Travis

McMaster Carr is where I end up ordering some typically (along with other odds and ends). A 12 x 12 sheet of 1/16th with run just under 5 bucks.

Everyone is going to tackle it a little different... Createx Pearl white or platinum, transparent chartreuse, pearl black, peal blue, and Folk Art peridot is what I would likely use starting out. Fairly certain i would end up very close with those colors. Can mix in highlight power to flat colors also. Much will boil down to how comfortable you are with a brush and capabilities.

Personally I don't get too hung up on the anti caking agents. Griding/flouring salt caused much more issues in regards to dulling the baits. I believe the Kosher salt I used was Diamond Crystal Kosher that I ended up getting at a health food place. They had a few others but I was only trying the Kosher to see how it differs from the usual salts I had used in the past. Not worth paying more from my experience. The glass beads will give the clearest baits. I would stick with typical no 8 (70 to 100) bead. If you can find small sample packs of 7 or 6 to try out. Just make sure getting bead and not abrasive.

Glass beads can be a very satisfactory way to go also. Plenty of threads here on the subject. You get increased clarity with them, no storage issues, and a bait that is much stronger. It can damage and injector but from most accounts besides replacing an o-ring good go go for years. I forget who had a video (That Guy Skimpy?) comparing salt bait and glass bead bait durability. The glass bead senko will stretch some and doesn't break near as easy as a salt bait.

A few things going on in regards to light transmission and suspension of salt. First all these salts are the same as in NaCl. Where they differ is purity/additives. Salt by it very nature is problematic in that it picks up water. NaCl is used to calibrate some instruments that measure water uptake based on its very well studied water adsorption. So unless you store your salt properly and dry it you are adding some water to your plastic during the heating process. Adding some cloudiness to the end product if not all removed (not a big issue as often gets boiled off during heating). Additionally to counteract salts water loving tendencies manufactures place anti caking agents in it to avoid it turning into a brick (and iodized typically). So you have impurities playing a role in regards light transmission. Other issues that cause cloudiness are result of tackling the suspension issue.. The salt crystal shape plays a role in suspension. Table salt and others are cubodial. The shape results in crystals that don't suspend readily. So guys grind it to make the particles smaller but in doing so exponentially increase the surface area and further cause issues with transparency (lack of). Sort of like fill a glass with ice and pour a margarita mix over it versus putting that same ratio in your blender. You also are adding defects in the crystal in the process. Think of safety glass: pre and after hitting it with a hammer. Kosher, Maldon, and other salts prized by chefs are different in shape. Kosher typically is forced into a flat shape under pressure to form flakes. So take two cubes the same size/mass. Take the second cube and compress it flat. Drop them in a liquid guess which one hits the bottom first. The shapes vary in regards to displacement. The flat shape will displace more plastic and will sink slower than the cube and is the reason Kosher salts suspend better in comparison to table (cubodial) salt. Cargill uses a process called Alberger process to make some of their salts. It results in concaved plate/flake. These salts Kosher, maldon, the Cargill select products are typically larger particle size to boot so often get the best of both worlds... larger crystals (less defects and less surface area) with a shape but do to the shape suspend better than cubes. Additionally they often don't have anticaking agents.

I don't have a phone.... Absolutely hate them.

Several acrylics available. Green Stuff World has a Chameleon line (have not tried it). But not too expensive through amazon. Folk Art has a line of metallic color changing. I have overall had good results with folk art once thinned. I never thinned much without either water or 4012 but tried Windex one time and had Folk Art metallic (some) gum up. I have used Jacquard powder pigments mixed in paints or clear also with no issues. https://www.amazon.com/Jacquard-Pearl-Powder-Pigments-32-Color/dp/B000BGSZFU You can also find various powders on ebay or online used for automotive that have fine pigments for airbrushing. Haven't tried any but the candy line by Createx Air has some interesting colors. Had some last week while at Hobby Lobby but put it back since didn't have the coupon.

You can try. It all comes down to pigment size. Airbrush paints are manufactured to have very fine pigment for ease in spraying. I would thin with 4012. If it clogs your brush you can try straining any larger particle and with pantyhose or coffee filter, etc... I had some cheap hobby paint and manged to strain it. Really boils down to how much time do you want to spend when their are already products out there.

