Vodkaman

It is good that you have a particular swim pattern in mind, this gives you something to aim for. Go with your gut instincts, but be prepared to experiment with all the parameters of the lure, such as ballast location and size, lip size and shape, eye position, etc. When experimenting, change only one thing at a time, or you will never learn what change worked. Make notes of the changes and the effect, this way, you will eventually be able to predict a particular result. Good luck with your project and keep us informed. Dave

Rookie, I gotta couple of spares. Dave

All the eye methods will work fine with the hard plastic. I prefer the loose barrel twist. Post No10 of this link shows my pic: http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/hard-baits/16723-balsa-filler-wire-assembly-questions.html Dave

I got it. The signature is a club member privilage. Seems strange that the gallery allows it. Dave

That is neat. Gonna have to make me one of those. Dave

Ah, I get it. Thanks Del. Dave

I'm not really sure what you are looking for. I use a small stainless steel coffee ladle, that I bought in Sweden. I cut a notch in the rim, to control the pour. It works perfect. Dave

Have you considered propionate? A few larger manufacturers use this, must be a good reason. It has its own set of problems and learning curve though, nothing new there. I don't think you will save on the hardening time, but their is no waste and the stuff doesn't go off. It will thicken over time, then you just add more solvent to the mix and you are good to go again. Dave

You have don it. But, unlike the avatar, the signature automatically becomes part of the text for previous posts, so will remain. Dave

You have really ansered your own question. By removing the fins, you got the lure to work. This kind of lure is all about the tail. You need a nice smooth flow of water to the tail, then the action starts. Those pec fins are obviously disturbing the water and picking up unwanted forces, causing the bait to roll. Patricks suggestion is reasonable, moving the fins to a more horizontal position, but even this has no guarantees, plus, it is not the visual effect that you are looking for. They are purely for aesthetic effect, I would get rid. If you really want them, then it is probably cheaper to test different locations by gluing, Then make a mold when you have got the fins to work. Dave

From all the vids I have watched, it is my opinion that four swims better than three. But the fish are the ones we need to ask, both catch fish. A 5" 4 seg is do-able, just needs planning. Mine is going to be a built in door hinge style, this releases a lot of room for the rest of the hardware (no horizontal screw eyes). Which ever way you go, good luck with it and keep us posted. Dave

The ratio 2:1:1:1 seems quite popular. I have just drawn one out with the same ratio and it looks good to me. The bait I have just drawn out is also 5" (plus tail). I suggest you too draw it out roughly and lay on your hardware, to plan for all the positions. A 5" bait is quite small and if you don't plan, you may find yourself getting a headache later. The epoxy + screw eyes should be fine. for the pins, some use bicycle spokes. If you are concerned about rust, sit the nail on a plate in a few drops of slightly salty water. A couple of days will give you the answer. Dave

This was a recent discussion on the problem. http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/soft-plastics/16511-blue-glitter-turns-green.html It might help. Dave

Yes you can. This thread is a must read though: http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/soft-plastics/16214-what-should-i-make-mold-out.html Dave

It's that long since I used mine, I have trouble finding it. Dave

Fishing a lake on a windy day, whatching a 45" umbrella in camo' green, go drifting by. You just know someone is having a bad day. Which is more embarrassing, losing the rod privately, or losing the brolly, for everyone to see? Dave

Simply ask a question. Post a pic if relevant to the question. Answers will be forthcomming in abundance. We love solving problems. This is fundamental to TU. Dave

I haven't checked to see what has been deleted and what has not. But of the threads that you have started, have all been to display your work. This is not allowed in the forums, they must be posted to the gallery. The forums are all about solving problems, new ideas, new solutions etc. The gallery was introduced for displaying your work and collecting the acolades you justifiably deserve. It also separates TU from all the other lure building site, where you have to sieve through twenty posts of "wow, look at my new bait!!" before you find something interesting to read. Dave

Try a Google search. I found a few results with "modification sebile majic swimmer". Dave

The problem is that salt does not dissolve in plastic. So the fine ground salt is going to give a milky opaque look, but it is easier to keep in suspension. Larger, unground salt crystals should give more of the effect you are looking for, but they settle much faster, because they are heavy. But, I don't pour plastics, this is just theory. Dave

Jeremy, I think you are correct there. Wood is not a constant density, this fact is causing me problems too. But, if the designer does a proper course of prototyping, to explore the full potential of his bait design, then using plastic, he can make every lure swim at its best. Dave

Probably would have to be a separate forum, called "hard plastics". It certainly is getting popular. Dave

Yes, remove the marbles. Yes, as long as you can align the two halves exactly. Find a dowel or bolt. Find the diameter and drill a hole through both halves. The hole diameter must be such that you don't have to force the dowel in, but not so loose that it rattles around. Glue the dowel into one half, trim so that 1/4" extends into the 2nd half. Two such dowel pins will be required to locate the two halves of the mold. I have never tried this, but I think it will work. Wait for any comments from others first, someone may have a better solution. Dave

If I sold 200 of anything, I would probably add a few extra, but I certainly would not charge for them. If you do not complain and attempt to rectify the situation, they will continue to deal this way, thinking that it is acceptable. It is NOT acceptable, so complain. Dave