01-23-2005, 11:52 PM
[cool][#0000ff]I have been flattening jig heads for a long time. I use both a hammer and flat pliers to pound or squeeze rounded heads into a flattened shape. These flattened heads provide a bigger profile, more painted surface and an erratic wobble and flutter when retrieved or dropped to the bottom.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Over the years, I have tried different methods of flattening jig heads LATERALLY...from side to side...to give them a gliding action. Hilts molds makes a "slider" jig mold, with the bottom wider and flatter. I have used these and they are especially good for vertical jigging, as in ice fishing or fishing suspended fish from a boat or float tube.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Since I do not have one of the Hilts molds, and since a couple of BFTers have asked about how to create such heads recently, I went out into my garage with a collection of different types of jig heads and started pounding them flat...laterally. After a few bad ideas, I finally began having some success using a heavy pair of square nosed side-cutting pliers left over from my dad's toolbox. He was an electrician, who died a couple of years ago, and I ended up with most of his tools.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]In the attached pic, you can see that I grip the eye of the jig hook between the two sides of the end of the heavy pliers. The surface of the pliers is smooth, so I can simply lay the pliers on a sturdy surface and gently pound the head into the shape I want, on the pliers themselves. [/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]That works okay, especially for smaller models. For the bigger heads, however, I found it better to turn the pliers (with jig head gripped firmly) and place the jig head onto a smooth metal surface...then pounding on the hammer to flatten the jighead. I have several pieces of heavy smooth metal, including the end of a set of chrome free weights. A bench vice or anvil would work even better, but I do not have mine mounted yet, from moving.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]Once I got the feel, I could pound out fairly uniform glider heads, with decent uniformity of shape. A slight change in the hammering stroke, or tilt of the pliers, can affect the final shape.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]As you can see in the pic, I experimented with several different jig heads. Strangely, the one that seems to be best for these glider heads is the "dart" style, with the wide angular face and the cone taper. I did get some good heads out both round and spear point heads. They take some practice, but you can create some special effects.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff]I have a bunch of them on the paint rack right now, and I will tie some up into different colored jigs and bait bugs within the next few days. Just thought I would post the first part, for anyone trying to figure out how to make those things.[/#0000ff]
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[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Over the years, I have tried different methods of flattening jig heads LATERALLY...from side to side...to give them a gliding action. Hilts molds makes a "slider" jig mold, with the bottom wider and flatter. I have used these and they are especially good for vertical jigging, as in ice fishing or fishing suspended fish from a boat or float tube.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Since I do not have one of the Hilts molds, and since a couple of BFTers have asked about how to create such heads recently, I went out into my garage with a collection of different types of jig heads and started pounding them flat...laterally. After a few bad ideas, I finally began having some success using a heavy pair of square nosed side-cutting pliers left over from my dad's toolbox. He was an electrician, who died a couple of years ago, and I ended up with most of his tools.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]In the attached pic, you can see that I grip the eye of the jig hook between the two sides of the end of the heavy pliers. The surface of the pliers is smooth, so I can simply lay the pliers on a sturdy surface and gently pound the head into the shape I want, on the pliers themselves. [/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]That works okay, especially for smaller models. For the bigger heads, however, I found it better to turn the pliers (with jig head gripped firmly) and place the jig head onto a smooth metal surface...then pounding on the hammer to flatten the jighead. I have several pieces of heavy smooth metal, including the end of a set of chrome free weights. A bench vice or anvil would work even better, but I do not have mine mounted yet, from moving.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]Once I got the feel, I could pound out fairly uniform glider heads, with decent uniformity of shape. A slight change in the hammering stroke, or tilt of the pliers, can affect the final shape.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]As you can see in the pic, I experimented with several different jig heads. Strangely, the one that seems to be best for these glider heads is the "dart" style, with the wide angular face and the cone taper. I did get some good heads out both round and spear point heads. They take some practice, but you can create some special effects.[/#0000ff]
[#0000ff][/#0000ff]
[#0000ff]I have a bunch of them on the paint rack right now, and I will tie some up into different colored jigs and bait bugs within the next few days. Just thought I would post the first part, for anyone trying to figure out how to make those things.[/#0000ff]
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