jwfflipper

Check www.blisters.com They are in texas

If you are going to go the route of vaccum forming make sure u have enough holes around your platen to pull your corners down tight and you may wa.t to go with 0.015 to0.020 thickness that is about what a regular lure company uses. When I was making my own I was making my blisters 3/8 wider and 1/2 longer. But I found a company where I buy slide blisters alot cheaper than I can make them. I can get 450 for one hundred dollars and that os cheaper than I can get the plastic for and I make my own blister cards.

Hot glue sticks

I have a specific set of nozzles to do that. What I did we'd to drop.the tips on the floor to get a more real look because nothing is in a perfect straight line, but I still have other paints jobs that hold " hard edges". I think it gives the fish another look from all the other lures. You haven't dropped.yours have you?

I use 0.031 s.s. wire. I would make sure the hardness of your balsa if buying it from a hobby store as most of their balsa is on the light side ie: 6-9lb. per cubic foot. I use nothing less than 12-16lb which is about as hard as you will get. There is less tear out of your wire and belly weights. check out www.lonestar-balsa.com. Jeff

your right Ben, let me back up and say I guess in away I do heat set them but not with a hair dryer, I have a space heater that is in front of them to dry. I do use different paints but use createx pearls only! And I layer all of my paint and under each coat there is a build coat and as I paint the paint does get darker but never do i paint on top of a coat thats already there. So it is base coat then paint then build coat then paint you see where I am going then 3 coats of topcoat with 2 hours in between each topcoat, and then a week for the topcoat to cure fully and thats why it takes sssoooo long for my baits to get done. Jeff

I to have this problem at times and I dip my cranks in any pearls that I use. Usually it happens under the crank on the tail or the throat but i don't use DN. But I don't think that the wrinkles that I get are a bad thing! I always let my cranks dry by them selves for at least two hours. But from start to finish on my cranks are anywhere from 4-6 weeks depending on how many coats of paint are on each bait. I have one cranks that has 18 layers of paint and it is a pain to paint but looks great when done, that same bait has a total of 31 steps to complete, it is a layering thing that makes it look so good! Jeff

Gbass what size risoraps and how much? And I am looking for 6a bombers in brown on yellow. Jeff

I don't think there is anything wrong with that as I know a couple of crankbait makers that do that. I don't do mine that way, but that is me. Jeff

I saw it on a gun show a couple of years back. They put a piece of the pattern in hot water with a activater and dipped the stock and barrel in the solution and then removed it and the camo pattern was transferred on to the gun. neat process. so I would say it should work on cranks. IMO Jeff

Yea I am very carefull to make sure nothing doesn't come out! I always test at least one bait out of every 25 to make sure every thing ok. Jeff

Hey Ben, I use medium thickness superglue from Zap, it not only penatrates the wood but also gets in aroung the twisted wire. I have torn baits apart trying to get the hook hangers out!! And if a bass pulles the hanger out he can have it! Also use it for my belly weight. Jeff

YES! I dont paint in less than 65 degrees and have a dehumidifier going and when it gets warmer AC and a fan to pull the air outside. Jeff

I always ask for the bait to be returned no matter what but also refund the money with a apology. Because whether it is a repaint or one of my customs I will know what went wrong with the bait! Some times it is not only the lip but it could be the hook hangers that are out of alinement. And I have even seen where the oval split ring and snaps will not let some lures run correct, thats why all of mine come with standard split rings. Good Luck! Jeff

I have used this and my results were not very favorable! Did not hold up well in the water. And it did not have have a deep gloss to it so I do not use it any more! Jeff

well Ray from Pa you can go to your local hardware store and get your self a piece of all thread the same size as your metal rod and either grind one end the same or heat one end up and forge it square with a hammer or buy another motor, I have done all of the above. Jeff

Thanks Bob! I do use the twist method but I have torn up balsa cranks that did not use twisted wire. But was thinking about non twisted wires. I will probably just use what I have been doing. Fished any of the Greensboro City lakes lately? I used to live in Winston-Salem 18yrs. and owned Ol' Style Bait & Tackle in W.S. a few years back until my job took me back to W.V. where I am from. Brant was my favorite to fish but like any fisherman I was all over NC fishing and Belews Creek or Hyco in the winter!! Miss fishing there! Any how thanks for your input! Jeff Francis

Do you a twisted line tie or non twisted? Why? Jeff

I use this at times and have never had any issues with it. I use both water based and lacquer paints and haven't had a problem. What are you using for your base coat? I stay away from all spray can paint. Are you painting wood or plastic? Jeff

Thanks guys!!!!

Where can i get these? Thanks Jeff

I don't use D/N, but I have found if you paint and then toppcoat your bait and let it dry you can put your lip in last and you won't get any thing on the lip. And if you have a big enough jar it won't matter when you dip it. I have done it both ways and either is fine. I buy my sealers, build coats and topcoats buy the gallon so it works both ways for me. PM me if you have any questions. Jeff Francis RiverValleyCrankbaits

I always sand plastic and put a base coat of white and devcon will work. as for the blue back, haven't painted that color so not sure what color would be right. And I have added glitter from a spray can it seems to work but put it on before your topcoat. Jeff RiverValleyCrankbaits

I also like the idea!

This exactly what I use for larger batches. Jeff Francis RiverValleyCrankbaits