I would likely go with the Rikon 10" Bandsaw 305 model. But over your price range at 260. https://www.rikontools.com/product/10-305 Even has a little resaw capacity if you break down your own lumber. Will handle poplar, basswood, PVC, etc... all well. Get a few solid blades and good to go. Timberwolf and Woodslicer are fairly inexpensive and good bang for the buck blades. Depending on your area easy to get used band saws on craigslist for good price. May need change out guide bearings/blocks, etc... but easy enough. I would not get a scroll saw personally as not ideal for cutting lips. I would rather use tin shears and then take it the belt sander than the scroll saw. I have a cheap small delta bandsaw (lots of plastic, lots of flex, lots of cast aluminum that breaks). That does pretty well that I did various odds and ends to get functioning. It sits in the corner of my workshop and is set up with an 1/8 inch blade. I also have a 14 inch bandsaw that gets the most use in my shop. Scroll saw sits under a bench and gets pulled out for Christmas ornaments or such.

Agree Wayne. Outside of shallow water cranks the bulk of the users will be fishing from a boat. On the reservoirs I fished always do nothing gravel banks and points. Tie a bait on and in a few casts know the bait hits 12 ft on x lb line. Now I know I can drop down to x lb line and gain a foot or go heavier and lose a foot. If you are kneel and reel guy you can tack on some more if you want but not something I want to do on a regular basis. Same token if you have electronics should be able to find weed beds, etc.. at depths and fish those with the baits and find out depth in the same manner. Have done that off and on but typically the reservoirs I fished didn't have deep water beds based on turbidity but then you just targeted brush piles. Also books and charts available for many bass lures regarding depth. I would imagine the same true for musky/pike stuff. Should be able to map over you baits in regards to physical size and lip angle/size and get a fairly close guess to depth to start off. https://www.amazon.com/Precision-Casting-Comprehensive-Crankbait-Running/dp/0966301730 In regards to actual devices several already out there for trolling.. Could buy one of those and hit the deep water. If for kicks and just want to design your own the arduino boards seam to always have those making depth sensor set ups but typically large units. I haven't looked in a while what is being done. Fisheries biologists have used such devices to follow fish movements. They have temperature and depth inserts that are small but while cost prohibitive may be something to look if wanting to design your own. Lots of small pressure sensors out there that can be used to determine depth also.

Yes opaque white createx and thinned with 4012 and at time just water. The opaque lines are made to be used with a larger needle. I spray with an Iwata Eclipse SBS Autographics model. It has a 0.35 mm needle. Overall a very versatile brush. If your paint is old or may have packed you may need to strain in to remove larger stuff or get a sonicator to make sure you have even particle size. Typically the only paints I have need to strain were budget craft paints and typically just passed it through pantyhose I also typically seal first with shellac so the undercoat builds a lot quicker.

One of those things you need to dial in. As mentioned hook selection will play a roll and bait shape. Any shaped bait can get the action but symmetrical baits always easier. French fries were some of the first baits we would weight and get to shimmy on the fall. Well exaggerated shimmy more of flutter. I find plastic softness to be critical as takes a lot less forces to get the bait to move and the longer senkos about the easiest to get moving. I just play around with adding more softener to the the baits but then you really end up with one and done baits (if that matters). One of those baits I don't pull out to frequently as would rather find more active fish but that doesn't always happen.

I have used the createx a lot just thin it some and good to go. You want the highest solid loading that you can spray essentially. I have also dipped baits in Zinnser primer, let drip then rotate, much thicker coat and can hide sloppy finish work on a bait.

Always used Smooth on products, Mold Max 30. Price....cheaper than buying baits. If I buy the trial size 2.8 kit and make only 5 molds from it. So I have 6 bucks in each mold. I can easily go drop 10 plus on a crank so price per silicone mold already cheaper. I make like 3 cranks and pretty much paid for the entire 2 lb kit. I can cast a lot of cranks in that mold before it goes bad. If selling then the cost is just passed onto the consumer (pennies per crank in reality). Over the years this topic comes up off and on and I think the take home message is no real big cheaper solution out there. Best price ends up buying in bulk. If Hobby Lobby close enough can go with the high strength 3 and use the 40% coupon if small quantities are what you use.

