Don't mean to be misleading. My hackles aren't up. Sure, I'm unhappy to be writing this post rather than rocking on Quabbin Reservoir, but I'm not angry. The hackles being raised are on a 1/4 oz. pewter football jig.

 

 

With the chenille body down, the jig is ready for the hackle to be palmered. ( 'Round and 'round the shank it goes . . . ) Then the wire is wrapped for both reinforcement and additional color.

 

 

And there you have it!

 

 

Now into my new, roomier test tank, a genuine Rubbermaid, not a no-name cookie tub.

 

In your mind's eye, see the hackles pulsing, swaying, twitching . . . Yum!

 

 

 

It's probably snowing on the Quabbin right now! I know it is at my house just north of Royalston. This was supposed to be my year to try the Quabbin for the first time, too...

 

Great looking jig, how does pewter pour? I've poured a lot of bismuth, but after I'm out I may look at other options.

 

1 hour ago, PourMyOwn said:

It's probably snowing on the Quabbin right now! I know it is at my house just north of Royalston. This was supposed to be my year to try the Quabbin for the first time, too...

 

Great looking jig, how does pewter pour? I've poured a lot of bismuth, but after I'm out I may look at other options.

 

Windy, but not snowing in Greenfield - yet.

 

Pewter ladles just fine. For my first pour, I put a one pound ingot into a clean Lee's bottom pour pot. It came out in drips, not a steady stream.

 

 

Pewter is only approximately 2/3 the weight as the same volume of lead. Am thinking that I may have gotten better results if I had added several more ingots. I went to plan B instead: I had been thinking about keeping the bottom pour pot for RotoMetal's 88% bismuth/12% tin alloy and decided to buy Lee's small open pot for pewter.

 

 

With the heat set at 7.5, everything went smoothly after coating the ladle with Drop Out mold release and a bit of practice. (For the 88/12 alloy, set the heat at 3.)

 

 

 

 

Thank you neighbor. That bismuth really expands fast, mold release spray is a must- especially when I'm pouring tiny Ned jigs. 

 

My father showed me a trick to get flashing out of hook eyes yesterday. I had tried finish nails, screwdrivers, and side cuts to no avail. His soldering iron took care of it perfectly leaving no sharp edges. 

1 hour ago, PourMyOwn said:

 

My father showed me a trick to get flashing out of hook eyes yesterday. I had tried finish nails, screwdrivers, and side cuts to no avail. His soldering iron took care of it perfectly leaving no sharp edges. 

 

I've poured several hundred Midwest Finesse jigs using mostly the recommended Owner 5313 but also the Eagle Claw "Lil Nasty" hooks and have never filled an eye. Scratching my head and tugging my beard, the only reason I can think of for a flashing problem with this mold (or others) is that when you pull the casting out, you're missing a very fine chip that has fallen off and is sitting on the face of the mold preventing its proper closure. . . . or . . . Are you taking the time needed to settle the WB-400 fittings into their places properly? 

 

No promise when, but when I pour another batch I'll take some pics.

 

 

5 minutes ago, Will Wetline said:

 

I've poured several hundred Midwest Finesse jigs using mostly the recommended Owner 5313 but also the Eagle Claw "Lil Nasty" hooks and have never filled an eye. Scratching my head and tugging my beard, the only reason I can think of for a flashing problem with this mold (or others) is that when you pull the casting out, you're missing a very fine chip that has fallen off and is sitting on the face of the mold preventing its proper closure. . . . or . . . Are you taking the time needed to settle the WB-400 fittings into their places properly? 

 

No promise when, but when I pour another batch I'll take some pics.

 

 

It's undoubtedly the WB-400S. I've since fixed the problem, but I was sitting on 20 or so with flashing that needed help.