I know you guys are anxiously awaiting some new tins to hit the market, but in the meantime, I figured I'd post a few pictures of my latest project in the hopes of tiding you over until the big announcement comes. When I was a kid, there were a bunch of jigs hanging up in the garage. They were old even back then, so I figure they were made in the 1940's, either by a small company that's long gone, or maybe by a fisherman who made his own. Unfortunately, the only one I have left is a 2.25 ounce spoon. The rest were stolen somewhere along the way. I thought I'd make some new copies with some modifications. The process was bit of a pain, since it involved making two molds. I made a mold from the original, then cast a copy in plastic. I used clay to close up the drilled holes and install brass eyelets. I also used clay to fill in the dings, then I sanded the rough edges and coated the model with multiple coats of clear acrylic. I then made an RTV mold from the model, and I'm really pleased with the way they turned out. The original was rigged with a stainless steel leader through the heavy end and the hook at the small end. I reversed the rigging and found the action to be about as good as these things get. It also casts better this way. My metal polishing skills have a long way to go, but I'm sure the fish won't care all that much. I wasn't sure the original was tin because of the heavy patina, but the tin copy I made weighed exactly the same, so I guess it was.
