Tom S

Jed, I just started playing around with foil lately,but one cool thing I found was taking a wire form (used for making clay models) its basically wire screen and has a diamond pattern to it.Anyway I was pressing the screen onto the foil and it imprints the diamond pattern onto the foil.You can also lay the foil on top of the screen and press the foil onto the screen with your finger,this gets a more pronounced scale pattern.Like I said I just started experimenting with it,so give that a try and let me know what you come up with.The first one I did looked pretty good. Tom

Did you make a pour mold or an injection mold?Most baits are made of ABS plastic that is injected. Tom

Nathan, thanks for the compliment!These bits are one of the only good ideas I have had,that actually worked!LOL!Hopefully I can save your wrists and time for more fishing!Trading these bits for baits is way more fun than selling them.The baits I got from Nathan are sweet!Thanks again! Tom

I agree with HTH on doing a thin top coat to protect the paint on hard plastic.Adding a thick top coat of epoxy(dealers choice) on a hard plastic bait is not necassary,and in my oppinion counterproductive.The thick topcoat gives the fish a little "bite" and makes hook setting harder.Muskies will sink thier teeth into a thick top coat and will make it tough to move the bait in thier mouth and set the hooks.I would rather have a scratched up bait than a missed fish anyday.Scratched up baits look cool too!LOLWood baits ,yes go with a thick top coat. Tom

Pop, we build mostly plastic injection molds for the auto industry.We do some molds for consumer or houshold products and we used to make toy molds.But mostly boring old car stuff!LOL Tom

I am a Tool and die worker and can tell you tooling such as a stamping die can be costly.Prices have come down due to economy so now is a good time to do it.Try to find a smaller die shop,ussually lower overhead and cheaper prices.I would contact a spoon company and find out who builds their dies,such as Stinger,Dreamweaver,Northport etc.Good luck! Tom Sorry,I build molds not dies.

I would like to know more about this "heat setting".Does that need to be done while the paint is still wet or fresh painted?Or can it be done later on?You have my attention now!This sounds interesting.Thanks for all the help so far! Tom

Has anyone tried painting a pattern that requires masking with tape with Createx paint.I was doing a paint job were I need to tape off any area that was allready painted and dry.When I pulled the tape off some paint came with it.I am using Zinsser stain cover for primer.Any pointers?Thanks. Tom

Jim, I first started out by making the lip angles at 35 deg. and increased 10 deg. all the way up 65deg. to see what I like best.65 is a pain,hard to keep right side up,and 55 deg. is the most erratic,and the ones the fish like the most,but those can be tempermental too.At 45 deg. or less I dont get the "wander" action,they just come in straight.Still trying to get that perfect action.I want a bait that runs 2 feet down,will wander 1 foot off center and will run 5mph+,oh ya and I want a tight wiggle too.Thats what I want for Christmas! I may not be able to do that with this body style? Tom

My deeper versions will go 6+ with no trolling weight,but the shallows need 2to 3 oz. trolling weight to go 5+,they will blow out at 5 without weight. Tom

Lunge,my baits are like mini Parrywinkles(shad shape) 7" long.My shallow divers with a steep lip angle are the ones that need more weight.They are pretty erratic and wander a bit.The deep divers that run straight and stable need very little weight,but those one dont catch fish like the erratic ones that are on the edge of blowing out. Tom

The baits I make need weight to get the speed I want out of them.I had to play around a lot to find out how much weight to add.What I do for my muskie baits is drill a 38" diameter hole in the belly of the bait about 34" deep.I take 38" brass rod and cut it up into different length pieces in 18" increments.Then I can test the baits too see how much weight is needed.I use electrical tape to hold the weight in while testing.I keep adding weight until the bait runs at the speed I want. Tom

Createx paint is the only paint I have used so far,and like it for the most part.The only thing I dont care for is its adhesion.It does not seem to "stick" very well to the primer.I have had a few scratches or rubs before top coating that I have had to touch up.Am I doing something wrong or is that the way it is? I am using Zinsser cover stain for primer on my plastic baits,should I be using something else? Tom

Thanks! Ordered them today.I did a lot of looking for those.I should of asked here sooner. Tom

