Make your own welded rings

This is a great link to how to make your own welded rings for your lures and jigs. Very cool.

http://humboldttuna.com/smf/index.php?PHPSESSID=8c9bd169b993b6bfe20fe9af99660e27&topic=546.15

I saw that two and came up with a simpler way....Went to HD and got an extension spring (2 for $3). Get whatever size looks right.

This is the kind
http://www.centuryspring.com/products/extension.html

Then take a pair of small bolt cutters or dykes and cut down the lengtt (clip off the hook ends) and you have about 20+ rings all ready to be soldered.

Its all pretty mush the same as the above post. It was just easy to find springs vs stainless rod.

Thanks for posting that, Berg.  SO much better than the hog rings I've been using.

Its all pretty mush the same as the above post. It was just easy to find springs vs stainless rod.

Go to any welding supply store and get a stainless tig rod.  You may have to buy a couple, but they are pretty cheap.  The springs will rust really fast, as they are a high carbon steel.  Get Silver solder while there.  Get a small package of solder and paste.  So for about $10-14 you can make hundreds of rings.  Welding supply are most everywhere.  2 in dublin, Atlas in Berkeley, and other places.

for sure...just ACE hardware is 2 blocks from my house....not sure where the nearest welding supply is in my hood.

Great info. Thanks. Along the line of making your own jigs, how do you actually drill through the stainless steel without dulling/breaking the drill bit? I tried both HSS and Carbide tip, but melted both tips and still couldn't drill thru the damn knife  


ernest

Just put welding supplies and your city in Google.  Airgas and Alliance are both in San Jose. 

Great info. Thanks. Along the line of making your own jigs, how do you actually drill through the stainless steel without dulling/breaking the drill bit? I tried both HSS and Carbide tip, but melted both tips and still could drill thru the damn knife 


ernest

you will eat bits....the best I have found is to use bits from harbor freight. they work as good (or bad) as any other but they are 10 for $3 vs $3 each at HD or OSH. The other tip i have is for the really hard to drill ones is to heat the area up with a propane torch. it helps. doesn't make it simple just possible. I have made a 50-75 of them. I've become pretty good at picking the easy to drill ones at goodwill. But if they are to hard to drill i just move on. they only cost .10 cents each...so why kill yourself just move on to to another.

I also have noticed the shiny'er they are the harder they seem to be to drill. Also I use a punch to make a small divot so the bit doesn't wander. But I have a box of 10-15 the just eat bits and I gave up on them.

Never tried it, but will.  Grind the center punch with 4 flats like a pyramid.  Will break through the hard surface and leave an edge for the drill to bite.    As to drilling stainless, use a low speed and lots of pressure.  and some cutting oil for coolant.  If you let up pressure and spin the drill, it will work harden the stainless.  some say Cobalt drills are the best, but have not tried those.

Brazing Kit - I've found that Ace Hardware Outlet has the best price if you buy a few.  Save on tax, pay on shipping.  http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/

I also use old bicycle spokes for my jumper rings.  There are a bunch of bicycle shops and recyclers that are willing to take old wheels away.  They work great.  Be careful, many are not stainless and some with much too much nickel and they will snap if bent.  You will discover this.

I've also make a few knife jigs and have the same problems with drilling.  I agree, Harbor Freight paks of 10.  When drilling, keep knive and bit as cool as possible.  I am trying to make a water box mount on my little drill press so I can drill in water, but am concerned about leaking all over, so giving it more though.  Good luck.

Oh yeah, also use a 4" grinder or jig saw with diamond dust blade (I think it's for cutting tile).  It was on the jigsaw that I inherented.  Works great.

Good luck and have fun.

EWB, are you willing to spare one 2.5 oz jax jig so that I can make a mold?

I think surf hunter is making the jax jigs. I have a few salas and sumo jigs you can use. the are the same shape. Heck you pour some and i have some powder paint that i can paint them with. we can swap

let me know. we have a long off season coming up!

I went to Airgas in Union City looking for those 1/16" stainless steel rods. They only sell them in 1LB pack or up. $23 per package, which looks to me had about 25 one meter rods in it. That many would probably last me a life time. Does anyone know where I could buy a smaller quantity?

thx,
ernest

I'd bet if you went to a local fabrication shop they'd sell you some by the each.