Making Hard Body Lures

[Albatross1]

Thanks Buck, I checked out Debeer clearcoats on the web and they have quite a few types. Do you spray/airbrush it on or brush it and let it "flow"? I have been using a great American made 2 pack rod finish but its running out and I am looking for alternatives. I brush on the stuff I use now and then turn them rotisserie style on a geared motor setup I have made. Cheers, Chris

[mitchmcm]

hey albatross i think i would do the motor thing how you make it???

[Got Buckley's]

hey buck how do you make the slot in the blank for the bib to go????

mate i use a thing called a saw , I cut the slot and then sand it back slowly until the bib is a perfect fit, bib slots used to do my head in big time, but as with everything practice makes perfect. I still manage to stuff a few up

and thats good stuff chris, not that I have used too many brands, tried that stuff first, then went to a cheaper brand that was rubbish, so switched back. I spray the clear but I used to dip them in when I was only making four or five at a time, its a waste of clear in the long run, and cathcing all the drips is a pain, ( maybe your rotisserie might help with that ) but when your done but it gave a glass like finish that looked awesome.

But I found that several light coats sprayed with do wonders for durability, dipping will make chipping more of an issue. But the bidgee in the ACT is all rock so Im not sure if your fishing amoung the timber would have the same issues as I do around here?

and a word of advice to anyone thinking about spraying the 2 pack clears, its like spraying cancer, its bad stuff, so a proper respirator is essential, and just because the smell is gone the bad shit is still lingering about.

( i think by law anyone spraying this stuff must use a spray booth??????, thats how bad the shit is )

cheers

[Albatross1]

Hi Mitchmcm, It is 12 volt dc geared motor (5 rpm) to which I have added a bar with several "bulldog" clips. These clips hold the bibs of the lures while they are rotating and the result is an very even finish. I will post a photo when it stops raining and I can get my camera out of my tackle bag which is in a separate garage. Cheers, Albatross

[Albatross1]

Thanks Buck, after your timely warning I think I might stick to brushing or dipping my clearcoats and use my "rotisserie" obtain an even finish. I have no desire to inhale more fumes than I already do! Cheers.

[mitchmcm]

ahaha i thought so buck. o i need the practice. thanks i just need paint now

[Powelly]

hey buck wat do u use to cut the line in the lure blank for the bib???

If you've got access to a 'real' bandsaw - not the little Ryobi type - buy a blade, 10tpi X 6mm X required length for the bandsaw. The 6mm, 10 teeth per inch blade is not only perfect for cutting out the blanks but it makes a cut 1.2mm wide. I make my bibs from 1.2mm sheet aluminium and they fit tightly into the bib slot.

By using a bandsaw to cut the bib slot, it should be 'square to the blank, meaning the lure will run straight.

I've got a small Ryobi bandsaw, which is handy to knock out a new blank to try, but the blade is too thin and tends to have a mind of its own when cutting out blanks.

Cheers

Travers

[mitchmcm]

how much are they. post some pic s of your lures to

[Powelly]

how much are they. post some pic s of your lures to

Bandsaw blade 2525mm X 6mm X 10tpi that I use is $25.

7cm Minnow lure making kit is $25 (+$6 postage)
Guppy lure making kit is $30 (+$6 postage)
Lure making kits contain: Instructions with templates, one double blank with carving lines drawn and holes drilled (to keep for future reference), a double blank (with bibs, eyelets, hooks and split rings for 2 lures) and a finished lure. (see photo)

Lures range in price from $12 - $15. They are all hand carved from Australian Red Cedar or Beech.

Travers

[hazmail]

'Sea Urchin' - they use circuit board because it is much thinner/ more rigid than Polycarbonate, and because it is thinner it has less resistance in the water and is claimed to make the lure go to a greater depth, they use it in the US a lot on larger (20cm and up) lures to get max depth for a given bib size, also used on small lures - advantages are it's rigidity/strength, and comparative thickness/weight - disadvantage is it is harder to work to shape.

I've been in and out of town fishing for the past month and read some posts here on lip slot cutting and 'lure turners' for epoxy/2pack drying
- some great ideas, I like the turner with the bar and clips, very simple.

Here's what I have been using for a while, hope it helps someone:
For a drying wheel I have been collecting microwave motors for a while and have 2.5 - 4.2 - 5 and 6 rpm motors, 6 seems to be the best for epoxy, they are tiny but very very torquey. Tell your wife the micro is stuffed after you remove the motor, just turn the oven upside down, remove a small cover plate and disconnect 2 wires and unscrew the motor, it takes about 2 minutes, just dont forget to salvage the drive plate with the wheels on it in the oven, this has a 'keyed' end which fits the drive shaft on the motor ( this will be handy for mounting the 'drying wheel') - If you can't find a busted microwave, you can buy them on 'FleaBay'. The lure holders are made from 'Banana Jacks' which you can buy from 'JCar' for about a 50c each.
Pete





For slots a band saw would be ideal, but I don't have one so I have been cutting them with this for a couple of years and the angle is always the same each and every lure. I built a small saw table and used a cheap variable speed power drill (from Aldi) to power it (I recently upgraded it and built an aluminium table). Any saw will do but a blade with a cut the same width as your lip material helps, just make your jigs with the various angles you need and cut the slot while the blank is square before shaping it, I have four different angled jigs.