the crappie in me wants

[pjmcla]

The wire forms also have the swivels and clips wrapped on. 

[Jerry V]

The wire forms also have the swivels and clips wrapped on.

That's right... they're ready to roll right out of the package, nothing to do but set 'em in a mold and pour away.

[ctom]

and more molds with wire keepers

I have the collarless pro series molds in all sizes from 1/32 to 1/2 and can slip a piece of fine stainless wire along side the hook's shank with the mold closed in every one of them. I cast the jig with the wire straight and then bend and trim when you are ready to paint.

Barlows tackle's 2013 catalog has the wire I use on page 30 in the lower left corner. I use the .013" wire and the 30 foot coil will make a bazillion plastic keepers. I cut my wires initially at about two inches and use a fine point needle nose to put a slight interference bend in the "very end" that gets cast in the head....you don't need much. When I trim the wire off after casting, the trim end gets used for the next round. You can also simply trim the wire to the length you want after casting and just lift it up off the hook's shank slightly and leave it straight.

On crappie sized heads you do not need a super heavy wire at all and even thin wire is a pain on the tiny heads so I also use a lot of super glue on those collarless heads. If I put just a rub of glue on the hook shank with a new plastic and they'll stay put for a long time. For the most part I tend to limit wire use to heads of 1/8 or more where walleyes and other toothie denizens tend to tear at the plastic more.

[Botanophilia]

I have the collarless pro series molds in all sizes from 1/32 to 1/2 and can slip a piece of fine stainless wire along side the hook's shank with the mold closed in every one of them. I cast the jig with the wire straight and then bend and trim when you are ready to paint.

Barlows tackle's 2013 catalog has the wire I use on page 30 in the lower left corner. I use the .013" wire and the 30 foot coil will make a bazillion plastic keepers. I cut my wires initially at about two inches and use a fine point needle nose to put a slight interference bend in the "very end" that gets cast in the head....you don't need much. When I trim the wire off after casting, the trim end gets used for the next round. You can also simply trim the wire to the length you want after casting and just lift it up off the hook's shank slightly and leave it straight.

On crappie sized heads you do not need a super heavy wire at all and even thin wire is a pain on the tiny heads so I also use a lot of super glue on those collarless heads. If I put just a rub of glue on the hook shank with a new plastic and they'll stay put for a long time. For the most part I tend to limit wire use to heads of 1/8 or more where walleyes and other toothie denizens tend to tear at the plastic more.

Good tips as always Tom, that's why I love this forum!  I use a lot of 1/16 and some 1/8.  I can see 1/32 being a pain to do a wire keeper in, glue is a good trick. 

As far as which molds/sizes, Jerry... I can see replacing any barbed collars w/ wirekeepers being an improvement.

[ctom]

Jerry... I can see replacing any barbed collars w/ wirekeepers being an improvement.

Thiis is one big affirmative.

I have the egghead mold with the ring and barb behind the head. I cut all of everything barb related off the heads and use glue. Too many plastics get split and torn with those large keeper barbs. The wires aren't real kind to plastic either but they are a sight better than the cast-on keeper barbs, Gotta keep in mind that anglers use a lot of plastic profiles and some of those just will not work with a lead hook sticking up an eighth of an inch off the hook shank.

I found a side cutter that can cut lead very clean along the shank of a hook and everything I cast that has an angled barb cast with the head gets a snip treatment so I have the head only unless I am planning to tie buckies and then I either flatten the pointed barrb of snip it off leaving the tying collar in place. 

[Jerry V]

So this mold is a good start...

http://do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_7_2083

but maybe do it with a flat sided jig and in maybe 1/32, 1/28, 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 oz. with slightly larger hooks in the smaller sizes perhaps?

[pjmcla]

I have more than one mold that I have filled in the barb areas with JB weld.  It works well and saves a lot of lead removing via wire cutters.  Glue is good, unless you forget it; or it has turned solid in a hot storage box.   

[ctom]

Glue is good, unless you forget it; or it has turned solid in a hot storage box.

Or you put it in your pants pocket....experience here...and have the cap leak.

[RonDon]

I have more than one mold that I have filled in the barb areas with JB weld.  It works well and saves a lot of lead removing via wire cutters.  Glue is good, unless you forget it; or it has turned solid in a hot storage box.

Another good way to fill in the barbs is high temp silicone.  It will last a LONG time and its not permanent!

[Jerry V]

Another good way to fill in the barbs is high temp silicone.  It will last a LONG time and its not permanent!

Very good point RonDon... it does a very good job and is a little easier to work with, plus if for what ever reason you would like to revert to the oriinal design, it's not a real pain to get where you want to go and back again if need be.

Jerry

[biglewers]

I get 5 wire forms made for 9 bucks. Keeping my cost down.  So that I can pass that on the customer. 

[Jerry V]

I get 5 wire forms made for 9 bucks. Keeping my cost down.  So that I can pass that on the customer.

That's all good for you and your customers as well, you gotta do what's right for you and them.  There are likely at least a few people out there who appreciate that they can make a few baits in their own shop or garage and have fun doing it themselves too.  It all works out.

Jerry

[Botanophilia]

So this mold is a good start...

http://do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_7_2083

but maybe do it with a flat sided jig and in maybe 1/32, 1/28, 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 oz. with slightly larger hooks in the smaller sizes perhaps?

If you did this mold- Round Head Jig - Tapered Barb Collar - RHB-1060 8 (4 Each Size) 1/16 1/8 - as a wire keeper, it would be the first mold I buy. 

[Jerry V]

But what about those folks who would like to go a little smaller than a 1/16 or a little larger than a 1/8 based on their techniques or conditions?  I think you could get this mold to do what you would like to do and this mold has the other guys covered too:

do-itmolds.com/shop/index.php?route=product/category&path=1_7_2083

(Keep in mind that you can typically use a hook one size larger or smaller than the designated hook size)

Maybe we need to think about more than one mold that could cover the sizes shown there but add 1/24 and with multiple cavities of 2 or 3 sizes in a mold.

Jerry

[pjmcla]

Most of the purchasers of a mold of this type are going to be pretty serious fishermen.  I would think multiple cavities of either one, or two sizes would be more desirable.  Most crappie fishermen in the south seem to use 1/32, 1/24, or 1/16 oz. heads.