If applied evenly and not missing spots there are typically two options. 1) It is pulling way from the paint because of something keeping it from adhering properly. Oils from your fingers can transfer if you handle the baits for example. Also some that thin with products such as windex have had issues at times as they include some sort of "soap". 2) If you don't seal your bait properly and the lure heats up you can have bubbles from cross cut grain make their way to the surface. Much more common if you use light bulb or similar to heat the lure.

Send him a PM on this site.

Many on the site could fill your order. How many are you looking for as might drop some out of contention. I sent you a pm regarding a cheaper option if it will work for your needs.

Peltier cooler......

http://www.lurepartsonline.com/Online-Store/Screw-Eyes/Stainless-Screw-Eyes.html 1/2 inch lenght probably the common length used for bass cranks. A properly glued line/hook tie will hold just as well as a screw eye. You can also make your own twist eyes if you want also. That takes away the adhesion issue as you now are anchoring the tie into the glue. So glue strength one variable and then the other is wood/glue bond strength. The epoxies and super glues typically used are stronger than the wood so your crank will give out first.

Once you get the proper angle set on the guide block all good. Mitre box same concept just the blank will sit in it. So for example in the box below you could cut a 45 ° lip. Easy to make a box yourself and just cut a few lip angles. It doesn't take very long to just free hand the cuts however so the guide block or mitre box may be more trouble than what it is worth. Suzian is the brand of saw then they will make several different types of saws meant for different applications (not that it is important just want to be clear in case someone decides to try a Japanese saw). https://www.suizan.net/collections/handsaw?page=1

What type of Japanese pull saw are you using. The Dozuki or similar will give the best results do to the thinner kerf and tooth set. The Ryoba is frequently bought but would be poor choice and some of the American versions are more like a Kataba and less than ideal. You can make a magnetic guide block if needed if you have issues with not getting a straight cut. Can be as easy and making a small 90 from scrap wood along with a recessed magnet. Use a marking knife to get a scribe a line. Most dozuki (if not all) and then even some of the other technique specific saws have a toothless front section on the blade. It will fit cleanly into that line you made and then you can slide the guide up to your saw. You will be dead on to your scribe line this way and you will get 100 percent drift free straight cuts. It doesn't take long and muscle memory will take over (well if you cut a lot) and you can whip through shallow straight cuts on a crank without issues.

As mentioned above cut slots when blank is rectangular. A coping, fret, or preferably a Japanese dozuki or similar is what I would use in regards to typical hand tools. Western saws usually have too much tooth set. I use a band saw as just most efficient way for me to do it and I break down most of my stock with the band saw and table saw.

Many of vintage top waters can be used for reference don't stick to frogs. All will typically have wire hook protectors used in different ways.. The vintage soft plastic frogs used similar. Many are just comical in their approach. Also will come across hinge/spring style where top half of the lure closes to expose hook. Few listed below. Not many modern day versions since rubber frogs far surpassed the fish ability of wooden frogs. Some references (some modern day versions): Temptor frog, Surebite, Jamison Hasting's, Creek Chub weed bug and frog, South Bend Oreno frog, Heddon's Weedless Widows Frog, Heddon Pop Frog fly, Killer Walk The Frog, Single hook pikie minnow (spring loaded), Moon light 99% weedless, Heddon Soft Ruber Frog (1907), Heddon Conrad Frog, Babbit Weedless (hinge design with spring),and Bite Em bug (used weed guarded trebles several other did the same).

Take a look at the old wooden frog baits. They went about it in a few ways in regards to hooks. While not a frog I used to fish a lot of Norman weed walkers and they had a single hook with wire weed guard. Hook up percentage drops a little but usually no big deal as if you have two rods rigged up (should when fishing these style baits) a senko or fluke can be tossed into the blow up area and get slammed.

I fish a lot of creeks for smallies and many of the guys in the area that are serious creek anglers go with heavy braid for this very purpose. Hooks will straighten out, o rings open up, or the branch break. Few lures are lost and you don't ruin a spot that are far and few in between.