Posts: 5
Location: Duluth, MN | Hello all,
I started hand carving some of my own big pike and musky lures about a year ago. I had nothing to go from, so it was all trial and error for me. I started out doing lipless cranks because I didn't want to deal with building a plastic or metal lip. I also found out right away that I was going to need to add weight to get them to sit up right and run correctly in the water. Then I decided to go for it and got some lexan lips and built a couple big split tail cranks I really like that have great action.
Then I recently came across this site and WOW!
I am so impressed with the lures everyone makes here, and now I am very excited and motivated to build more of my own with these new techniques I am seeing. When I first started off, I just painted them using a brush and acrylic. Now I spray paint which works pretty nice. Some day I will probably invest in an airbrush, especially after seeing the results here!
I am very interested to know the step-by-step process by which some of you go by in creating some of these magnificent lures. I hope this isn't asking too much as to give away any secrets of any sort to possible competition for those of you who sell your stuff?
I am mostly interested in the mechanics, how you piece it together and weight it. If there has already been a "how-to" post at some point, then please don't waste your time and kindly direct me there.
Currently when I build a lure, I will cut out the rough shape from basswood using a ban saw. I then use a carving knife to do the rest, and then a lot of sanding by hand. Next, I drill holes in the bottom half of the bait and pack in leadshot, testing it in water until it floats upright. Then I use wood filler to fill in the holes and let it dry good for 24 hours. I will then saw a groove for the lexan lip by hand using a back saw. I glue in the lip using automotive goop, and then epoxy to fill in the rest once the goop dries. After that I drill small pilot holes for the eye screws and screw those in with automotive goop...perhaps epoxy would be better? (one screw going through the lexan lip for better durability). Then I spray paint with primer, and so on, and just use a clear gloss spray paint finish. (yeah, I'm sure after a couple fish, this lure would be riddled with tooth marks and probably ripped up a bit)
Now...I am very interested in the steps in how you piece these together using a through-wire for all of the hook hangers etc and adding the weight and gluing the 2 halves together. Are there some that believe this is better? Are there some that believe one solid piece is better - similar to what I have done?
Next, I would like to know what most of you do for sealing the lure before painting? I have not done this, besides a simple primer. I am very interested in trying a foil lure - where do you guys get your net for burnishing the foil over and spraying scale patterns? I picked some up at the fabric store real cheap that looks like it should work - and I got the foil tape from menards. Any good method for doing this? (burnishing that is)
Okay...almost there....
After you foil, do you simply paint right over the foil with the foil still showing through? I'm interested in how you guys get such fantastic final results in this, perhaps spray paint will not work like your airbrushing? I also picked up some EnviroText Lite for the final coating. Is this what most of you use? Or are there better more 'professional' methods of final coating your lure?
Sorry for such a long post, but this has really got me going now! Any help with this to get me started is very much appreciated. After looking at many of your lures, I believe these are even better and more professional looking than anything you can buy at the store - the lures I have seen on this site are 100 times better than any rapala I have seen. I would love to be able to build such professional looking lures!
Thanks again for any help! |
Posts: 2112
Location: The Sportsman, home, or out on the water | just go nuts, and have fun with it.
also, limit how many you make. 60 a year=fun. 600 a year= you are not having fun, and your wife thinks you suck.
carefull with the bait building addiction, brother. Almost cost me a wife. |
