Vodkaman

Of course. I throw that bit out (unless she lets me use her toothbrush for cleaning lure bodies of course). Dave

In my experience, always wash the pantyhose first, or you will end up with more clogs than you started with. Dave

Lay a more substantial backing, for more grip. Also the hair is always going to pull around, so start it 90 degrees over, so it ends up where you want it. Dave

That is the beauty of lure building, it does not have to be expensive. A small saw, box cutter knife with the snap off blades, few sheets of sand paper and you have enough to manufacture a body. Even if you have zero tools and materials, you could probably build and finish your first dozen for $25. Lure building is not for everyone, make sure it is for you before you drop the big dollars. Dave

My process was quite efficient. I cut a dozen bodies for the project (duplicator machine). I sealed with polyester resin, ready for water after 30 minutes. The problem was that as I tried to make my idea work, the design became more and more complicated, to the point that it was not a practical build. Also, I should have started off with a larger body, to give myself some elbow room. Micro surgery on a 1.5" body just did not work out well. Sometimes you just got to cut the idea loose and start again. Not a total loss, I did learn some. Dave

Don't be so sure, your local tax representative uses internet too you know. Big brother is watching Dave

Sounds like you are well on top of this technique. I gave up way too quick on this one. I would really like to see the video, I want to see the rotating mechanism. Good project. Dave

Achieving a neat parting line is a very hit and miss affair, even simply being able to retrieve your master without damaging it, is a nightmare, as you found out (this is why a soft master is preferred, but sometimes this is just not feasible). This was too unpredictable for me, so I developed a technique involving a third step. It is a lot more work, but you might deem it worth while, I certainly did. The first pour is the extra step. I build a cone of soft modeling clay and sit the master on the cone. Set the cone in the pour box and pour just past the parting line. Bubbles are not a concern. When the cast has cooled. I remove the cone and push the master out of its cavity. The edges will fracture. This is of no concern. Thoroughly dry the mold. Sand the face back to where you want the parting line. Coarse sheet of emery (I use 80 grit) glued down on a flat plate and figure of eight motion. Fire up the compressor with a fine nozzle, for cleaning the emery. Finish off with a couple of passes on 150 grit. Heavy coat of wax, reinsert the master. Place in pour box and pour top half. Split the mold. Now any chips or bubbles in the first cast, are now positive and can be carefully cut away with a sharp knife. I prefer to remove the master just after the plaster sets. It is still soft and I can rock the master slightly to free it. Remove the master and thoroughly dry. A few passes with 150 grit removes any faults. At this point I cut in the locators with a spherical burr, no deeper than 3mm. It does not take much to locate the mold halves and the less intrusive your locators are, the easier your mold will split. The first half is complete and ready to pour the second half. I have not mentioned the pour hole/cone, this is upto you. This method gives a very neat and crisp parting line, exactly where you want it. The temporary cast can be used again for making multiple molds, without having to go through the whole process again. It is essentially your master mold. I told you it was long winded, but it does remove the stress and guess work. Dave

Welcome to TU and the addiction, be warned, there is no cure. Lots of questions so I have broken them down: I was wanting to know what peoples opinions are of the lacquer paints. I have made a paint booth with good ventilation and I don’t mind the smells I wear a good mask. A few builders do use lacquers, but I don’t think it was about the durability, more the colors. I would have said go with water base, but you have taken the right precautions to deal with lacquer. Just make sure you have the correct filter for the job. I also want to know is it best to put the lip in after you paint or install it before. And how do you go about without getting the all over the bait. This is personal choice. I think the split is about 50/50. Also Do I have to rotate the baits after I brush on the devcon 2 ton epoxy. Yes, you can do it manually, or build a lure turner. Lots written about this. Also can you really thin epoxy with the denatured alcohol and do I need a drying wheel if I do that. Thinned epoxy makes a good seal coat, but I don’t think it is a good idea thinning the top coat. The whole point of the epoxy as a top coat, is to take advantage of its self leveling ability. If you thin it, you are going to be dealing with drips and runs and you will have to apply several coats. Do I need to get a bigger compressor. What you have now is OK, but if you really get into lure painting, you will probably want a compressor with a tank. These tend to be a lot more noisy, but only kick in occasionally. More consistent pressures especially at higher pressures. What is the common weights that one uses for the Belly weights. I pour my own. Lots of different solutions to this question, lead sheet, lead solder, rolled lead sheet, commercial weights cut to suit etc. We all understand your enthusiasm. Take your time, lots to learn. Dave

