jrhopkins

they are a microfiber i found in the fly tying dept. at Sportsmans Warehouse. they are called "Microfibetts" by L&L products. yeh, a lot more work but make nice looking fins and are tough. i cut slots into the bait before i paint it and epoxy them into place before i clearcoat it. i like the look better than the ziplock bag method, i think they look more realistic and don't offer as much resistance for the tail action. Emmett, thanks for the paint tip, picked some up and will give it a try.

thanks for the tip. am going there tomorrow so i'll look for some. rattle cans are ok but pretty limited for any detail. john

i got a cheap airbrush from Harbor Freight and was wondering about inexpensive paints to start out with. was thinking about the paints you get at the hobby store for model cars. currently i am painting by hand with a brush and it is not as detailed as i would like. this is a swimbait i just made using a rattle can and brush. i was thinking with an airbrush i could blend the colors better.

not a burner. i just press the tool into the wood to leave an indentation. use it on baits that are not foil covered.

i made this from a brass tube connector. this one is 1/4 inch but you can get smaller ones. plumbing supplies, auto parts. make some kind of handle for it to suit you, i used a big rubber grommet. sharpen the end slightly with a file to cut into the wood. practice first and have bandaids handy:) ood easier.

electrical wiring , pull the wire out and snip the insulation into short pieces to fit over the hook point.

most of the places i fish are less than 30' deep, is that considered shallow and would that wide cone angle work best in those locations?

ok, thanks. will give it a try.

thanks, lots of fun to make. sure beats watching American Idol:) . have a question for you. cannot figure out how to post photos in the gallery. i don't see any link to it on the web page or i'm just missing it. have some lures i'd like to show. thanks, john

help please. can't figure out how to post photos in the gallery. do i just click on someone else's and upload the picture?

look in the yellow pages under plastic. found a place locally that sells 1/16" thick for $4.50/ft.

this is how i made mine. ziplock freezer bags. i use windows paint program to print the image i want for the tail and fins on tissue paper ( search forum for tissue paper printing ). then i sandwich the image between twp pices of the ziplock bag with contact cement. contact cement is waterproof and will stay flexible. tape the 2 pieces of the bag down on a flat srface ( i use my cutting board ) because otherwise they will curl up and you won't get them apart. brush on the cement on each piece and let it dry well, about 15 minutes or more depending on how thick you put it on. on the image you do the same thing only not too thick, then take up the image and hang it up so it can air dry. after it has dried flip it over and do the other side. ok, now to assemble. carefully place the image on one piece of the ziplock you have taped down and smooth it easily with your finger. now take the other piece of plastic and place it glue side down on the image. again smooth with your finger to push out any air bubbles. i usually start laying the plastic down over the image at one side and smooth as i go. ok, all assembled and ready to go! in my cranks i cut a slot wher i want the tail or fins to go and imbed them in devcon. then you can use a Sharpie fine point marker to add detail. long process but gets nice results. Durability? try to tear a ziplock bag.

thanks, found some gold foil at the craft store. jr

thanks for the link. how thick is the copper tape? been wanting to try some foil.

where do you get the colored foil. have checked the local craft stores with no luck.

i tried the Solo cups in lacquer thinner with no luck. the cups did not dissolve. let them sit all day, still nothing. i went to walmart and got the cheapest cup they sell, Chinet brand and they dissolved with no problem. when using a jar with a screw on lid keep the jar mouth and the lid cleaned off. excess coating will glue the lid to the jar and you won't get it off.