Vodkaman

Good question. I see no reason why progressively smaller shouldn't work. An accepted formula is 2:1:1:1 having said that, I build my head section smaller than this, maybe 1.7:1:1:1 I think the important part is the first to second sections, the third and fourth just follow, but I could be wrong. The most important part of building swimbaits, is getting the hinges free moving with no edges or burrs to interfere with the movement. It is amazing that the slightest burr will turn your masterpiece into a dead stick. Dave

Welcome to TU MD, great post. I upload my pics to Photobucket, then post a link on TU. Photobucket even prepares the link for you, so that the picture displays automatically. Dave

I hope you get lots of feedback on this one. I have to admit to being confused about this kind of bait. I have read on past threads about the angle of the wires being critical. also the orientation of the cup of the blade. There was also discussion on whether one or both blades are supposed to spin or flutter. I am hoping that someone will set the record straight on all of this. Dave Posted one minute after Musky Glenn's informative reply.

How long is it taking? I have posted a couple of threads on hanger bending, search barrel. If you post a pic of the wire form, maybe we can help you with a better method. Dave

Your proposed solution sounds like a good idea. The plastic does shrink and does need topping up. Dave

Sorry your experiment did not work to your satisfaction. But I could definitely see the bait wanting to dart from side to side. I have not built any of this kind of design before, but imagine that a small tub is not ideal for testing. I think you should give them one more test in open water, before retiring them. Great vid. Dave

My wife liked those big, chunky candles. When the wax got too low and the wick failed, I would add a chip of balsa, which would act like a floating wick. It worked great and so I would save all the candle scraps for this method. One day, the wax got a bit low in the dish and the whole lot burst into flames. It seemed to take forever to get to the kitchen, soak a towel and return to the inferno. Maybe I should have tried spitting on it like you did. I should have left the ceiling stained, trying to wash it just made it worse and I had to redecorate the whole room. That'll learn me. Dave

Unless you want clear lips, circuit board is the superior material. Dave

Ha! Sorry, they looked like pencil marks. Those are very fine slots. I make my slots extra wide, this gives me some room for adjustment. Dave Dave

Start off by going through Fatfingers gallery. Even if you do not find the pic that you are looking for, his finishes are about as good as it gets. Dave

Goody, a new Dieter vid, I was getting withdrawal symptoms. The bait looks great and I am sure you will have success. Dave

Mine is a 4" wide belt and disk combo. I am very happy with it. The down side is the limitation of the belt wheel radius, I wish it was smaller. I move to the drill press with a sanding drum that I made for the concave shapes. Belt sanders 'belt' out more dust than any of the machines in the shop. Also, the dust that it creates is extremely fine and therefore extremely unhealthy. Always wear a mask and hook up your shop vac if you do not have a dust extraction system. Sorry to hijack, but this is important. Dave

I know I shouldn't be laughing right now, but your writing was brilliant and graphic. It is an excellent post, in that others can learn from your experiences. You obviously know what you did wrong, so enough said. I like the bit about more reading too. Did you enjoy the adrenaline rush? Beats mushrooms I bet. Dave

If you cut the lip slot prior to carving, the perpendicular problem would go away. Dave

If you mix alcohol with the concave forehead, you get an erratic hunting action. Dave

I abandoned the idea for now, but will return to it in the future. Dave

I used that method once, when I could not find my abrasive soap bar. I dipped the buffing wheel in the liquid and did the buffing in a plastic bag, correctly anticipating the spray. It worked well. Just using a cloth with the liquid would work, just taking a bit longer. Dave

This was discussed recently. I draw parallel lines on a piece of paper. I hold the bait up in front of the paper and adjust the lip so that it looks the same both sides in relation to the lines. Use one eye only or you will get parallax errors. It is not a perfect method, but seems to work fine for me. Dave

If your baits are already set half way, then the sanding operation is not necessary. Have you cut some keying indents, to locate both halves of the mold, so that the cavities will line up when pouring. Dave

Because I am not making PoP molds regularly, I usually end up doing a Google search to find the mix ratio numbers. But I think it was less PoP than you are using. A thinner mix than 2:1 will help with the bubble removal. Experimenting with mixes is allowed. I measure the volume of the mold, by filling with water and pouring into a jug. This is my water content and I work out the volume of PoP from this. Yes, I end up with more mix than I need, but PoP is cheap. It is always better to mix too much than not enough. This method also tests my mold box for leaks. Nothing worse than PoP mix leaking out after all that preparation. Dave

I bought a hair dryer once. My polished bald head did not go unnoticed by the till girl. Dave

Funny Jed, I like that one. I am slightly concerned because sometimes I can feel an idea or a train of thought slipping away, then a few seconds later it is gone. Very frustrating. Dave

Put your hand on your hip and blow them a kiss. Works for me. Dave

Jed nailed it. Dave

It has the same forces on it that a jointed swim bait has, so I would say that it was reasonable to expect. Dave