mark poulson

If you have a bandsaw, make a jig and use it to cut the lip slots. It's a lot safer. I think Vodkaman said he used bondo. You can even use Fast Set 20 drywall mud, or Plaster of Paris. If you are going to cut a lot of slots, and the baits are all the same shape from a resin mold, I would say take the time to make an RTV mold to hold your baits, since it'll be worth your time in the long run.

Red Skullz, I haven't fished for toothy critters. Another SoCal builder from TU makes PVC swimbaits for the salt, and he changed from Target to another top coat because he had problems. But he was using the same int. urethane, the SC9000, that I use trouble-free for bass. I've made some jointed swimbaits for the salt for a friend, and I used their exterior urethane, EM9300. It is not super clear, like the SC9000, but it is much stronger. The exterior urethane is so strong that I have to put a dip coat of the interior urethane over the paint to keep it from being crackled by the exterior. Personally, I think the PVC is the key to lure survival with toothy critters. if the teeth can't penetrate the lure body, the finish will hold up much better. If I were making pike/muskie lures, I'd use the PVC, which is hard enough that Al Lindner couldn't dent it when he bit one of my lures, and I'd put two dips of the SC and one of the EM exterior at the end over my Createx paint scheme. I think the hard, waterproof PVC makes that paint scheme/top coat combination almost indestructible.

Sally, I think that there are too many variables that only personal trial and error will expose for anyone to write a perfect tutorial for any top coat. Everyone builds and paints differently, so results will always vary. For me, what to use boils down to a couple of things. First, the harder the lure body, the softer the top coat can be. Soft wood must be protected by a hard top coat. Second, the more buoyant I want the lure, the thinner/lighter I want the top coat to be. A heavy top coat will kill the advantage that a wood like balsa brings to a crank. Third, I want the easiest top coat whenever possible. I build lures to fish, and I want more time to fish, not build. I've pretty much settled on a urethane from Target Coatings as my default top coat. It is easy to dip, dries fast and cures out hard, it's super clear, and holds up for my lures. It is strictly a personal preference thing. Dick Nite makes three good alternatives, too. Lots of other builder use lots of other top coats, and love them. If I were you, I'd post specific questions about any top coat I was interested in trying, and see what others are willing to share about it. Knowing myself, I'd probably give it a try first, so I could have some first hand failure experience to share before I asked for advice. I have lots of top coats up on my shelves that I've tried, used, and then discarded when I found something that worked better for my own lure making. The hard bait forum probably has as many posts on top coats as on any other subject, so there is a ton of information here if you use the search, and type in "top coat". Of course, you'll never have time to actually build lures or fish if you read them all!

Jerry, While we have you online, when I post a comment to a hard baits gallery photo, the comment goes onto the photo, but I get this message: An Error OccurredSorry, an error occurred. If you are unsure on how to use a feature, or don't know why you got this error message, try looking through the help files for more information. [#1-global-comments-_add-2] Sorry, but you do not have permission to use this feature. If you are not logged in, you may do so using the form below if available. I'm already automatically signed in whenever I come to TU, I think, so I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I should just add this to an already long list of things on the computer I don't understand.

+1 Action catches fish, paint jobs catch fishermen. But they're fun to paint.

Thanks Jerry. I thought it was just me. Do you mean that no one can see their own graphic tabs? I am totally clueless when it comes to computers and software, so forgive what must seem like simple questions to you. Normally I would ask my 16 year old, but she's out of school, and sleeping in as late as she wants to now, so I'm afraid to wake her. Very afraid.

Using a heavy wood like oak makes it tough to make a small floating lure. The hardware and hook will probably be enough to counteract any buoyancy the oak has, and the sealer, paint, and topcoat won't help. And a metal bill would only make it heavier still. I'd stick to plastic of some kind for the bill. From what I've found making 1.0 knockoffs from PVC, the bait needs to be kind of fat to have enough buoyancy to be a floater when it's done. I've made some 2" flat sided cranks from it, too, and I've been able to make floaters, but only just barely. I think balsa is the way to go for small stuff. I have an old Stanley electric drill with a really fine chuck that I use for really small bits. If you were drilling balsa, I'd suggest wrapping the shank of the bit in masking tape, to make it fatter, and then clamping it down hard in your chuck. Even if it's slightly off center, the soft wood would be forgiving. I don't think that will work with oak, because it such a hard wood, but you might want to give it a try, just in case it does the job.

If you're hand pouring with a pyrex cup, one way to extend your pouring time is to use the Norpor silicone cups. They hold heat a lot longer than pyrex. http://cgi.ebay.com/SILICONE-MEASURE-STIR-POUR-1-2-CUPS-MEASURING-NEW-/190490076167?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&var=&hash=item7216ef2a2c

Blazt, That's how I have to find my own gallery, too. It's all there, it's just a round-about way to access it.

Jerry, I still don't have any graphics beneath my avatar. Is a fix coming, or is it a lost cause?

I agree that the syringes to use are Flexcoat 3cc syringes. They're made for epoxy, last forever, and are something like $2 a pair. They also make larger syringes. http://www.flexcoat.com/products/supplies-accessories/color-coded-syringes/

I am not a very good painter, so I use a yellow sharpie to make my lateral lines, and heat set it, too.

You're right about this site. It's all about sharing. Almost everything I know about lure making I learned here, and I'm happy that I was able to help you, if I did. The funny thing about that popper is that I wanted a small (3") lure that casts well, and so I made two of these, just to see if they would work. I put a simple rattle can/nail polish paint scheme on it, and it catches fish. I've made lures with paint jobs that I think are much more beautiful, but the fish don't seem to really care.

I It sounds like you have it down to an exact science now. Good for you. I was asking about the carbon fiber because I wondered if you had a specific reason for using such an exotic material, and clearly you have. I don't want to mislead you. I am never going to get into pouring baits with resin. I just don't want to start another facet of an already expensive hobby. I'm too lazy and cheap. I already make swimbaits, cranks, and top waters, and I pour my own plastics and tie my own skirts. I'm a semi-employed general contractor and carpenter, and I like making things with my hands, which are currently filled with time and not much else. I carve my swimbaits from AZEK PVC decking, and it takes me about 1 1/2 hours each if I do a batch of 6. That's fast enough for me And I can make a crank, or topwater, and paint and top coat it in one day, using PVC, and fish it two days later. If I use rattle can paints and nail polish, I can fish it the next day. Instant gratification, or pretty close. And it scratches my itch.