fatfingers

I've seen it in thicknesses up to 1/2 inch but it may be available in larger sizes. I have a supply of it in 3/8 and 1/2 inch and I find it to be a lot nicer to work with than the PVC board. It does not require through-wiring from my experience. I've made a number of baits with the stuff and used screw eyes. Caught a few muskies with the baits and had no problems. Nothing wrong with the PVC board, I just prefer the sintra. I found the PVC to be a little to brittle for my uses.

If you like the PVC stuff, you'll love sintra signboard. You'll have to check with local sign painters in your area or do a search online to find the stuff but its cheap and is in my opinion, far superior to the PVC. It is less brittle and sands and shapes just as well.

The Esox series of baits you've built are, hands down, the best of their class anywhere. Nobody else even comes close. Just excellent work.

"Hey, wait a minute! Maybe I'm missing something but how would you use a linked double syringe if you're drawing resin and hardener separately from 2 bottles of Devcon?" Actually, I'm not "drawing" the resin and hardener. I"m simply removing the handle from the original double syringe that comes with the off-the-shelf package and re-using it. I pour hardener into one side and the resin into the other from the bigger 9 ounce container. The problem is that it is difficult to remove the handle and it can only be re-used once or twice for all practical purposes. Just to clarify my original post...I'm aware that one can mix Devcon on a pop can, but I prefer to not have to essentially guess at the 50/50 mix. If the mix is wrong for any reason, and you get a 'tacky' mix, the strength is compromised. That would spell disaster when gluing in the lip onto musky baits and even perhaps the screw eyes for the hook hangers. The musky baits are subjected to a lot more torture than bass/walleye baits because of the trolling speeds and the torque generated by the weight of the fish. I also prefer the double syringe as a matter of convenience, which is why I inquired about a supplier. I know you can get single syringes from a variety of sources, but the doubles are pretty slick and so far, they seem to have the accuracy of mix that I'm looking for. I thank all who tried to contribute ideas though. That is what makes this place great.

Husky is the guy who invented that technique. :)He also willingly shared it with this board and several others.

Polycarbonate is pretty much dirt cheap. Its the same stuff they make bulletproof glass from. I'm not sure why you'd bother with something inferior for the lip after putting all that work into a bait. A well-made bait with a polycarbonate bait will handle year and years of very rugged use in any temp.

Maybe your wheel is turning them too slow also.

Rayburn is right...the answer depends on what you build and how you build and so on. I might be able to offer a few tips though: Consider having several work benches...one where you paint, another where you carve, and a third where you do things like insert the lips and screw eyes, apply the epoxy finish, etc. You cannot have too many lights in your work areas. On my "finishing" bench, where I apply epoxy, insert diving lips and screws, I have four lights. Its like Yankee stadium when I fire them up, but I'll tell you what, if I fail to use even one of them I notice the difference. Light is your friend. Light is good. Like Rayburn said, try to keep everything within arms reach of your painting bench and your finishing bench. Your carving/woodworking bench should have no trip hazards in the work area. Keep eye, ear and lung protection (respirator) in use and maintained AT ALL TIMES. SPEND THE MONEY AND BUY THE STUFF NOW!. This is a hobby full of potentially dangerous, abrasive, toxic, nauseating things, including chemicals, dust, and finger-eating power tools. Use proper ventilation. Maintain your power tools: replace worn out parts and use sharp blades, bits, etc. Safety first at all times

Thanks, Jeremy.

Interesting....Does it yellow at all? Does it have any UV protectors?

the viscosity of the paint is another variable over which you can exercise control. Try the same things you've been trying but with thinner paint. You'll be pleased once you get the hang of it.

I could not tell from your post whether or not you tried testing the bait to see how it runs BEFORE you put the weight in the belly. Often baits will still run very well despite the fact that they lay one on side or the other at rest. Much depends on the shape of the bait.... If top of the bait is thicker than the belly, you usually need no weight at all, unless you want to build a bait that will troll at high speed. While it is difficult to speak in generalities (for fear that someone will certainly cite an exception to the generality), it is certainly safe to say that some baits need no weight at all. In fact, some run better with no weight added. The hooks alone often provide sufficient ballast.