Travis

For many simple designs making your own molds is as cheap as it is going to get. I have made 100's of molds over the years and easily can say if one takes their time they will get get solid baits. I have made plenty with finishes as good or better as something from some larger named companies. Two piece molds aren't much harder to do and more complex styles can result.

I have always used Flex cut: cutting, roughing, detail, pelican and mini pelican. Not much complaints just find the handles to be comfortable and keep a edge well.

Same way I have always done it.

My basic process.

Should be fairly easy to make or just bend a piece of acrylic to make a the curve return in the oven and lay over coffee can, etc.. and silicone into a 10 gallon tank.

Gold is a pretty wide range to be honest. For paint you start with yellow and add brown slowly to get the desired gold hue. Same where I would start with plastic opaque yellow, maybe some transluecent orange and a little brown (toothpick dipped amount) then add gold highlight.

I didn't use rattle cans too long as was painting bass cranks and just never thought the results were acceptable. It was quick at the time (early 90's) but after using a 20 buck testors (plastic) model kit from Wally World during that time never have picked up a rattle can to paint a bait. Same techniques apply as in airbrushing you just don't have the same level of performance. For scales just lay your tule, netting, etc.. taught against the bait and mist with the rattle can. Start spraying before the bait and after the bait. Never point and shoot. A few embroidery hoops can make things a lot easier. There were a few guys on the site years ago that used rattle cans to paint cranks and should be able to run a few searches and come across some of their work.

It can be done but sort of falls into pick the right tool for the right job.

Basswood is about all I use for the swimbaits but I have a lot of it on hand. It just too easy to work with with power tools and a knife, sands easily, and grain isn't problematic. You can get a lot of woods to work just fine for swimbaits. I just choose what I find the easiest to work with. I build baits more for the enjoyment of the process.

I am sure a company would love to put video of their lures on a site dedicated to guys that make baits. Going to have more knock the baits off than buy them.

No need to apologize.... The video was fine as many aren't familiar with the tail design. I went ahead and linked to the tail section.

Bondo molds will heat up and warp during use from my experiences. Of course if you have enough of them isn't an issue.

They can be fun to mess around with but I think after the first few days it hasn't been touched in my house. You will get better results cutting a stencil with an exacto knife in card stock, milk jug, etc.. and faster.

You do have some control with the set up time depending on how you mix it. That said you will get the best results ignoring trying to get a "fast" set. I mix with water to thin prior to pouring and try getting to a consistency similar to pancake batter, you want it to flow. Detail is picked up much better, air bubbles are more likely to be released from the mold, and in the end you're mold takes less time correcting issues. I allow the mold to set up overnight the seal with thinned 5 minute epoxy and pour plastics the same day. I don't find it any different than using plaster of paris except a stronger mold overall. Bondo sets up past if you just have to have a mold in a hurry but doesn't do nearly as good of a job and results in a bait slightly smaller than the initial bait molded. The molds also heat up when pouring and get soft and can warp/bend if you don't pour them thick.

Johnson paste wax and vasoline will both work fine.

Milled 2x2 about only time I see it is turning stock at specialty sites or on Ebay/Etsy, either way not very economical. Laminating is cheapest option for the typical hobbyist. I would rather laminate than use the typical home improvement rough 4x4 as a lot of junk wood to sort through to find something to resaw (too much pith) so their goes faster and easier. Online is just too expensive usually compared to local so best bet is source from local lumber supplier. Should have at least #2 and better rough available and typically will offer custom sawing. Price might work out ok depending on how much time you are spending laminating and making blanks. Are you currently just gluing up 3/4 stock.

Easier, faster, better.... of course would to use cedar milled to the proper dimensions. Now I guess you have an abundance of thinner stock to use so lets laminate. Easier about the same but wood glue would be easier as no mixing needing so we gain a few minutes of time. Faster Epoxy hands down as could turn a laminated piece in short order. Heck super glue and an activator is used by many turners to instantly bond waste blocks to in progress turned pieces and strength wise more than sufficient. Better hmm.. what variable is the most important to you? Wood glue is cheaper, faster to apply, but slower to set. Strength doesn't matter as wood will fail prior to any glue/epoxy used. Water proof/resistance doesn't matter either in my book as you have one seriously compromised lure for a glue joint to fail due to moisture intrusion and don't think it is possible under normal fishing conditions to saturate a cedar lure enough to compromise the glue.

