Posts: 457
| So, as I am standing in front of the lathe today, and wishing I were instead tossing lumber to toothy critters, I had an epiphany.
I'm totally and completely numb to the fact that all these baits I've been buying over the years have been somewhat in vain. I've got a full woodshop, and not once did I even think of turning/building my own.
Anyhow, this voice inside my head tells me that I'm an idiot, which I'm sorely tempted to agree with.
I chucked up a couple nice chunks of cedar, an voila, three minutes later have the exact profile that I wanted. I fear, however, that I've only just begun the easiest of the easy part of building a hard-bait. I started digging around the shop a bit, and found some nice long eye screws that would suffice for the time being. Laid out the bait, and epoxied them in place.
Here's where I lost myself, however. I started thinking about painting it. Now that voice in my head telling me I was an idiot wasn't just telling me, it was almost as it was taunting me, egging me on, as though it wanted me to jump in this swirling vortex headfirst. Go figure...
Anyhow, I turn out a couple bodies, and layout the hook placement, things like that, and started to dig out the little Paasche airbrush kit that my wife bought me ten years ago that I never used. (wanted to throw it away, but didn't have the heart to do that) Start searching for the right parts and pieces to make the kit work with my compressor, and well.....that voice again.
Anyhow, here I am going with a full head of steam thinking that I can make myself a few surface baits and have them come out relatively close to what I want them.
Yeah, I'm rambling now, that voice is still nagging at me. (btw, I'm at work, have three doubles this weekend, that might have something to do with it too....) Anyhow, here I sit, asking all of you bait building guru's out there to give me a couple pieces of advice. I thought, briefly about doing through wire, as I have the ability to drill 9+ inches on the lathe, provided I have the right bit. Is it truly worth it in this instance? I would think that the eye screws and epoxy would suffice yet don't want to be presumptious.
Secondly, when it comes to paints/painting, what are your preferences in the paints that you use? I've seen a little bit about using the testors-type enamels and I've seen people that use a sprayed type vinyl paint. I would be if the mindset that the harder enamels are going to lend more strength to the wood in the finsihed product, and if a guy really wanted to he could overcoat with an epoxy.
Anyhow, as I continue on this little journey, I'll have to post up some pictures, and show you how horrible they end up looking!
Thanks in advance for the advice, given you even made it that far. I mean, I know musky fishermen are diehards, but even for me, wading through something like this might just be taking it too far!
Edited by Whoolligan 8/3/2007 6:44 PM
|
