sizes
Yeah all sizes. You might even be able to get some from over east.
Also been making some large jig heads for saltwater soft plastics.
John
I head a little FURTHER NORTH each year,
Leave the cities behind, out of sight of mind,
.......
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Colin Hay
Posts: 10407
Date Joined: 23/10/07
Interesting. Thanks BJ
(Colin 1 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)
Moderator. Proud member of the Fishwrecked "Old Farts". Make sure your subscribed to Fishwrecked Reeltime http://fishwrecked-reeltime.com/
scottnofish
Posts: 1617
Date Joined: 28/08/07
so now your
getting paid to teach kids how to make jigs for you lol
nice one john they are better than half the store bought ones that ive seen
Sex is Great, But Fishing Lasts All Day!
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Love
Hehe, these ones are made with love.
Almost like losing a member of the family when I get busted off. Mind you, I've probably lost 200 members in the last 12 months. Doh!
John
I head a little FURTHER NORTH each year,
Leave the cities behind, out of sight of mind,
.......
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
schecky
Posts: 1645
Date Joined: 25/08/08
wish u were my teacher
wish u were my teacher haha
im making model cannons and tables at the moment
formerly fishoreub
mullows
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 25/12/08
Looks like I might have to
Looks like I might have to come down and do some PD or work shadowing with ya big fella. Not sure if the bosses will fall for it though :-)
Out of interest, what is the bigger of the two (the red one)on their website???
The kids must love doing it too, good work!!
Cheers
Mullows ----------------------------------------------------------
If you're not livin' on the edge, you are taking up to much space!!!
The Older I get the better I was :-)
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Spire point
Red one is 2 1/2 oz Spire Point jig on an 8/0 mustad hook.
Where are you teaching mullows?
John
Ps. Schecky, next project will be custom made fishing rods. Gonna take a bit of effort though.
I head a little FURTHER NORTH each year,
Leave the cities behind, out of sight of mind, .......
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Faulkner Family
Posts: 17868
Date Joined: 11/03/08
its good to see you are
its good to see you are teaching the local kids the important stuff in life
what more could you ask for
RUSS & SANDY
"A family that fishes together stays together"
RUSS and SANDY. A family that fishes together stays together
Andy Mac
Posts: 4779
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Fantastic thread BJ
Cheers
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
mullows
Posts: 738
Date Joined: 25/12/08
Second year at Karratha PS
Second year at Karratha PS Big John. Great lifestyle up this way, never want to go back to the city.
Pretty interested in giving the jig making a go. Got a ton of lead and not real keen on using the oxy gear. That lead pot looks the goods. My young fellas would love it too. They are fishing mad :-) Take after their old man.
Cheers
Mullows ----------------------------------------------------------
If you're not livin' on the edge, you are taking up to much space!!!
The Older I get the better I was :-)
devonm
Posts: 20
Date Joined: 12/05/09
selling
any and price?
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Not usually
I usually just make them for my own personal consumption (I go through a fair few) and for those guys who fish on my boat.
Did give a few away last year to some crew and ex crew from this forum but haven't had buggar all feedback about how they went.
If your really keen I could possibly do another run and sell some to you, but it might take a few weeks.
Send us a private message if your interested with what your after and we'll talk price then.
John
I head a little FURTHER NORTH each year,
Leave the cities behind, out of sight of mind,
.......
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
Rosco
Posts: 454
Date Joined: 20/11/07
I know they work
I can vouch for Big John's jigs. They are deadly on most fish. I've still got some of your original Quobba ones from 20 years ago mate! I made my own mould out of heat resistant rubber and knocked out about 100 a few years back. They are still naked in an icecream container in my shed. Time to dress those little babies I think after fishing on your boat a few weeks back and seeing the results.
Rosco
copepod
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 25/09/08
Mould postage from US
Hi There,
just wondering how much postage from the US was for the mould.... and was it the 10lb model?
Cheers, Sam
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Pot?
Are you referring to a 10lb leadpot or the moulds themselves?
Postage varies but usually between $30-50 Australian. Best to buy a few things to average down the post cost per item.
John
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
deezydee
Posts: 109
Date Joined: 05/12/10
Hi John, we`ve had success
Hi John, we`ve had success with dipping our jighead straight into the powdercoating whilst still hot. We had to get the timing right to start off with, as to hot it blistered, and to cold it was a powdery finish. a production line of 4 blokes and a few cold ales was one of the stages of getting ready for a trip up north i really looked forward too.
Then the job of taking home your 30-40 jig heads and on goes the firetail. I use the 100mm rubber tails which you can get for a song at discount tables at all the tackle shops you stop at.
The bubble trail produced is not as good as the firetail, but when the actions hot they don`t seem to fussy.
The hooks are the dearest part of the jighead i found after the mould has paid for itself.
This is a great tutorial you have put together
big john
Posts: 8726
Date Joined: 20/07/06
Deezydee
Cheers Deezydee,
I've since got a mould to make heads for soft plastics fishing, so I've never bothered with using rubber tails on the leadhead heads. Sounds feasible though.
There's a few pics of finished jigs in my gallery, along with a few fish taken on them over the years. Absolutely deadly up north and when you get sharked your not to fussed about blowing $1 instead of $7-10 for the bought ones.
Older thread this one, but the students rod building turned out pretty good too.
WA based manufacturer and supplier of premium leadhead jigs, fligs, bucktail jigs, 'bulletproof' soft plastic jig heads and XOS bullet jig heads.
Jigs available online in my web store!
nicko_cairns
Posts: 52
Date Joined: 08/02/13
cool dulux powder tip,
cool dulux powder tip, thanks!