TackleTour

Here are the mold modifications i made to my arkie mold. Opened up the hook eye location to accommodate the larger diameter of the connector link. Also cut a small groove next the hook location to fit the wire keeper.

Taxin That Bass wrote:Here are the mold modifications i made to my arkie mold. Opened up the hook eye location to accommodate the larger diameter of the connector link. Also cut a small groove next the hook location to fit the wire keeper.

Thanks for the pictures. What did you use to bore out the mold? Is the steel fairly soft?

toddmc wrote:

Taxin That Bass wrote:Here are the mold modifications i made to my arkie mold. Opened up the hook eye location to accommodate the larger diameter of the connector link. Also cut a small groove next the hook location to fit the wire keeper.

Thanks for the pictures. What did you use to bore out the mold? Is the steel fairly soft?

all the do-it molds are cast aluminum, so they are very soft and easy to manipulate. I use a dremmel tool for all my mold modifications, you could use a file to open the slot for the wire keeper since that is just a straight line. You can buy knock off dremmel tools for pretty cheap. If you have not poured lead before, it will be alittle spendy to get into by the time you get the pot and molds, paint, skirt material ect but its alot of fun and you can get creative. One word of advice is always use soft lead, none of that tire weight junk, that stuff hardens too quickly and you will get very bad pours. If you want more pouring info PM me and i can help get started (assuming you don't pour already)

Taxin That Bass wrote:

toddmc wrote:

Taxin That Bass wrote:Here are the mold modifications i made to my arkie mold. Opened up the hook eye location to accommodate the larger diameter of the connector link. Also cut a small groove next the hook location to fit the wire keeper.

Thanks for the pictures. What did you use to bore out the mold? Is the steel fairly soft?

all the do-it molds are cast aluminum, so they are very soft and easy to manipulate. I use a dremmel tool for all my mold modifications, you could use a file to open the slot for the wire keeper since that is just a straight line. You can buy knock off dremmel tools for pretty cheap. If you have not poured lead before, it will be alittle spendy to get into by the time you get the pot and molds, paint, skirt material ect but its alot of fun and you can get creative. One word of advice is always use soft lead, none of that tire weight junk, that stuff hardens too quickly and you will get very bad pours. If you want more pouring info PM me and i can help get started (assuming you don't pour already)

I've got all of the stuff except for the Sparkie mold. I think that I have a bit small enough for my dremmel. I poured my own jigs and spinnerbaits about 25 years ago, but the aftermarket heads have gotten so good that I don't bother anymore. I will make an exception for the bladed jig because it has won me a lot of money over the last decade. A couple of my tournament buddies have been offering to do the pours because they want a piece of the action. I think not!

toddmc wrote:

Taxin That Bass wrote:

toddmc wrote:

Taxin That Bass wrote:Here are the mold modifications i made to my arkie mold. Opened up the hook eye location to accommodate the larger diameter of the connector link. Also cut a small groove next the hook location to fit the wire keeper.

Thanks for the pictures. What did you use to bore out the mold? Is the steel fairly soft?

all the do-it molds are cast aluminum, so they are very soft and easy to manipulate. I use a dremmel tool for all my mold modifications, you could use a file to open the slot for the wire keeper since that is just a straight line. You can buy knock off dremmel tools for pretty cheap. If you have not poured lead before, it will be alittle spendy to get into by the time you get the pot and molds, paint, skirt material ect but its alot of fun and you can get creative. One word of advice is always use soft lead, none of that tire weight junk, that stuff hardens too quickly and you will get very bad pours. If you want more pouring info PM me and i can help get started (assuming you don't pour already)

I've got all of the stuff except for the Sparkie mold. I think that I have a bit small enough for my dremmel. I poured my own jigs and spinnerbaits about 25 years ago, but the aftermarket heads have gotten so good that I don't bother anymore. I will make an exception for the bladed jig because it has won me a lot of money over the last decade. A couple of my tournament buddies have been offering to do the pours because they want a piece of the action. I think not!

If you buy the mold, make sure you get the vertical line tie mold, not the flat eye. you can use the flat eye but you have to do more surgery to it

My buddy pours me 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 oz Do-It Arkie jigs with Mustad 32786 BLN hooks, and I use an awl, hammered into the hook eye, to open the eye enough to accept my blades. Then I pinch them shut with a pair of small channel locks. I just make them for myself.
The eyes never open up.