Luhr Jensen Deep Secret

Guys select wood for different reasons. Some it may simply be what is available at the local big box store, some may be trying to combat toothy critters and select harder/dense woods, some select wood based on the workability, and others properties of the finished baits. I make bass lures and typically use basswood and some balsa. I like them both for different reasons. The basswood is nice to carve (probably one of the most selected by wood carvers based on properties). Overall it lends itself to a high degree of modification with respect to weight placement to get the actions I want. A more dense wood behaves a little differently. Balsa I like because it makes for a very lively buoyant bait. Around cover they are great due to the deflection properties and quick rise and helps to reduce hang ups. I like to make some smaller balsa sammies for creek smallies. They are some of the "snappiest" versions I have fished and can be cast a mile. Besides lighter 2 part polyurethane foam molded lures haven't found much that is close. If I was making larger lures for muskies, pike, or some inshore species would select something a little more dense. I would also likely be using power tools more often.

If carving by hand then get a hook knife. it makes fairly short work of it if you can comfortably hold the lure. Longer lures easy.. short lures power tools.

There are plenty of cheap airbrushes out there that will work. That doesn't mean you have to go with junk however. Personally I would rather spend money upfront and be done with it. The products below aren't the highest price but are solid performers and one could easily never replace them. Personally I would get an Neo CN gravity feed dual action air brush. Iwata has long had an excellent reputation and isn't going to lend their name to a product without it performing. Should be able to get one for around 60 bucks. You will need a compressor also (if you don't have one). I have used several over the years and started with a Craftsman set up that I use with my nail guns. LOUD but performs flawless. I have used some smaller airbrush specific compressors that are very quiet and use them from time to time still but a California Airtools 1 gallon portable is what I use mainly (120 or less). Quiet, CFM appropriate, and pressure doesn't drop to low when in use (few of the airbrush specific dip considerable into low teens). Pick up a filter/water trap with it. For paints just do yourself a favor and buy airbrush specific paints. Createx pretty easy to use and come by whether it is their general line or wicked series. Have use Badger Spectra also and its ok. Many other paints will do just more problematic and best to avoid starting out (Folk Art and other generic craft paints thinned for example).

Sorry misunderstood your question. I don't build baits split just good to visualize it in that manner. Once on the water I tweak the line tie if needed and apply a small drip of super glue near the tie wait a few seconds and wipe. Typically if an cracks formed the superglue will wick into and solidify on the next cast. I use the same method described above about tuning it straight and usually just drag my knife perpendicular along the lip a few passes, cast and repeat. Just scraping off a little plastic at a time. A small file (Leatherman or similar) also will do just fine.

Best method is from the start... The crank when sliced down the middle should be symmetrical. Now we are hand building so this is rarely the case just strive to do the best you can. If you think about the vertical slice above we want the lip slot cut perpendicular to this, we want to avoid a skewed lip. If you think about the back edge of the lip forming a horizontal line crossing the vertical symmetrical line we should have a "plus" mark formed. I cut all my lip slots in the square blank prior to shaping. All weight, line ties, hook hangers, etc.. should be installed along that vertical symmetry line. If you followed above just need to create lips. Use a drawing program and create 1/2 the lip then copy paste, invert to get the other side. Can use cardstock or cereal box and fold a piece in half then cut your lip and then open and you get a symmetrical lip pattern to trace onto the lip but if once you get a lip pattern in program easy to print templates. I cut out a stack of rectangle stock and tape together with blue painters tape along the edges (leave the protective covering on). And then glue my template or trace and then cut on my bandsaw and then sand to the line. Can cut with tin snips then sand also if you want to do them individually or cut outside the pattern stack and sand, etc... Tuning is typically just a minor tweak if you build correctly, from my experiences. Only time I really need to do major bending, shaving, etc.. is on a new design with an improper lip design.

Yes it will increase buoyancy. Why bother is the question. Why not adjust the resin to get the desired outcome in the first place?

One should be aware of the initial moisture content of the piece of wood to start. If we are putting in the oven a typical air dried or even kiln dried piece of wood that has acclimated we are looking at that 6 to 12% moisture content and will have much better results at 300 F. Trying to dry a piece of green wood at 300 is going to problematic. From a woodworking standpoint much lower temperatures are preferred for this application. Torrification process specs frequently show 20 to 30% decrease in strength. I have always wanted to build and acoustic guitar (don't play but would learn). Watched several videos and read some other information and likely is on my list of things to do. I don't expect it to be great for the first one but really enjoy the process. I do have a box of big leaf maple book matched backs to see if anything is useable as I assume they were seconds from a larger guitar company.