# Floating jigs



## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

I've had some luck fishing with floating jigs, but can't always find the style & color I want. Has anyone tried making and painting their own?

What material? I used to build lightweight rubber powered model airplanes si I'm used to working with balsa. Just not sure how to get the hook through it unless I split the wood.


----------



## cadman (Jan 25, 2009)

I have made some out of crimped aberdeen hooks. The crimp holds the hook in the foam or balsa body. These were originally for walleye fishing. 

I split the balsa body in half, put the hook in, with a little groove for the crimp, glued the two halves together with D2T, sanded smooth, sealed the wood with D2T and then airbrushed the balsa body, and then clear coated with D2T. Done, go fishing

D2T= Devcon 2 Ton


----------



## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

cadman said:


> I have made some out of crimped aberdeen hooks. The crimp holds the hook in the foam or balsa body. These were originally for walleye fishing.
> 
> I split the balsa body in half, put the hook in, with a little groove for the crimp, glued the two halves together with D2T, sanded smooth, sealed the wood with D2T and then airbrushed the balsa body, and then clear coated with D2T. Done, go fishing
> 
> D2T= Devcon 2 Ton


Sounds like a plan. I'll try it. We used to coat our models with clear dope to fill the pours. Put on extra coats sanding in between to get a shiny finish.


----------



## "Big" mark the shark (Jan 21, 2010)

I'd herd of a guy that uses alumolight foam and a jig mold.you have to use a mold release and do a little trimming. and you must use a clamp on the mold to hold it shut


----------



## cadman (Jan 25, 2009)

[quote="Big" mark the shark;1137609]I'd herd of a guy that uses alumolight foam and a jig mold.you have to use a mold release and do a little trimming. and you must use a clamp on the mold to hold it shut[/quote]

Mark,
I heard of something similar. A guy was using that foam sealant that expands, and he was putting it in a lead mold. I don't have all the details, but I thought he used vegetable oil for a release agent. Only thing is I don't know how long it took for the sealant to cure, and I don't know how you would get the oil off of the bait so you can paint it.


----------



## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

I grew up in a pottery family and when making molds we used Murphy's Oil soap for a mold release. This could probably be washed off if it would work. This was not used for getting clay items out of the mold as no release was used. It was used on what we called the block & casing that was used to make the molds used to make the pottery item.

I should have learned more about this technology, but all I wanted to do was hunt & fish. I just did grunt work in the pottery without learning how it was done. Maybe that's why I became a photographer & writer and not a potter.


----------



## cadman (Jan 25, 2009)

Star1pup said:


> I grew up in a pottery family and when making molds we used Murphy's Oil soap for a mold release. This could probably be washed off if it would work. This was not used for getting clay items out of the mold as no release was used. It was used on what we called the block & casing that was used to make the molds used to make the pottery item.
> 
> I should have learned more about this technology, but all I wanted to do was hunt & fish. I just did grunt work in the pottery without learning how it was done. Maybe that's why I became a photographer & writer and not a potter.


You probably did the right thing, I'm sure your profession pays more than someone making pottery (no offense to pottery makers). I stuck with engineering and now I wish I would have gotten a higher degree. Thanks for the info on Murphy's oil soap.


----------



## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

The pottery business went down in the early 50s when the Japanese ware started being shipped for prices less than what it cost my dad & granddad to make it. Of course they paid union wages. I remember my granddad saying, "Wait until it hits the steel mills and auto industry". The man was a prophet and didn't know it.

Of course that is for another forum somewhere.


----------



## jhiggy11 (Jul 14, 2010)

I have been making these for about two weeks. They are turning out better and better as I get used to working with the materials. Send me a message if you are interested.


----------



## Star1pup (Aug 3, 2004)

About all I can say about those jigs is WOW! They have to be real fish getters.


----------

