Thread: Do-It Minnow head mold - frustrated about actual weights

When you get down in those smaller size heads that are doodad heads with pointed noses and recessed eye sockets which makes them thin to start with then you have to add enough lead to hold the wire or you would be defeating the whole purpose to start with. Try just weighing the head with NO HOOK AND NO WIRE...they dont base their weight on that being in there...just on the weight of the lead itself...there is many many many factors when you go to weighing heads....things you cant control and never will be able too...not saying you or I could not make a 1\48 or close to it with a wire insert but some things would have to change the get close to that weight...like a guy told me one time there is no way you can pour a 1\64 round head with a barb on a #2 hook....I have sent him several 1000 sent then...lol....IT CAN BE DONE....you just got to get your mind right like Cool Hand Luke....lmao...

Density and lead alloys can influence jig weight. especially in the little guys.

When you get down in those smaller size heads that are doodad heads with pointed noses and recessed eye sockets which makes them thin to start with then you have to add enough lead to hold the wire or you would be defeating the whole purpose to start with. Try just weighing the head with NO HOOK AND NO WIRE...they dont base their weight on that being in there...just on the weight of the lead itself...there is many many many factors when you go to weighing heads....things you cant control and never will be able too...not saying you or I could not make a 1\48 or close to it with a wire insert but some things would have to change the get close to that weight...like a guy told me one time there is no way you can pour a 1\64 round head with a barb on a #2 hook....I have sent him several 1000 sent then...lol....IT CAN BE DONE....you just got to get your mind right like Cool Hand Luke....lmao...

When I contacted Do-It, their response was to pour Tin instead of lead.

That would be a pain to switch back and forth between, plus from what I understand quite a bit more expensive and harder to find.

I decided to go ahead and create an Excel spreadsheet comparing pure lead, pure Tin and Bismuth.

From what I read about bismuth, it has a much lower melting temperature that could cause problems when powder painting.




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Just remember lead manufacturers and others can legally have up to 10% foreign material in them and still meet the 96% pure lead grade. if that 10% was a ferrous material it could effect weight quite a bit. That is why small mold companies suggest tin. It is inherently a cleaner product than lead and more expensive. Oh and it will powder coat, just less time on the burner. I am no metallurgist but have worked with all these products for a long time. Good luck

If you want those very light weights you can get them with lead by going to the round head molds like JNR-6-A and RVB-6-SA. But you will have to use the smaller hooks these molds were intended for. I have cast and weighed many. You can tie the barb insert on the jig quite easily. Although I haven't weighted them I suspect the #2 hook probably weighs more than the 1/48 you might be wanting to achieve. Also on these small jigs the paint adds more weight than one might think. Tin is a alternate. I have a separate pot I use just for tin and it works fine as well as powder painting. Just reduce temps.

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z520tom,

Where do you get your tin and how much does it normally cost you?

Also, The hooks I used were #4 sickles


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Haven't bought tin in over 5 years. I probably just googled it and found it there.

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