Jig heads 4-6 oz

Hello all,

I am interested in getting some 4-6 oz jig heads for lingcod fishing. Does anyone know a local person who pours their own to get them cheap? If not, I have been toying with the idea of getting a lead pouring kit and focusing on jig heads mostly bullet but would not mind doing a few octo heads. Would people be interested in purchasing home poured jig heads? I know a local place that has clean lead for 75 cents a pound. And some of these jig heads get pricey. 

Zach, swing by some time and I'll fix you up with a few. I have 1.5-6 oz molds in round and bullet head you can also borrow.

I make my own and also made my own mold.  I used two blocks of solid oak flooring that was scrap from cutoff ends. I clamped them together with a c-clamp and used a large drill bit (~3/4") to drill a hole down the seam about an inch deep.   I had some 10/0 siwash hooks to which I fashioned some jig eyes from .035 stainless wire left over from spinner making.  I could then clamp the fashioned eye between the wood blocks with the head of the hook in the hole.  I simply melt lead in a small pouring vessel over a blow torch before poring it into the mold.  It sounds a little complicated, but it's really quite an easily built setup and cheap.  However, I only make about 5-6 jig heads at a time, so it's not a massive production type thing.
But now see you've already been offered an alternative while I was typing, so good luck!

I've been making mine as well. It's not hard and actually kinda fun in a geeky sort of way. I too thought it was ridiculous paying up to 4 bucks a piece for them! But your not going to pay your rent/mortgage with the savings by making them either. 75 cents a pound is a good price for lead, especially if it is clean and in small usable sizes vs large ingots. I will make either 50 or 100 at a time in the 3 and 4 oz. size to bring costs down a bit more. I have the shad head do-it mold that has been modified with a dremel tool to enlarge the smaller cavities (takes mustad 7/0 91715 hooks) and a few other trolling sinker molds. I buy my hooks and supplies online recently from barlowstackle.com. I used to not paint them or just used a cheap acrylic enamel, but powder coating does hold up a lot better and makes them first class! jsmccormick come over and made a batch a few weeks ago and put together a fluid bed for powder coating. That worked out pretty good. It's worth checking out youtube on that. The glow and UV options are exceptional and can easily add the stick-on eyes if you want.  Obviously with these add-ons make them worth a comparable $4 jig you would buy

I just use a cast iron pan over a propane burner to melt the lead down and skim off the dross. I then use a ladle to pour into the mold.

You can cast your own molds using bondo if you copy a jig that you like. They're usually good for a few pours before you need to let them cool. Works great for butterfly or crippled herring style jigs.  Diamond jigs can be a killer on ground fish, so consider that shape too.

You can cast your own molds using bondo if you copy a jig that you like. They're usually good for a few pours before you need to let them cool. Works great for butterfly or crippled herring style jigs.  Diamond jigs can be a killer on ground fish, so consider that shape too.

Bondo, huh? Interesting! Now you got me thinking... Ill bet refractory cement would be better option for the high temp properties. Could be a bit more porous though and more prone to sticking. I just might have to try that!

Zach, swing by some time and I'll fix you up with a few. I have 1.5-6 oz molds in round and bullet head you can also borrow.

Thanks Noah!  I will try and stop by sometime this week if possible. I will shoot you a text to see if you are available.  I am going to save up for a lead bottom feeder style melter but won't be able to get it for a few weeks, however I like the idea of doing it the cheap way with a cast iron skillet and a ladle .

Thanks for your help!

Zach, swing by some time and I'll fix you up with a few. I have 1.5-6 oz molds in round and bullet head you can also borrow.

Thanks Noah!  I will try and stop by sometime this week if possible. I will shoot you a text to see if you are available.  I am going to save up for a lead bottom feeder style melter but won't be able to get it for a few weeks, however I like the idea of doing it the cheap way with a cast iron skillet and a ladle .

Thanks for your help!

Sounds good. I'm sure cast iron is the way to go but I just use a cheap aluminum pot I bought at goodwill for a dollar and my coleman camp stove   

Am I missin something?  Is it difficult to transfer the lead to the mold without a bottom feeder style melter?  How do you keep it from becoming a hot mess

Not really. It takes a little practice but it isn't very hard.

Do you use a ladle?

Hope all of you are following some sound safety rules while pouring lead. There is a definite risk of heavy metal poisoning not to mention burns.

 - LOTS of ventilation. There are fumes.
 - Cover all exposed skin. Molten lead can splash and travel. Change clothes after finishing with the lead.
 - Don't put your fingers in or on your mouth, eyes, nose or ears while working with solid or molten lead. Definitely don't eat a sandwich while standing over the hot lead.
 - Keep the kids and pets away. Mothers nursing infants should also keep away.
 - Wash and scrub your hands thoroughly when done especially if you didn't wear gloves.

I'm sure there are other things I am missing. Be safe.

That being said, I make my own jigs using silicone molds. Make sure everything is dry before you melt or pour. Water tends to make the lead sizzle and pop. You should warm up the molds before you pour lead into them regardless of material. A test pour without hooks or wires will heat the mold. Just put that lead right back into the melting pot.

I too have poured a lot of lead, mostly cannon ball and pyramid anchors over the years. 

Get yourself one of the big flat metal sheet drip pans from your auto parts store.  They can be placed over a sheet of cardboard on top of your cheap 6' plastic table to get you off the ground.  The cardboard works as an insulator to keep the hot mess from splattering and melting the table.  The pan will catch all drips and keep them from becoming one with your driveway or toes.   Easy clean up with a small brush and dust pan. 

Also, be careful not to get your lead too hot where it boils the Tin out of it.  Tin helps the lead flow into detailed areas better, as well as makes the jig tougher for bashing on the rocks.

This is one of the reasons I am making my CNC router.  I want to make my own molds. Aluminum block scrap is pretty cheap at Clackamas Scrap Metal. Noah, can I borrow your round head mold? I want to pour sans hooks and get make a bunch of smaller cannonball weights for salmon bay fishing. I have a bunch of lead.