I too would go the insert to keep the hot air out. But seeing as you do not have a window, you have a similar situation to me, rented accommodation, no modifications allowed. I removed the original glass door and made a replacement door and fitted a large squirrel cage extractor fan for dealing with floating dust. It also keeps air moving through the house on hot days (every day). Once you build your own door, flexible hose to your extractor above your work station will do the job. Dave

Yes, they were 800 pixels. I will stick to 600 in future if you force everyone else to stick to the rules too. If there is one thing I hate is clicking a thumbnail, waiting minutes for it to load, then having to scroll around because the thumb in the picture is bigger than my hand. Dave

Yes, much better. MUCH better. Speed seems OK, I haven't been experiencing any of the problems some of the other members have. Dave

I forgot to say welcome to TU. You are probably right about the flat sided bait escaping patent law. But you will have to find another name if you want to sell it. The name is as big a part of the fuss as the shape and everything else. Looking forward to seeing your poured creations. Dave

Every other web side on the net manages to fill my screen, but not TU. Here is what I get: It seems that all other sites tune the display to the screen being used. Once again I am left with a tiny display with 3" dead space each side. You are only ever going to make a small percentage happy with this method of display. Is this a great hardship for me? No, not as much as having to scroll to read every thread, like the small screen users have to do. But there is a better solution and every other web site seems to have it. Dave Dave

Good solution Mark. Much simpler than what I was trying to do. Dave

Why not make a 2 part PoP mold, it will work well. Just need a little practice to stop the two halves sticking together. Lots of information on the web about 2 part molding. Dave

I did a few hand rotating tests too, using polyester resin. Like Jerry found, the liquid to jel phase happens in seconds, this results in a very uneaven and random cavity. A speedy rotation would be better, but it would only work for concentric bodies and even then, the resin would gather at the widest part of the body and thin out at the nose and tail. It needs some kind of 'figue 8' rotation pattern, turning at about 120rpm. I have not figured it out yet, so this is just opinion. Dave

OK, I see. But thinking of the machining, that was probably more work than just doing a round worm and has to be a reason for it. Of course the reason might be just to avoid similation litigation. It may well have a nice wriggle to it. Dave

Have you actually tried the worm, to see how it falls in the water. You might be surprised. That corkscrew shape will have an effect in the water. Dave

I mix by hand, nice and slow. I pour just enough to cover, then use a paint brush around the edges. After pouring the rest, my hand goes in again, to stroke the master to release bubbles. The method works for me. Recently I read that it was not a good idea to use your hand. This was a disappointment for me. I had noticed that after working with PoP that my skin was very dry, but no other problems that a dab of cream could not fix. Dave

You cannot design to suit everybody. You design for the majority. My computer is six years old and your web site works fine on it. If you reduce the width, then the majority are going to have gaps down the side. Jerry did this for a while with the TU screen and it was a real pain. Either looks good for the majority or you cater for the minority. You choose. Dave

Here is a post from the master: http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/11952-swimbait-wout-the-swim/page__st__60__p__93049__hl__bristles__fromsearch__1#entry93049 Read post No63. Dave

Mark, post the pictures in this thread, don't make us search the gallery for them. This lure development thread is so rare, we need to keep the information in one place. As far as my own progress, I am losing the battle. So many good ideas, just not quite working out. Now I have to carve out a new body shape for my next attempt. I am not done yet, but struggling. Hope you guys are doing better. Dave

LMAO Dave

You did not state how many you are getting out of a one ounce tube set. But to give you an idea, I weigh out 1.5 grams from the twin tube set and this easily covers my 2" crank body. This gives me 18 bodies give or take. I am happy with that. What I do for a new bait is: weigh the body before coating and weigh the body after. This gives me the weight of epoxy required. Of course you have to add a little extra, as you cannot apply it all, some gets left behind. This method works well for me. I am never left short and never wasting excess. I also use the application weight when determining the ballast weight required. Dave