Does anyone know where I can buy 1.5" long .072 screw eyes?I have only found 1" or shorter.I am putting these in white pine baits,so I need the extra length for holding.Right now my only other option is the .092, but dont want the added weight.Thanks! Tom

Thanks guys.I will look this stuff over and do another search.Probably will have more questions later. Tom

I have been seeing some sweet looking photo finish hard baits in the photo section,and want to know how this is done.I tried to do a search, but it gave me 1030 related matches that are not related?I would like to try this photo finishing on my baits if someone could get me started in the right direction.Do you have to buy the stuff or do you have to make it?Any and all help will be appreciated!Thanks in advance! Tom

Stamina has 90# http://www.staminainc.com/

Corey,I made some 15" baits last year also,and man were they a pain!Mine were Grandma fashion baits with taller flat sides,and looked more like a walleye profile.I think it took over 2 oz. of lead to keep them upright!Between that much lead and those tall flat sides,It had very little action.The flat sides actaually fight against the lip and acts like a sail boat keel and wants to go straight!.I had to cut the height down and custom make the biggest lip I ever seen to get it swimming.I hate making them now,and the problem is ,my friends seen them and they want one too.They dont realize it takes me 6 hours to make without paint! Tom

Thanks for the tip Nathan.I just checked out your baits and I really like the Assasin!I dont know if my baits would have enough surface area after cutting the 45 angle.Did you have to play around with the size of the face of your lure to get enough resistance to get your lure action?Maybe I would have to cut a rectangle lip out of Lexan and screw that to the face of my bait to give it more surface area? I really like that idea though!Do your baits need any belly weight for balast? Tom

Personaly, I would layout the slots you want using a pen or a pencil and use a pencil grinder, or a Dremel tool with a 18" cutter or burr to hand cut the slots out.With a steady hand and layed out guide line you can do this and it will look good.Go slow and make small cuts! Tom

There seems to be a lot of talk here on painting and clear coating ,but not much of design.I would like to get a discussion going on the actual building and layout of a crankbait.I have been trying to get the perfect action for a crankbait,and trying to figure out what it takes in the bait to get it.I want a bait that will run over 5 mph and will "wander" or "searching". And I want the bait to have a tight wiggle.Now that has been a tall order getting baits to do that,because there is a fine line between wandering and blowing out.I have made baits that run straight and will troll as fast as you want,but those ones dont catch fish!Here are some things I learned this year.By increasing lip angle I get more wander,and more action,but it blows out sooner as speed increases,it also runs shallower.By adding belly weight I can get more speed from the bait,but it slows down the action and runs deeper.By raising the tow eye position it gives the bait a nose down swimming posture and makes it run much deeper!I also think it tightened the wiggle a little and made it more stable running with less wander(not good).By going to heavier hooks it kills action of the bait. These are some of the things I learned this year.I could be wrong on some of this stuff,but I thought it would be fun to get a discussion going.

thanks to all for the help! The last batch did in fact harden after a couple of days.I guess I need more patience! I have not done a batch since summer,so maybe the different temp. and humidity slowed it down?I was at the Chicago Muskie show yesterday,and a lure maker told me to use the 2 cup mixing method,where you start mixing in one cup then pour into a second cup.I guess this keeps any unmixed resin on the bottom and sides from causing problems.Is this necesary?I will try to post a picture of one of my crank baits, if I can figure it out. Tom

Thanks for all the replies!The hardener is not amber,it is less clear than the resin,but not much.I did measure it out with a medical syringe,and added 15% more of the hardener.I waited maybe 7 minutes before applying.This last batch did solidify after 30 hours,but is not near as hard as it should be.How much more hardener should I use to be safe.This stuff has way more pot life than I need,and I would rather waste hardener than deal with sticky baits.Maybe if I get them sticky enough I wont need hooks! Thanks! Tom

Does E-tex have a shelf life,meaning does it go bad after a while?With the stuff I have now, no matter how precise I measure it out,and how much I mix it,the stuff will not cure at all.I am beginning to wonder if they put resin in the hardener bottle as a joke. The last couple of lures I did ,I had to wipe the stuff off and start over.That was not cool. Thanks in advance. Tom