How do they make tungsten jigs?

[TType86]

Over the last couple years Ive been slowly switching my ice jigs out for tungsten jigs because of the weight and quality hooks they come with. Was sittin here thinking to myself, how the heck do they melt them and get the hooks in there? If tungsten has the highest melting point of any metal in the world with a melting point of 3410 deg celcius (6170 fahrenheit), how would they do that? Got a couple theories myself, what are yours? Lol, I must be pretty bored!!!

[mote1977]

I believe they mold the jigs without hooks then the hooks are epoxied or soldered on.

[TType86]

Ya I figured that too, but how would they get such a small insert molded in for a tiny hook? Seems like itd be a difficult procedure to get jst right.

[snowman3406]

I believe they mold the jigs without hooks then the hooks are epoxied or soldered on.

Thats my understanding of it too.

[TType86]

Ill have to find one of mine that has the paint scratched off and look a little closer at the size of the hole for the hook. Either way, definitely a longer procedure. Kind of helps justify the extra cost as far as the time and process required to mass produce. Reason I wondered in first place was I thought maybe I could start making my own. Dont seem to be worth even attempting.

[CMMahy]

Maybe the tungsten is powdered/ground up and mixed in with the epoxy to form a paste, then molded into the jig body? I've never seen one made, but that's how I'd do it, unless ground tungsten is highly volatile or toxic...

[flywatersmallie]

Maybe the tungsten is powdered/ground up and mixed in with the epoxy to form a paste, then molded into the jig body? I've never seen one made, but that's how I'd do it, unless ground tungsten is highly volatile or toxic...

Thats actually pretty close.... I'm sponsored by a tungsten weight company (open water, I'm a bass guy) and what is generally done is that the tungsten ore is ground to a powder and mixed with powder of another metal, usually nickel and injected into a mold. After that, its heated, the "other metal" melts and bonds to the tungsten powder. Thats kind of it in a nutshell

[BlueiceCPA]

Yes , then due to that higher heet , they found the hooks melted ugggg,

So a slot had to be made in it , then buy hand or machine a hook in inserted , solderd or epoxied, then painted and put in a silgle package to keep the painted jig from comming off .


Now we know that the recipie for a great tungston jig takes 5 things to happen:

#1 The Quality of the Tungston and % of the nickel added , think of 10K gold v 24K gold, Russia makes the best ones China makes the cheapest ones usually.

#2 What hook is used , we know many cheap and great hooks , not all use grest sharp hooks , then also how they are attached, in the past we had jigs spinning on the hooks or breaking when we make the gap bigger. Just save it and place a new hook and attach it , paint it of leave it without.

#3 With or without a crystal ( like Bently")

#4 the paint  job ( think of reef runners )

#5
 The Package to keep the paint job safe for the fish to eat.

  I like Kodiak Jigs fron Joe Pikulsky, Bentlys from their website and Wolframs from Your Bobbers Down website , many more retailers have them.

By far the best Jigs come out of Russia not China they weigh heavyer and are smaller. Wolfram from Russia, I get mine at Jedex in Chicago Suberb talk to Andrew.