I received them both the other day and have poured a few, but didn't use the hooks for which they're intended. I didn't have any issues with pouring, they both pour very well. I buy molds to pour jigs for my own use and for my tackle business.
My issues, and it seems I always end up with these molds, but the two mold halves don't match up well in the cavities, so one side is slightly off. I've sprayed the molds with dry graphite, so will have to deal with that. For fishing them it's not a big deal, but I sell jigs, and it takes some extra effort to make them look nice. I don't worry about a tiny pour line, but these are off about .032", and that's noticeable.
I've had other Do It molds that had been off & fixed them myself. Most had been bought used, and I always suspect that's why they had been sold to me. I know with the casting method for making the molds, they can't & won't all be perfect.
I still don't care for the large barbs on the compact jig, so have cut them down smaller. I also think that area by the barbs, right at the hook shank is too wide, and makes getting a plastic pushed on there a little harder. I also cut that area down with my sprue cutters to taper it a bit more.
The compact jig reminds me a lot of the weedless banana jig, and I've always liked that jig, but because it has a ball collar, it doesn't do great with plastics. If I sound critical, I'm not trying to be. I've just been pouring for a long time and tend to look at things differently than only the visual appearance. There's a good many super nice looking jigs on the market now, and that's what they have going for them, they look good. As far as function, they're just another chunk of lead on a hook. That's just how I see things now with jigs.
I could have done without getting the compact jig mold, as I have plenty of other molds for lead, ( close to 500 now) but where's the fun in limiting what I can pour! I've come to look forward to the new molds that you Do It folks bring out each year.
The hover jig is nice, and cleans up fine. I again didn't use the Victory hooks, because I had others. The 3/0 Mustad 32746 fits well in all cavities except the 1/32 oz, and the 1/4 oz. I used a Matzuo 2/0 sickle in the smallest cavity and a 4/0 32746 in the largest. I wanted to see how those styles would fit and could be offering them to customers of mine. Where the sprue is attached, could be a bit thinner or smaller, but I got the sprue removed fine with cutters. They don't break off well, and bent the nose of the jig as I had used fairly soft lead, but I had to try & see. I have a couple of CNC cut hover jig molds, and the Do It pours just as nice a jig, and frankly is easier to pour.
