smalljaw

UTC ultra thread is a nylon, it is very similar to flat waxed nylon.

GSP (gel spun polyethylene) shouldn't cause any build up and I never heard of it doing that. My guess is you are using a waxed thread because GSP doesn't come in 210 denier, at least I've never encountered it. I know it runs from like 50 denier up to 200 but then after that I only ever saw 280 but I only use 200 and didn't like it. I've heard of waxed threads causing build up in bobbins without ceramic inserts, my bobbins all have it and also flared ends and I have never had issue with build up and I only used waxed nylon. Id reach out to the manufacturer and find out what the issue could be because as I mentioned before, I never heard of build up associated with GSP but it may be brand specific, I don't know but the manufacturer should be able to help.

This is the stuff you want. http://www.powderboothparts.com/cart/index.php?target=products&product_id=937

It is 3 colors, they are all natures edge colors, chartreuse watermelon, pumpkin, and watermelon. As for your preference for fine cut or frogs hair, well the good news is you can get it in those colors. The bad news is you will have to call Skirts Plus and order 1000 of each color to get it. If you go to the Skirts Plus website they tell you that fine cut silicone is not stocked, you need to order it special and minimum order is 1000 tabs per color. Now, you can get fine cut from Living Rubber company, they sell fine cut silicone but it is limited in what colors and there are no natures edge colors so if you want to make the "oops" skirt in fine cut you will need to special order it so 3 colors will run you a little over $600 but you'll have 3000 tabs. Fishingskirts.com does not carry fine cut silicone, they carry finesse cut, it is the same width as a regular tab but only half as thick but still 20-22 strands per tab. Fine cut material also only has 20 strands per tab but the tabs are only 3/8" wide, if they were as wide as a regular tab there would be like 52 strands. So to make it clear, there isn't anyone who has natures edge colors in fine cut/frogs hair silicone, you will need to special order it, Barlow's has plain colors in fine cut material and Living Rubber has a few more but no natures edge. http://www.skirtsplus.com/html/products.html

I sent you a PM.

Well done, I like the material listing on screen!!!

Map gas is too hot, propane is much better for this. I don't think it is too much heat though, the issue is how you are putting the colors on, you have to think about how the powder is going to spray. For example, on a bait that I'm doing that say has a white belly with a red throat patch, pearl sides and a black back I will do the colors in a certain order. First the white belly, then the red throat patch and that is because I may get overspray onto the pearl. Next I do the pearl body and finally the black back, but for the back I won't spray directly on top but maybe 5 degrees off center, it is very little. I do that so I get a little overspray onto what I call the shoulders of the bait, this area is lighter in color to the back and gives a nice transition over to the lighter pearl color.

Fishboy gave you the easiest way to do it. You can also do the thing Jig Man alluded to in putting the keeper in and closing the mold and striking it with a dead blow hammer or rubber mallet. I will say that even cranking the mold closed in a vise you may still need to take a Dremel with an engraving bit and just run it through the indent of the wire keeper. The reason for that is because the mold may still need to be squeezed really tight for the mold to close completely so just barely run the bit through the indent in the mold.

When you paint a jig with it and you see all one color, don't get excited. The first time I used gold veined paint I was disappointed as the jigs looked like plain gold. I figured they were painted so I'll cure them and maybe add some GP or watermelon and make roadkill out of it. Well after I took them out of the oven they looked great, and so don't judge your jig until after it is cured, that is when the veins really come out.

You read that wrong, he means if they raise McDonalds workers raise to $15/Hr. he's be better off working there part time than making lures.

You don't need a wire form for an in-line buzz bait, just a straight shaft about 8" in length.

I will vouch for him as I have previously purchased lead from him before. It melts clean, no slag/dross and the price is really good for lead that clean.

I use the tool, I can do them by hand but not as fast as I can with the tool.

You will get overspray but there are ways to limit it. The first is air pressure, if your regulator allows it try to get it under 5 psi. The second thing is getting close and using short quick pulses rather than just holding the trigger down. After that it is just practice, and remember, you aren't going to get fine detail like a regular airbrush and paint but you can layer and blend colors really well.

I will echo Cadman, just pour it without the keeper. If you want a little extra width, take a small piece of ultra chenille and tie it on the hook shank . That should let you build up the area without having to use a ton of thread and you will have a wider area to tie on. Ultra chenille or nylon chenille work best.

That is probably a custom design from cast industries (LPO). The collar design is the same as LPO but LPO's stock jigs have the barb on the opposite side. To me it looks like a redesigned sparkie head that is slightly more rounded with the ring and barb collar and Do-it doesn't make a mold like that.

You're not going to comb out flash material, it will get caught and break off. As far as combing out hair, it usually doesn't need it, there are combs made but they are mostly underfur and dubbing combs. You could go to a pet store and buy a large size flea comb and it will do the same thing but again, the only things I heard of being combed out is craft fur and dubbing.

https://www.barlowstackle.com/MicroLon-P3127.aspx

Krystal flash is limp when it gets wet but it is a good bit thinner than flashabou. The predator wrap is much more fluid than flashabou as well and not much thinner so it doesn't take much to get a good look. There are a ton of synthetics that move really well like microlon and polar flash move well in water as well.

The manufacturer, Mustang wire, said the keepers are in spec but they are going to go back to the original design. That is double speak for "I decided to make more money but making them shorter but I'll admit no wrong doing" . I never heard back but I did get 500 to try and they were fine.

Those jigs are interesting. I normally don't like a long collar like that but using thread colors to compliment the hair actually works. I think the way you tied them with the shape of the split shot head and position of the line tie will make for a really good minnow imitator, well done!!

PSI needs to be low, around 5 will work great.

Jig Man makes one of the nicest, and cleanest ties using a head without a collar. Look at his jigs, that is what you want yours to resemble, you will only get a small amount of flare without a collar. That said, I tie on collarless jigs as well and a thinner jig doesn't mean it isn't a fish catcher, they work great because they mimic minnows really well. Bucktail doesn't have a ton of action, what makes it so good is it creates the perfect minnow profile when wet, that is why you hear all the really good jig makers say less is more, a full jig looks good to us but a more sparse jig looks good to the fish. I'm willing to bet your jigs are fine, and one last thing, don't compare what you are tying to someone elses jig, the head style and material could be totally different and I know if I get bucktails from different suppliers in the same color the hair is different. Hareline Dubbin Company has smaller tails but they are better because the hair is soft no matter what color because some dyes will give you hair that is really stiff and others the dye actually comes off on your fingers. So stay with it and fish your jigs before comparing them, every hair jig is unique to the person tying them.

First of all I'd like to thank all these guys, I'm humbled by your remarks. Apdriver is spot on, you are removing too much material, with bucktail you want to add small increments so you shouldn't have to remove a lot of shorts. What you want to do is cut your clump right at the base no matter how long or short your jig requires. Next you'll line the clump up to where you want it and trim, there will be some short pieces in there but it helps add flare and some fullness to your jig. Now you shouldn't get a lot of shorts if you remember to cut ad add small amounts at a time, think layers, that will help. Also, the type of jig can make a difference, try using a jig with a ring or ball collar that you can tie up against to create flare, even a sparse jig will work well if the hair has a little flare to it.

Go to soft plastics forum, that would be a topic over there.