Problem pouring jigging spoons

[markh28]

I have do-it mold # JS-3-A for jigging spoons. I use the 4lb Lee melting pot and dip out with a ladle. The problem I have is I can not get the cavities to fill completely before the lead hardens. I have heated the mold thoroughly on a hot plate, heated my ladle, I have tried to pour several blank runs (most of which do not fill the entire cavities), and still can not get a good pour.

I have used this setup to pour a few hundred 1/4oz horse head jigs with no real problems.

Would I be better off using a bottom pour pot for these jigging spoons instead of ladleing? It stands to reason, that I could put the mold right up to the spout, thus eliminating the time the lead is exposed to the cool air, and it would fill the cavities better? Or is there some other trick?

 

[Bucko]

I have the same mold and use a lee pro 420 with no problems.

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

I use a bottom pour with clean, soft lead and have no problem with any of my 40+ molds. Do you flux your lead? I don't use wheel weights anymore, it can ruin your pot after awhile. How old is your pot? Heating element could be going out.

 

[Kdog]

One thing I found with the jigging spoons was when casting without almost prefect metal bottom pour etc,
best fill was found by dusting cavities with talcum powder (J&J baby powder) Blow off excess and try casting.

 

[CrappieHappy]

Have you tried holding the mold at an angle (tilting) while pouring?

 

[markh28]

The pot is brand new. In fact, yesterday was the first time I used it because my old hot plate stopped working. Those Lee pots are nice, I melted all my lead with it and never had it over 4 on the dial. I have not used flux. The lead I use is clean and pure (not wheel weights). I just scrape off any chunks and "dust" from the top of the pot. Like I said, I don't have any problem with the pony heads that I pour with the ladle. Just wondering if the deeper, heaver lures need to be poured with a bottom pour pot as opposed to ladle.

I haven't tried to pour at the angle. I will try that and the baby powder trick tonight.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Yup, you've run into the insurmountable limitations of ladle pouring, like I did. A bottom pour is indispensible for certain applications.

I would also suggest considering tin as a lighter shinier alternative to lead for pouring slabs.

Edit: a "4" heat setting or hot plate might not be adequately hot. Just because the lead melts doesn't mean its hot enuf to pour efficiently.

 

[markh28]

As far as the heat setting, and maybe this should be in another thread, but is it possible to get it too hot? I had the heat setting higher, and the lead started getting a gold-ish color?? Once I turned the heat back down it changed back to silver liquid. Weird.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Yah, higher heat accelerates the oxidation potential of lead most noticeable on the melt surface as discoloration, skinning, and eventual powdery yellow & dark dross. Haven't researched the chemical constituency of the colors, just acknowledged its presence.

Some of my ladle pour larger heads require extremely hot melt temps way beyond the intitial liquefaction level, up to maybe 900-1,000*. At that temp, surface dross forms very quickly and must be continually skimmed off the melt. On another forum an esteemed (amateur) metalurgist stated that in his experience indeed too hot may affect pours negatively, but I generally never go hotter than necessary for complete mold fill out so haven't experienced that yet.

 

[toadfrog]

What type ladle . you need an RCB with a pour spout . Turn the mold on it's side . Stick the spout in , turn the whole thing upright at the same time . Candle black the living crap out of the cavities . Talc works but candle black is more lead friendly . If you can shoot me a pic of the mold with unfilled slabs still in it .

 

[JUNGLEJIM1]

Another helpful product is called Drop out. Spray it on, let it set for about 5 minutes, wipe mold and start pouring. Best stuff I've ever used. Zeiner's and Barlow's carry it, a little less than $10 for a can. I only use it with molds that don't pour properly, like yours. A can has lasted me a couple years and still not empty. Candle black works but this is even better.

 

[markh28]

I never did spray anything or use candle soot to my other molds and they worked OK. I guess I never thought about doing it with this one since the other ones worked without it. I will see if I can get my hands on some drop-out. In the meantime I will try and soot the mold and pour at an angle. I will report back the results.

I do have a Lee bottom pour pot on the way.

 

[markh28]

Last night I tried some of the ideas. I made sure my lead and ladle were a little hotter. I sooted up my jigging spoon mold. I tried to pour with the ladle and mold tilted to the side. Nothing seemed to really work. I did, however, get some of the smallest jigging spoon cavity to fill completely before the lead solidified, but that was only about one in 3 tries. I still never made any production runs with the wire forms in them. Since I had a bunch of lead melted already I went ahead and poured up 100 or so horse head jigs. I think I will wait until my bottom pour pot and "drop-out" comes in and hopefully that combination of things will get me some slab jigs (what we call jigging spoons).

I attached a couple photos of my molds and how they were pouring in case anyone has any further opinions on what I may be doing wrong.

 

[toadfrog]

Pard I got that mold . Poured a million of them . If that is the ladle your using it is only good for max 1/2 oz . You need force and volume to pour that mold . See how rough the casting is before it freezes . That is a clear sign your volume and gravity feed is to slow . Turn that lead pot up too . At least 8 . Try this run down to the one dollar shop or flea market something like that . pick up a gravy ladle that holds bout 1/2 cup of liquid . Take a pair of needle nose pliers and bend a nice spout in it . Bend the handle into a ladle . Use that to through some lead at the mold . If that don't fix you problem I'll eat a bowl of cooked cabbage . Buddy I freak'in hate $#@$ CABBAGE .

 

[LedHed]

Lead is cooling way too fast - tf has some excellent advise. I was never a big fan of smoking or the spray - jj got me some of the spray and it works great for some of my problem molds. Don't like the way it takes the shine off the jigs though...

Wait until you get the bottom feed - you will really enjoy it.

 

[Hawnjigs]

Ladle? That ain't a f***ing ladle. I use that as a scum scooper & scraper. A proper ladle will have an indent or tube spout to direct a controllable stream of melt into an inlet gate. Some molds like the horse head are more forgiving, but a small "dump" ladle like the Lee will clog and freeze small gates.

And corned beef without cabbage is like a burger without a bun.

 

[markh28]

Its all starting to make sense now...

And corned beef without cabbage is like a burger without a bun.

and +1 on the corned beef and cabbage!

 

[Kdog]

Way to cold, or too slow of a pour. you are freezing in your gate

 

[toadfrog]

Come on guy's your gonna make me barf . I hate corned beef just as bad . AAAAARRRRGGG! Dog breath to go with it .

 

[Bucko]

wow I could go for and corned beef and cabbage now... Ya those big molds you have to have it hot and fast. just bite the bullet and get yourself a lee pro 4-20. you'll thank yourself later.