Travis

Since you are using water based then paint inside. I made a make shift spray hood from a cardboard box, placed a one dollar furnace filter inside snug and cut an opening in the back and duct taped a blower from a wood stove to the back. Quiet and works like a charm and much cheaper than heating my insulated shop. I do most of my work in the shop then move the painting indoors. No overspray at all.

I agree, don't leave it in an ultrasonic sonicator overnight. Well I guess it depends in the quality. I have looked at some lower priced models that aren't all that great at cleaning. I use around 5 different ones at work and they are great. The heated models are nice.

I have messed with it but honestly cutting them is hands down easier. I messed around with thermal methods and solvent based ones. If you want true ease some guys use presses and dies to cut lips.

Ok I have followed this thread and think it is honestly very funny. The comments are just as erroneous as the gold stars or am I the only one that believes this. I don't see the comments or ratings all that big of a deal anyway since they are flawed. Leave it how it is and lets accept it for what it is. I see attaboys on tons of lures that aren't so. Looks good, nice paint, etc...... but I see overspray on hook hangers that appear to have been pulled from a train wreck, top coat dripping off the hook hangers, paint bleed from improper masking of the bill, short cuts taken on surface prep, etc...... Then I see personal things that aren't as big of a deal to me but still don't like, for example I don't like to see a signature slapped across the bait in a conspicous place. I find it distracting and takes away from the visual appeal of the bait. Is it a fish catcher I don't know but a photo gallery isn't meant for that anyway. It is to display one's work and for some a way to learn what they need to improve on if a given honest critique. Yes everyone looks for something different in in a bait. However, a well built, well painted, well designed bait are obvious no matter what species they are made for.

Goby imitations would be accurate enough and honestly a tube or fat headed worm on a jig head. Several guys pour them and several are also on the market. If you want a true replication one will need to be carved then molded but that isn't too hard to do. I did a goby last year this way and to get a rough proximity to the real thing doesn't take too long. This was the master used for an RTV mold to pour plastics and a few cranks were also made. On a side note fishermen are about the worst when it comes to knowing fish (well fly anglers I will give some credit to). Stonerollers are "minnows" they belong to the Cyprindae family in no way a catfish or bullhead(Ictaluridae). Goggle eye, rock bass, and red eyes are all unique, not the same fish. "Shoal bass" are generally regarded as an endemic species to the Apalachicola drainage.

America needs to wake up and take accountability. Mexicans, politicians, CEO's had nothing to do with the situation they have only profited from the overall stupidity and laziness of the American people. These groups didnt' force anything on us, we either asked for them to do the work, voted them into office, buy their products, etc..... Yes unfortunately we are the reason it just is often hard to swallow.

Looks very good and for the most part appears to be dead on. I think it is a little off however but many guys would be fine with it but I have had a few that wouldn't take it because it isn't exactly like it. Matching baits is always tricky. Your slither matches great about 1/2 way down. It is slightly too dark in the thicker portions when compared to the brush hog. I think if you cut back a couple drops of color then the thicker portions of the slither would match the bulkiest part of the brush hog and the thinner mid section would match thinner brush hog parts. Overall I would be happy with it but maybe one batch with a drop or two fewer would dial it in.

I am glad to here of the good customer service. It really pays off in the long run. My last order didn't go so well. Not for sure what went wrong but from my stand point it didn't matter because I ended up having to place the same order (had several orders to fill) a second time. So basically ended up paying double. It was a hectic time of the year Valentine's Day and we did get hit with a good snow storm but I had no interuptions of service. Taught me to have things shipped insured from now on.

Couldn't agree more. I have both a Pro Max and Black Max (along with a slew of tourney pros). True workhorses that perform flawless day in and day out.

I used vasoline for a release agent when using rigid mold materials. I also demold these as soon as possible. I forgot a few times and left several in for around 20 minutes and destroyed the molds to remove them. I have saved a few by using a butter knife and depressing into the thickest portion of the crank along the mold seam line and pop it out. Then I fill the dent with wood puddy, bondo, or excess devcon from gluing in lips. As long as undercuts are minimized the lure doesn't get locked into place as bad. For vents I usually just use a piece of cut drinking straw to mold for the main vent and then just cut shallow grooves in problematic portions. As far as expansion I find temperature and proper measurement to be the two main variables.

http://www.coastairbrush.com/products.asp?cat=32 I have ordered from them and know several others do. The say they will match or beat any competitors offer.

