mark poulson

Years ago someone here posted a video of himself using a wooden template, with double stick tape to act as a guide for a router with a self-guiding bearing on the bit, to shape his lips. I am sorry I can't remember his name.

This is what the ETI people say on their website: "EnviroTex Lite® is a water clear reactive polymer compound. It cures to a thick, glossy coating in about 8 hours at 70°F, and reaches full strength and toughness in about 48 hours. This durable, resilient material requires no polishing to produce a high gloss. One coat is all that is usually required for a deep attractive finish, however, two or more coats maybe applied one over the other by simply wiping the surface with a clean cloth and alcohol prior to re-coating." I always waited 48 hours before fishing one of my jointed swimbaits, to let the epoxy fully cure.

Thanks Bryan. Someone is actually sending me some of that to try.

I don't use a turner. It is thick enough, and dries fast enough, that I don't see any sags. I just coat them, and let them hang and cure overnight above my paint table. I've fished them the next day, but waiting two days makes them really hard.

Just for a test, why not try just using the nail polish alone on one painted jig head, to see if you can skip the epoxy altogether.

Thanks. I'll add it to the baits once they're bagged.

Thanks Al.

Do you have a picture of the bait color you want to match?

Thanks Woodie.

Thanks Harry. I'll keep that in mind.

Is there anywhere to buy Powerbait Scent?

Thank you for the link.

I use clear gloss topcoat nail polish from the Dollar Store on both my jigs and my spinnerbaits, and it hold up really well. For a buck, you can afford to try one to see if it works for you.

Thanks Bob and Travis. Looks like I'll stick to hand carving, until my hands tell me to stop.

Thanks for the heads ups. I've used it in construction, so I wondered if it might be useful for bait making, but I can see now it is more trouble than it is worth. Thanks again for saving me a lot of headaches.

Does anyone here use expanding foam to make baits? I'm interested in trying it, but don't want to experiment if it won't work, so any help would be appreciated.

Plastic baits won't be damaged near as much as wooden baits.

I use their Timbertech decking for bigger baits, like swimbaits and big glide baits, and their trimboard for smaller, more buoyant baits, like cranks and top waters. Check out this sticky:

Frank, is the size of the pigment particles the difference between colorants and dyes?

I haven't tried resin or polyurethane boards for lure building. Once I switched to Azek PVC decking and trimboard (thank you John Hopkins) I stopped my lure material search. That's all I build with, except for the occasional balsa bait, because they're fun to make. I have never fished for pike or muskie, or even seen one in person, but I have fished for barricuda, which see to have a similar set of dentures. Their teeth scratch the chrome on salt water iron, so I imagine pike and muskie will do the same. I don't know how I would make a tooth-proof lure when fishing for those guys. I'd probably just be glad I got one of my lures bit, and didn't get my own fingers bit in the process!

Try using a waterproof building material, like resin or PVC. They won't absorb water when the top coat is penetrated by teeth.

Think of our reluctance to convert to metric as our Brexit.

I guess I've always used job site construction shop vacs. I should have known that there were quieter vacs made for using inside a shop. Doh!!! Hahaha

Years ago I had a problem with my watermelon/red coming out brownish, with pale orange flake. Leonard told to try his high temp red flake, and his colorant, and the problem was solved. Not all flake is created equal. Thanks again Leonard.