Warming up molds (jigs)

[Bassin Dude 365]

How's everyone doing today? I have a question about warming my molds in a toaster oven. What would a safe temperature be to keep the handles from either getting ruined or too hot to handle? ( no pun intended) I use the palmer hot pot 2, so setting the mold on top while heating up isn't an option. 200-300°? It's very cold here and I store my molds outside so they need a good thorough heating. As always much Thanks to all who have helped in the past!

[Jig_Man]

I can not answer that question but I may provide an alternative. I do a few pours without the hooks in to heat the molds. Ones that let the lead run through need a pan under them to catch the flow. That also keeps the handles from getting hot.

[Pokie Pa]

your best bet is do as JIG MAN says. Run a few with no hooks and let the molds get warm that way. I run 2 thru and set them on
my hot pot for a few until I get the hooks and other things ready.

[Bassin Dude 365]

Thanks guys! Yes I always do a few dummy pours to heat the inside nice and good plus it allows me to see if I'm getting a complete pour before I load hooks and such.

[Bassin Dude 365]

The problem I'm having is I don't think the top of the mold where the lead goes in has been hot enough. Getting way too many bad pours for what I am used to. And I've tried every trick in the book.

[Munkin]

Have you tried using a laddle? I bought one because my pot kept getting clogged and now its all I use.

Allen

[Bassin Dude 365]

I'm using the palmer hot pot 2. It's the one with the element built in and it's a ladle style. Bought it for Spinnerbaits and I'll be darned if my bottom pour pot didn't take a crap on me. Starting to snow here so we may have to cancel today's pouring session.

[Jig_Man]

One thing that has helped me with complete pours is coating my molds with Frankfort Arsenal Dropout spray. It is good stuff. I get it from Zinner's Bass Shop in Wichita, KS.

[D.Moore]

Frankfort drop out spray is some good stuff. Some gun shops carry it and Dane Fin and Feather in Springfield carries it.

[Walking Dead]

I have had to open the cavities some with a drill bit. But heat should cure it. A ladle may be your ticket. A little more accurate than the pot and you are not
lifting as much lead. Keep the ladle in the hot lead.

[brushsjigs]

If dry runs are not working I would suggest a hot plate to set the molds on. Walking dead may have your other option by drilling the gate a little larger

[Bassin Dude 365]

Great info guys I appreciate it! I ended up having a 100% successful pouring session today. Had those molds in the toaster oven along with the hooks and base hole pins. Had it at 300 so I think that helped tremendously. It's like 10 degrees here so I had to amp up the heat. I will try the ladle as the pot is a tad heavy but I've got my flow rate down pretty good.

[blll]

I too pour in the garage where the temps are cool. I usually bring my mold(s) of choice in the house the night before. usually a 30-40 degree warm up. Bottom pour pots get enough heat rising to warm molds but ladle style won't. Dummy pours are the only answer I've found. depending on the mold, 2-3 should be enough and I fill the all the cavities, even if I'm not using all the cavities for real. Small cavity molds will warm slower and will need more dummy pours. Drop out spray is awesome but won't cure a cold mold.

[D.Moore]

[QUOTE=blll;Drop out spray is awesome but won't cure a cold mold.[/QUOTE]

But it will help with incomplete pours.

[Jeff Hahn]

Have you smoked your molds? That will help eliminate incomplete pours. I also use the Hot Pot 2. Once the lead is melted, I sit the mold on top for a little while and then make a few false pours and sit the mold back on top of the Hot Pot. Some folks also suggest using a heat gun to pre-heat a mold.

[Bassin Dude 365]

I do smoke my molds. I've been pouring for close to 10 years and up until recently I've never had problems like I've been having. I pretty much attribute it to how cold it has been on the days I could pour. It also may have been the lead I was using. I switched to some lead I got in sheets and it seems like it works pretty good.

[Jeff Hahn]

I do smoke my molds. I've been pouring for close to 10 years and up until recently I've never had problems like I've been having. I pretty much attribute it to how cold it has been on the days I could pour. It also may have been the lead I was using. I switched to some lead I got in sheets and it seems like it works pretty good.

[badboyjigs]

Sit the mold on your lead pot , when your lead is ready the mold will be ready !

[Bassin Dude 365]

Sit the mold on your lead pot , when your lead is ready the mold will be ready !

Thanks but im using a ladle style pot and there is hardly any surface area to heat the mold. It doesn't seem like it would be stable either as the pot sits on a little stand and I've never had an accident to date (knock on wood). It has just been so damn cold here lately I think I just needed to up the heat a tad. Thanks for your reply.

[Bassin Dude 365]

Lol and I know 10 years of pouring lead is nothing compared to a lot of guys on here so I still have things to learn. I don't pour but 3 or 4 times a year depending on how many jigs I'm losing so it's not a regular thing. I did however learn to take notes so I can remember things like what happened recently.