I know the tit;e of this forum is.......

[Flaptail]

Plug Building..Got Wood?

But metal is used for bass and was the original lure material on the beach in days of yore.

Anyone out there make any home produced metal, tina, leads other than jigs?

I don't but would love to see any if you do.

Thanks, Steve S.

[numbskull]

Tit;es huh? Easy to see what's on your mind!

[baldwin]

I guess he's got wood.

[Karl F]

U been fishin' down Great Neck Road again???

[Slipknot]

The Professor makes some you know


I can edit that title if you'd like

[Diggin Jiggin]

Not yet, but its one of the next things on my list. I made a couple of bondo molds a month or so ago but I havent gotten back to it.

The tin itself is kind of expensive, and the only local place I could find it locally is in the form of solder. Which is good enough for where I'm at which is still tweaking the molds till I get what I want. Then I'll need to try and find a less expensive source..

[Mr. Sandman]

I have done it a few times. (my interest comes and goes with this) You can get tin for about $6-7/# and clean lead for $1 give or take. You can get dirty lead for free if you sniff around.

The last lead I bought I picked up some used 8 oz net weights on Ebay and the guy shipped them in a box via USmail. The postal guy picked up a box and said..."gee whatyagot in here lead? and then dropped the box and it brust open in the PO 6-8 oz egg like sinkers rolled all over the PO floor . The each box weighed #75. The PO has one box that is about 18" sq that is a flat rate shipping (like $12)regardless of weight. This pushed it to the limit.

I also bought some pure tin bars from a metal dealer in Denver. He will ship it to you. These are great for pouring tin jigs.

I had a few Molds I had made from vulcanized rubber. These are OK but not production quality. You get plenty of good pours from them.

Of course I have a slew of do-it molds and even a couple of old 1960 Herters molds that I got when I was a kid.

I also picked up a couple of real old orginal tin molds that have a pin like hook hanger. Someone had a ad in the bargin bin in the newspaper. I never look in that section but the one time I did I saw this and called him up. He had some more stuff too but we never hooked up after that.

I like throwing my own tins. I have caught plenty on them and get a kick when someone tells me how well they did with them. Also, if you loose one it is not big deal, reach in and pull out another. Also the properties of tin are better for most fishing IMO too:

A) slighlty ligher..you can through a larger jig without it weighing a ton
B) Sink rate is slower but still plenty fast enough.
C) natural shine to it.
D) Non-toxic to people and fish and environment.
E) can be recycled again and again
F) lower melting temp
G) Pours better
H) Eaiser to control the depth then lead in most places.

Don't have any photos off hand and have not made any original jig molds with my own design.

That said...there is a place for big lead jigs as well.

[ProfessorM]

Steve you have seen all the crap I got. Some stainless. Some aluminum which is powdercoated which didn't stand up to the elements, although the black ones are hard coat anodized and will stand up but the cost is high. That is why I gravitated to the 316 stainless, no corrosion but no pretty colors. All thru wired. Some are weighted some not. Some light and some very heavy. Small for the schoolies and funny fish. Time consuming to make so I have not done any in a while. I plan to try a jointed one sometime in the future. I have some ideas. I have only got small fish on them, but some have them and I hope they produce a small tuna or 2.

[ProfessorM]

Also done some molds, here is the best one i made IMO. 2 oz. Peanut thingy. Have not done much with this mold lately. Just gathering dust down stairs. These would be good for fall peanut run and for fluke I would think, but I fish sand eels so never tried them. It is a double mold so i modified one of the jigs so you could tie the hair directly on the lead instead of the hook. They are swing hook. Some don't like the swing but I do. I am going to give these more of a go this year. P.

[justplugit]

P. all your plugs are awesome, but i luvs that li'll 2oz peanut.
I had it in my bag last fall, but just never got to fish it.

[Mr. Sandman]

I like that stainless lure. Looks a little like a Tony S. "dart".
How did you machine that? A bluefish will break his teeth on that one!

[ProfessorM]

Done on a Bridgeport and various lathes. Kind of like a TS dart but different. Mine are all thru wired so you can load them or lighten them. I got the shape idea from a piece of jewelry my wife has, an earring. I like making a few here and there but time consuming because of the material. I really think the smallest ones, 3" long, will be good for the funny fish. P.

[Mr. Sandman]

BP, well done. I like the small one too. I said the same thing out loud..."these would be killer for bones and albies" on a light rod.

Do you use a SS tube or do you use solid ss barstock to start out?

I would be happy to trade you something for one of those small ones.

[ProfessorM]

Solid stock. We discussed a trade a few years back but never got it together. I have tried them the last 2 years during the Derby but no luck, but no one around me did anything either. I am not very educated in that kind of fishing. Pm me and we can set something up. Paul

[NIB]

I don't think I have a single do-it mold that I have not put a dremel to.
Most times to make room for the upgraded hook.
I made my own 5 oz canal jig mold.Takes a 9/0 mustad o'shaunessy hook.an a 3 oz shad body mold.I also in part own a bunch of the old tin molds that are at my friends house.Some cool stuff from one of the owners from J&J tackle that was our good friend that passed on.

[ProfessorM]

Stan K. has literately 100's of molds he made all using a dremel tool.