borderbasser

Flex Coat will work if you don't mind your bait turning yellow! IMO Flex Coat is junk for baits and rods unless it is going over a dark bait or dark wraps. If you want to use a rod building epoxy, use Threadmaster. It is far superior...especially when it comes to yellowing. TJ

I agree with Mark. I cut my joints in the bait prior to cutting out the profile of the bait while the material is still in a sqare block form. I make my cuts on a band saw and it makes it much easier getting straight cuts. One thing I'll add to this though. If you just make one cut for each hinge, you're finished bait will be longer than the way it started due to gapping in the joints. What I do, is make two cuts approximately 1/4" apart per hinge so the gap is built in if that makes sense. But, I definately second Mark's advice on leaving the joints connected until the bait is completely shaped. TJ

Has anyone tried Dicknite's? I have been considering doing a foil job, but have been having a hard time bringing my self to try it since all I make are multiple jointed swimbaits TJ

I had trouble with e-mailing DN as well. Just give him a call. As far as the Etex, I got mine at Hobby Lobby, but you can probably get it at any craft store. You can also get it from Wasco. TJ

Hey Matt, your hardbaits are really top notch. I know they are going to be a big hit. They have inspired me to make some bluegill baits of my own. They are very similar to yours, but are larger and not quite the detail of yours. I just don't have the patience for it. Congrats on a fantastic product. TJ

I think I have a better idea of what you are dealing with now. The fins are probably the same material that the small fins on the BBZ1 are made out of...not soft plastic. I think that you could probably go ahead and clear it with epoxy. A more flexible epoxy like etex would probably be better. If it was me, I would just put a very light coat on the fins...just enough to keep the paint from rubbing off. You will lose some of the flexibility I'm sure, but it won't matter on that bait. Dick Nites might actually be a better clear coat for what you are doing especially if it is sprayed. On a side note, If you don't mind sharing, I'd like to know what colors you painted this bait with...especially the blue and the yellow stripe. I have a bait that I am making that is very similar to this one and I think that that color is very nice. PM me if you rather. thanks. TJ

Createx won't stick to the soft plastic. I've tried it. I think that the clear "paint" that poly-sil makes is just a paint medium without a pigment added for possibly creating custom colors using your own dyes or maybe even diluting one of the other paints to a transparent color . I am not sure what dyes would work though. I am fixing to order some myself in the near future and intend on using the clear for adding in powder hi-lite to be sprayed over the painted bait for an irradescent effect. It could be used as a clearcoat over the soft plastic, but I just don't see the point. The paint supposedly does not wash or rub off which is really the point of clearcoating anyway. Just my:twocents:. TJ

I just did a test on the ability of the stuff from Home Depot I have to hold screw eyes. Actually I don't use screweyes, but rather 1/8" and 3/32" cotter pins instead. I used a 3/32 cotter pin this time and prepared it with sandpaper. I also used a set of wire cutters to cut ridges down the length of the pin. I glued it in with Devcon 5min and I currently have a five gallon jug of water suspended from it with no problems. I can't imagine needing more strength than nearly fifty lbs. I can only imagine the screw eyes epoxied in would only be stronger. Next time I'm over at Home Depot, I will try to get the brand name of the stuff. Thanks for all the comments guys. TJ

Thanks for the comments guys. I am not building the bait in halves like hopkins does, but I will be gluing the hinges on it like the ones with the door style hinges. As far as the material I am using, it is the trim board found at Home Depot. TJ

Well, I went and bought some of this stuff today to make a swimbait out of and I love it. The question I have is, what type of glue is the strongest for a PVC to PVC bond...regurlar PVC glue, or epoxy? I am building most of my baits with the door type hinge and want the bond to be as strong as possible. Thanks guys. TJ

Yes I have many times and it works very well. It requires very little of the powder to get the effect you're looking for especially over a dark background. TJ

Marbleing is quite easy. I do it on the custom rods that I make. All you need to do is shoot a base color and then clear coat with epoxy. Then, take a small amount of epoxy (a puddle about the size of a dime or nickle) and add just a drop or two of paint to it and mix. I like to use testors model paints. I let the jar sit for a few days so all the pigment settles down and then pour the solvent off but you don't have to. As you turn the bait, take a tooth pic and dip it into the pigmented epoxy and start swirling it into the clear coat on the bait. You can also get different effects when using something other than toothpics to apply the pigment. Depending on the look you want, (more or less blended) you can swirl in the pigment at earlier or later stages of the top coat cure. Hope that helps ya. TJ

21xdc, I do agree with you mostly. I am a firm believer that a bass, especialy larger bass live by the saying "most amount of calories consumed for least amount spent". However, how do you figure that a wounded or dissoriented bait fish does not provide an easy of a meal as a healthy vibrant baitfish? I also believe that bass are very opportunistic. What that says to me though, is that when a bass is actively feeding, they will feed on just about anything healthy or not. However, almost by the near definition of the word "opportunistic", a bass may be more likely feed on a injured or dissoriented fish when they are not actively feeding whenever the "opportunity" presents itself. Just my .2 cents. TJ

Thanks Mark. I have to admit, I was inspired by the new Mattlure hard bluegill he is about to release. I thought his looked so awesome, I had to try to make one similar to his. I'm sure mine is not nearly as good as his anyway. If he sees this, I hope it doesn't rub him the wrong way since this is just a hobby for me and I don't sale any of mine yet. And, if I ever decide to, this one will not be one of them. Thanks again. TJ

It is made of wood, and I'm not sure how heavy it is but it is about 8" long. It does have a few coats of DN sprayed on it. I am waiting to get some eyes from Muskysnax to finish it off. Once I do, I will put the eyes on and then build up the finish to a thicker glossier look. Here is a pic of a bluegill bait that has the Dick Nite built up. By the way, the greens used in this pic were the same ones I used in the bass. The pics are of the same bait...Just look a little different in the different angles of light. http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/borderbasser/102_8111.jpg http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/borderbasser/102_8112.jpg TJ

Thanks for the insight guys. I have abandoned the idea. Thanks again. TJ

Here is one I just did using the Polytranspar Lt./Med./Drk. Bass Greens (transparent and opaque) from Wasco. Those three colors are pretty much all you will ever need as far as I concered to do bass colors. http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/borderbasser/102_8115.jpg Here is how I did it. -white base coat -pearl coat - createx pearl satin gold over back shoulders and cheeks. - shoot med. opaque bass green through netting over the shoulders and back to create the scale pattern and then spray the cheek as well. Remove the net and soften it up with translucent drk. bass green. - a light coat of drk. opaque bass green over back to darken it up a bit - the stripes are shot with opaque drk. bass green and black - I then shot a very light coat of polytranspar shimmering green One thing I'll mention, is the opaqe colors are actually kinda transparent unless you layer or spray it heavly enough to make it opaque. Hope this helps ya. TJ

Try a forestner (sp?) bit. I chuck mine up in the drill press and spin it as fast as possible...the faster the better and just take your time. The bit has a little spike on the end so it helps keep it from wandering. It also cuts a flat bottom hole. TJ

Thanks Husky. I really appreciate it. More questions are to come. TJ