Terrydabassman

Just use different size nail heads or flad end of a drill bit. Touch in the paint, then touch it on your bait, perfact eyes every time. Then a smaller nail head or drill bit for the pupil. Stick ons very seldom stay stuck, or they move when you're top coating..PIA's

I use pearl white for the belly, then Iridescent Yellow for sides, then Olive for the back. I mix a flat black for the side splotches. Lots of different ways and all are good, just depends on what floates your boat....

I found an easy way to mark "center" on baits. I just lay a newly sharpened pencil flat on the table, then see where the pencil is marking on a particular thickness of bait. If it's not high enough, I cut pieces of 3x3 index cards and put under the pencil until it's marking in the center. You know it's center when you can flip the bait over and the marks in the same place. I hold the pencil still and just move the bait around till it's all marked. NOTE: Thanks everybody for the "center marking" tip. It's helped me speed things up and so much easier over all. Sometimes it's the simplest of things that can make the difference.

I get mine ar Radio Shack.

I make and use These and never had a failure in basswood or Balsa.

I use 19 ga. stainless wire I get at Ace Hardware. I'd try a drill bit the same size as the loop, only half n half on the depth of it. That's probably going to mean lead inside the loop for you to clean out after pouring...OR ues a tiny nail head the inside diameter of your loop...hole drilled for the shaft of the nail within the loop diameter. I think it was Blackjack who has a pic in the gallery of his home made weights, which are awesome. Hope this helps, I just buy Finesse weights from BPS.

Something different, Love it!!! Great job on that.

What ya need is a Typhoon Carbide Bur (Sphere) and you can buy them Here

I use white, some yellow and gold...mix a few drops at a time.

Thank ya-all for you input and ideas. Skeeter, remember that not all of us have good eye sight...me especially. I was looking for a mechanical way to find center to take my eyeballs out of the picture so to speak. I could mark center one day (eyeball it), the next day it didn't look near center...lol...I even make myself wonder sometimes. Nobody answered the 2 questions...what kind of wood you prefer and what thickness of the flat sides do you like?

I always use 2 coats of clear coat and set them up with a hair drier, then let em set up over night. You're suposed to gently wipe the wet paint off with either a "damp" cue tip or paper towel..."wet paint". I role a cue tip or even a couple of them to pick up the wet paint...spit works fine to dampen the cue tips...be gentle.

Yeah, I know how to measure and divide, what looks center and measures center sometimes just dosen't come out the way. That reminds me, when I went to night school for machine shop in the 60's. I remember the lay-out table and a scribe that had a heavy base, a rod and a stylist could slide up and down on the rod. Then you just measured and adjusted the needle point to where ever and scratched it on your work piece (after blue suff was smeared on it) for all the cuts and drilling. Think I'll see if I can make something to that effect, might make life a little easier...I can't imagine how you'd make a center line around the whole bait and keeping it that way...with all the curves and all...bless your hearts if you've figured out a way.

Was wondering what the prefered width of the wood is on your flat sides? Also, any tips on finding center when drilling for ballast weight...I throw tons of baits away because of off center drilling What kind of wood is prefered for flat sides...Balsa or Basswood? Thanks

What would it matter...either way? The idea is to keep the top coated bait from sagging buy turning it...I turned em by hand for 20 min before I build my drying wheel. You got baits with a lip on them, then I just clamp em in the alligator clips, have never lost one yet....that would be head over tail....but it really doesn't make any difference...I've made quite a few muskie baits and they come out beautifully...head over tail OR side ways...makes no difference what so ever.

finlander, Here's how I do it....never ever had a problem with large lures.

Awesome job on those foamies!!!

Thanks so much for posting this, I get so discouraged sometimes...enough to want to quit all together. Spend your time and money on the wood, paint, top coat, bill material, lead, line ties...you shoot the most awesome paint scheme...and that sucker won't swim, or it's a sinker...or just a plain stinker. I have a wall in my basement I slam those stinkers up against as hard as I can...doesn't help anything...but gets some of the disappointment and anger out. Yep, this is supposed to be fun... but sometimes it just ain't no fun at all...this is not the hobby/business for the perfectionist...it can get down right discouraging.~

Yea honey those are pretty!!

What i can see looks great...you got a lense cover on your camera? Very dark, hard to see color or detail.

Got a neighbor, that call her that all the time.

Well, welcome to TU Kathleen. You'll find a wealth of talent here that's for sure..and a great bunch that have a passion for lure making and custom painting. Hope you find who/what you're looking for here at TU.

I got my Digi Weigh on ebay and I love it!! Digital Scales

I love the plasticoating!!! I even dipped a lure 10-15 times just for the heck of it..you'd a never known it was wood. You save tons of $$ this way versus devcon for sealing the wood.

Why not do it the easy way and print what you want out on your printer using "Decal Paper?" After printing, spray it with "Krylon Workable Fixatif", let it dry. Then slide it on like you would a decal on a model car or plane. Here's where I buy mine .

Ok, been there done that. After your initial paint scheme (not including eyes, gills, shad spots) I spray 2 coats of "Createx Clear Coat" and let it set up over night. (I use a hair dryer on each coat of clear so it isn't foggy when it sets) Then if you mess up any detail, it will wipe right off with a damp paper towel or cue tip. You can use regular masking tape "if" you stick it on several other surfaces before you stick it on the lure...takes most of the stickiness out. Make stencils for your gills...a piece of plastic off a milk jug works fine and you can see through it pretty much. Hope this helps ya