RiverMan

The auto clears seems to be one area that most builders here have not experimented much with......me included. RM

The orange version in the tub looks great! Jed

If you have a pic of the bait that is really all you should need to duplicate it. If you knew how thick the lures were that would be helpful too. RM

Gator, you won't believe how easy it is to do those gill lines when I tell you. I use a plastic dixie cup (not paper) and I hold the cup in my left hand and squeeze it together to make the opercle more tight or stretched out......whatever I might want. By using a flexible cup you can make any shape opercle line you want to. The first line I airbrush a little heavier then move the cup and go along the edge a bit lighter for the second and third lines. Easy huh? jed

Guys you are making this far more difficult than it needs to be. Although there are a few really artistic types that may be working with fine details, the majority of us do not need to thin the paints at all. I paint hundreds of lures each year and never thin my paints in the least. I set my air brush pressure at 45 PSI, use only createx paints (not auto air), and start painting. There is nothing you can't do with this set up. I clean between every color with hot water and every so often I pull the needle and spray hot water through the brush. After every use I clean the needle and cone on the front of the brush and have done this for a long time with zero problems. I am using a gravity feed Iwata. Jed V.

I like the Lexan Sheet test........interesting. I generally don't thin my Createx paints because they spray great right out of the bottle. If I need a smoother look from the paint I simply turn up the air pressure. The other reason I don't like to thin paints is because it takes me longer to get the color I want...less pigment means more coats. This is particularly a problem when using white paint. I do use Windex to clean the brush periodically and will also use it if I am spraying cheap Wal-Mart paints that tend to clog the brush. RM

If you buy the cheap folk and apple barrel brands from Wal-Mart you will need to thin. I use primarily createx paints which require no thinning whatsoever. Createx paints are more expensive but they last forever. Just buy black, white, red, green, and gold and you will be ablel to do tons of patterns, no thinning require. Set your tank at 45 psi. Nothing wrong with the cheaper paints, particularly if you are after a color not offered by createx. You will generally have more trouble with clogging with the cheap paints tho. RM

You did a wonderful job on this lure, the photo finish is excellent. Congratulations. Jed V.

Jim, That is a very clever way of venting your grub molds. I have vented my plaster molds in the past with just one vent at the end but I think your design would be a great improvement. Thank you. Jed V.

A great looking lure! Jed

Hey Dramone, do you have a video of that bait swimming? I would like to see the action of a bait with a smaller mid-section like this one. Thx. RM

It seems reasonable to me that the most fluid action would be with the sections getting smaller as they move back. it is odd, however, how some companies choose to made the mid-section the smallest. Jed

You need to find a lake, stream, pond, or pool. I know it is a hassle, I make dozens of trips to the river here each year, some at night, some in the snow, some in high muddy water and some in stagnant summer flow. There is no way to tell what a lure will do for sure in a bathtub. RM

Anyone here experimented with different segment sizes on swimbaits? For example, will you get more action out of: 1. Equally sized segments? 2. Segments that get progressively smaller from the head to the tail? 3. A small segement in the center with larger sections on each side? You see all of these designs on swimbaits and I am wondering how much of a difference it makes. RM

Can you explain more by what you mean about a "mat" finish? RM

I received some of this product some time ago too and was told it isn't completely clear.........you might watch out for that. RM

If you doing a swimbait I would suggest you paint the lure. Doing a photo finish on multiple sections of a swimbait is a major hassle. Jed