Ice Fishing Lead Mold.

[Mike J]

I assume Tom is referring to the fact tungsten jigs are measured by width instead of weight and lead jigs are measured by weight.
What ever design the jig is I would like to see it be balanced so that it hangs perfectly horizontal. I think most of us that ice fish know that panfish can be super picky in winter and many times if the jig is tilted any away from horizontal at all they want nothing to do with it. 
The way most of us combat this is by tying a tight knot to hold the jig how we want it. It would be real nice to not have to real up and adjust the position after a missed fish or just toss it back down the hole after a catch instead of adjusting again.

[Lines]

Duh, totally went over my head. Thanks MikeJ.

[ctom]

Everything that references a jig's size in mm. Metric. Generally the thickness. I use hook size to determine the jig's size since most of the better commercial jigs either increase or decrease weight when they go up or down in hook size. The most common hook sizes in ice fishing are between a size 8 and a size 14. The European tackle makers [or should I say the Asian tackle market] using tungsten seem to like this mm sizing. I guess I'm just old school and prefer sizing my jigs according to hook size like I used to do all the time.

[chubs]

How about an ice fishing jig like the moon glitter .

[2XL]

You can buy those and a few other styles of  unpainted ice jigs at Janns if you are looking to get a hold of some. They are a little tedious to paint but they work.

[Mike J]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/332006995239?lpid=82&chn=ps&ul_ref=http%253A%252F%252Frover.ebay.com%252Frover%252F1%252F711-117182-37290-0%252F2%253Fmtid%253D1588%2526kwid%253D1%2526crlp%253D53601919689_324272%2526itemid%253D332006995239%2526targetid%253D186358890729%2526rpc%253D0.07%2526rpc_upld_id%253D102441%2526device%253Dm%2526mpre%253Dhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.ebay.com%25252Fulk%25252Fitm%25252Flike%25252F332006995239%25253Flpid%25253D82%252526chn%25253Dps%2526adtype%253Dpla%2526googleloc%253D9018163%2526poi%253D9018142%2526campaignid%253D239125209%2526adgroupid%253D14978428809%2526rlsatarget%253Dpla-186358890729%2526gclid%253DCjwKEAiA2abEBRCdx7PqqunM1CYSJABf3qvajz1IAetQ_T8sW3bISNaik7xQFmBooKiaYg8CyAco0xoC27zw_wcB%2526srcrot%253D711-117182-37290-0%2526rvr_id%253D1159076469100&ul_noapp=true
Chubs if this is what you mean, you can buy the blade part from Jan's and soldier a hook to it.
I rarely use vertical baits anymore unless it's a spoon type lure. If you are using a vertical hanging jig you need to be sure the plastic sticks out side ways from the jig.

[chubs]

my go to baits are the rat finkie and the moon glitter. I did do the soldier and tiny tear already they workout but i still prefer the first 2.

[Agronomist_at_ia]

There could be some real issues with design as well. The legal type.

I highly doubt it about every company has a jig in this design.....kinda like the acme kastmaster....every company makes it.

Just looking for a lead mold with a small up to a really large head. I know a guy could never pour tungsten. However it might be possible to put some tungsten powder or pellets in the mold then pour the lead in to glue it all together.

[Agronomist_at_ia]

Any work on if this is being looked at?

[Mike J]

Any work on if this is being looked at?

Your best bet would be model #1155

[Agronomist_at_ia]

Your best bet would be model #1155

Lol....a blank mold doesnt work to well. I'm really thinking an ice jig mold like this and some tungsten powder a guy could pour his own tungsten jigs.

[Agronomist_at_ia]

Anyone from Do-it gonna comment? I know it would be a big seller.

[ctom]

I wonder, outside of a few ice fishermen, how many molds would have to sell to make creating a mold for this jig profitable? Then those flat eye hooks would have to be available in very small sizes. The design or shape of the jig might lead to casting issues when the break-off for the sprue is considered. I could see a rtv rubber mold for this jig style being done for spin casting as the break-off would be clean and flash at that point minimal, but I think a conventional mold would have issues.

As for the tungsten powder, it is available but by pouring some in a cavity and pouring in lead, the lead would float on the powder and not incorporate with it. Resin/tungsten could be done to make a paste and I have looked at doing something on this order. A couple ideas that came to mind were 1. to make a paste and fill each side of the molds cavities with it with one side a little high so that when the mold was closed the two sides of the paste would meet and fuse as the resin set and, 2. make a looser resin/powder mixture that could be poured into the gates with a spoon or small ladle. I was really leaning towards the first option until I saw how much a couple ounces of the tungsten powder would set me back just the play with the ideas. And then the resin would mean a no-heat paint job.

The popularity of the original Diamond jig brought out a ton of pirated copies, hence the wide spread availability by seemingly everyone who makes tackle. I think within a year or two these jigs will be all over the place as unfinished heads and will be too cheap to mess with a mold. Then all a guy will have to do is figure out how to get them gold plated cheaply.

[Agronomist_at_ia]

I wonder, outside of a few ice fishermen, how many molds would have to sell to make creating a mold for this jig profitable? Then those flat eye hooks would have to be available in very small sizes. The design or shape of the jig might lead to casting issues when the break-off for the sprue is considered. I could see a rtv rubber mold for this jig style being done for spin casting as the break-off would be clean and flash at that point minimal, but I think a conventional mold would have issues.

As for the tungsten powder, it is available but by pouring some in a cavity and pouring in lead, the lead would float on the powder and not incorporate with it. Resin/tungsten could be done to make a paste and I have looked at doing something on this order. A couple ideas that came to mind were 1. to make a paste and fill each side of the molds cavities with it with one side a little high so that when the mold was closed the two sides of the paste would meet and fuse as the resin set and, 2. make a looser resin/powder mixture that could be poured into the gates with a spoon or small ladle. I was really leaning towards the first option until I saw how much a couple ounces of the tungsten powder would set me back just the play with the ideas. And then the resin would mean a no-heat paint job.

The popularity of the original Diamond jig brought out a ton of pirated copies, hence the wide spread availability by seemingly everyone who makes tackle. I think within a year or two these jigs will be all over the place as unfinished heads and will be too cheap to mess with a mold. Then all a guy will have to do is figure out how to get them gold plated cheaply.

Do you or have you ever ice fished with 1-2# test for panfish ice fishing? A decent bass comes along and poof there goes a couple bucks. I think it be a pretty good seller. With all the tech in icefishing its getting to be a huge market

[ctom]

As a matter of fact I have done quite well fishing with invisible thread used for quilting and it scales out at about 3/4 to 1 pound test. I landed a carp just shy of 16 pounds using it....thru the ice, so yes I've done the super light line stuff. Health issues really limit how much I can fish the ice any more but when I do I fish with 1/80 thru 1/16 ounce conventional collar-less ball head jigs using the same plastics I use for open water.

I just think a mold using two sides like Do-It's molds employ would not work well for tungsten or other high-heat heavy metals. A silicone or rtv mold might better suit tungsten.