Follow the link by David. That is Durham's Rock Puddy. I like it better that POP (plaster of paris). I usually pick my Durham's up at Ace Tru Value. I made the molds myself.

Thanks for the compliments guys. I think I have observed about the same amount of expansion at times. It is dependent upon temperature and mix ratios however. Exapansion and cure time I find dependent upon how accurate I am with my scientific method of using a couple of spoons. With RTV molds I don't worry about set time as much they demold so easily. With the bondo I pull them early becasue I have a tendency for baits to get locked in if I don't. I usually just go by how the "mushroom head" has set. I like a little flex in the shaft connecting the mushroom head and body of the bait typically. Typically I mix in a paper cup and fill three to four molds and clamp together. I then get a new paper cup mix some more foam and do three to four others and usually the first set is ready to demold at this point. I will pay more attention to actual time next time.

I generally make the mold with the lip slot. If the lip slot is cut correct in the master this makes it about the best. Only trick is that the foam iif removed at the wrong time may continue to expand and result in a lip slot that isn't exactly strait anymore (not a big deal to correct and easier than cutting each one). I haven't had any lips fall out yet with just slapping them in with devcon. I have some molds that I didn't put the lip slots in because I can cut the slots easily at slightly different angles and use different lips. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/TravisH/flats2.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/TravisH/IM000376.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/TravisH/745683968107_0_BG1.jpg http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/TravisH/craw.jpg

I agree with you two (Del and Vodkaman) about the aluminum molds. I like the aluminum molds a lot and they are excellent for all the details they pick up and durability and ease of use. This is just one that isn't too bad to mold using durham's or pop. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v302/TravisH/IM000507.jpg

This is not that difficult of a mold to make out of durham's and rock puddy. I did not find them to be all that great of a bait to be honest. As long as enough vents are made in the bait it pours fine in a durhams. I can see why aluminum would be difficult.

Fine detail is going to be hard to do. I however believe that with careful preperation and excellent masters that you can come very close making your own molds with several mediums. RTV hands down will be the easiest to pick up detai. If you take your time and have good masters and prep the pour box properly and use a vacuum to degas you can get some very good quality molds. I have molds made from bondo and durhams that have picked up great detail also. Now aluminum much easier and better results but I have durham's rock puddy molds of some lures that you would be hard pressed to pick out the hanpours versus the originals without squeezing them.

I have used some guys so called hunting cranks and wasn't impressed in the least. My definition of hunting baits must be completely different than many. Bottom line if it was as easy to do everyone would make them, they would be producing "hunting" crankbaits left and right. As much "lore" as there is over this trait you know the first company that comes out with a hunting lure has the biggest thing since the senko, probably two fold.

Companies say yes. Custom lure builders say no. No winning this arguement, lol.

Yes I use the plaster mold to work as a holder and then pour the RTV. At this point you ditch the plaster and then use the RTV half and place the senko in it and spray with mold release and then pour the second half of the RTV mold. RTV two piece mold complete. Then you just use the RTV halfs as holders from that point if other RTV molds are to be made. The plaster is just used to make sure you get a good reference to start with. This just limits the screw ups with RTV. Wax can be used also or I have also just poured hot plastic into the pan then set the bait in place and allow to cool. You can use clay, etc.. also.

Take the plaster and use it to pour a thin layer in a pan. Bang the pan against the table and pop any bubbles with a straw and good old fashioned lung power. Place senkos unil half covered andl let the plaster set. Use this as your base and pour the first half of the RTV mold, add keys and pour spout before RTV. If the plaster holder doesn't look good make another it is cheap. No messing up this way. Just use the plaster to "set" the senkos. Once you get one good half of the RTV you can use it to hold the senko and make as many molds as needed. Although with the flooding of the market with senko handpours, aluminum molds are showing up a lot on ebay for cheap (along with beavers and buzz frogs).