captsully18

TJ, thanks, I only used about 1/4 inch and had hot plate as high as it would go, shakers were still not hot to the touch but pan sure was. No, shakers do not have raised bottoms ( flat ). Camp stove sounds like it would provide the heat, but I would be real leary of the open flame. After fighting fires for 30 years, I just don't want to fight one in my own house,LOL. Still gonna try sand without layer on bottom. I do think that sand will help hold heat in. Just gotta get heat first. David

Here are the baits I dipped last night. Used createx paint, unthinned, applied with brush just before last dip. http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff246/captsully18/Tube%20Baits/100_0006.jpg http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff246/captsully18/Tube%20Baits/100_0007.jpg David

Well....... tried the sand thing last night/this morning. Didn't work for me, but may have been my fault (imagine that). Think my mistake was that I put a layer of sand in bottom of pan, set martini shakers, filled with sand. Don't think the layer of sand in bottom of pan allowed enough heat to reach the shakers. But, what do I know..........??????? David

TJ, thanks for heads up. I'll keep this in mind tonight. Let you know tomorrow how it goes. David

Hey Dave!!! Didn't realize this was you. How ya' doin'? Yeah, you can get eyes from bass pro and Jann's, but I think you would like eyes from Stamina better. Or as a lot of guys on this site, make your own with two part epoxy. Man, drop me an e-mail and let me know how ya' been. Would like to hear from you. David

Been following this post 'cause I have had same problems as y'all, and have had no solutions to offer. got tired of burning and otherwise wasting plastic and stopped production couple weeks ago. But thanks to basseducer I'm gonna try the sand. Idea is solid and I think it may work. Thanks to all y'all for your perserverence (sp?) and patience. Nice to have you folks to lean on. David

Oh! To be so talented. Nice. Love the blending of colors., and not sure if I agree with 33 across.lol David

Damn, dampeoples! What a trophy. Super job. David

Give Stamina a try. BTW I like your avatar. Nice job on that tilapia. Where can I get a better look at it. Goin' to Mexico in Feb. and the main forage is tilapia. Would really like to paint some baits before I go. David

Finally got to try them out on fish and they said that they liked them, but wanted some different colors. Picky ain't they? Well, ok, I gots to make more. Thanks again guys for input. Couldn't have gotten this far without y'all. And tubeman, I have same problem with pot life (about 3-4 hrs.). David

Haven't tried 'em on fish yet, but have tank and pool tested 'em and they swim just as well as the best. Have to wait couple more days to find out how the fish think they swim. Will get back with their answer. Tubeman, thanks for lookin' so closely. You are right, the tail is just a tad thinner than basstrix, but on the ones that I have water tested the tail has not folded up. I am hoping that the rest are consistant. Only time will tell. Appreciate your comments. You guys are greatest. This is how all of us are able to succeed. Thanks. David

Here are some tubes that I have gotten off my forms. At the top is a Basstrix that I used for size comparison only. These latest baits are dipped using Calhoun Tube Plastic, and this plastic has made a great difference. I would appreciate any feedback or suggestions y'all can give. Thanks

Hey guys, need help finding info on designing and making decals for rods. Has anyone done this? How? David

I really think that the best thing for scale finish is lace netting from fabric stores or fabric section of Wally-World. This stuff does really good job and can be used several times before you have to cut a new piece, and it's cheap. David

Your favorite worm oil lightly spread on knife/blade form is just right to help slide bait off knife, and you get that favorite smell "cooked" in. I just got my tube plastic from Del and it is wonderful. You will get the right tail if you have your plastic hot and dip twice. I have a doz. forms I dip with, when the last form is dipped to the tail the first time I then start with the first form immediately and the tails come out just right. Now all I have to do to be somewhat satisfied is to get the painting down. I really suck at this, but the LC paint seems to be the way to go. It does dry almost as fast as you can put it on. I aim to get there tho. Want to thank Del again for his input on the various threads on this subject. Actually y'all are to thank for your input. without it I would probably still be in the "thinking-about-it" stages. Great web site David

Thanks Del, I know what you mean. The tail just wouldn't sit in the position it would be in in the water 'cause the plastic is sooo soft. The tail is actually at a 90 degree angle. Hopefully the tube plastic I ordered from you will be the answer. Thanks David

OK! Here goes, I hope that I haved learned enough to do this and not just enough to be dangerous.LOL Gonna try and post images of my forms and show one pait that I have made from this form. Pls. keep in mind that I was just playing around with some super-soft plastic, so didn't want to try to be too inventive. Although, any suggestions are welcome. Here goes: It worked!!!!

You can also accomplish the two tone with paint before last dip. I have ordered some paint from Lurecraft that is supposed to dry almost instantly, therefore you won't have to wait long between dips. Hope this is what I am looking for. They also say that this paint can be applied with brush, sponge, or airbrush. Hope Del will forgive my .02 on scale finish, use lace netting from sewing shop to hold over baits while painting, and this net can be used several times before needing a new piece. Have done this on hard baits and works great. Pinned a lot of hope on this paint. Won't know for sure 'til it gets here in few more days. Gotta give Del lots of credit 'cause if it wasn't for his advice I would still be at step one. Hope this is helpful, just MHO. David

Just to add to my last post, just talked with my son and he has agreed to help me ( ) this evening. So I shall have pics up tonight.

I want to appologize up front, I am computer illiterit (and can't seem to spell either). If I can get my son to help me with the pics. I will post some to show how I made mine. I have them in various stages of completion. Should have some to post over weekend. Sorry for being behind technology times, but I'm an old fart and that's my story and I'm stickin' to it!!!!!!! David

152nd, the form is all one piece, and does slide out of bait after it cools a bit but is still warm. If you have lubed the form a little, it slides out through the tail with no problem. I have been playing using some super-soft plastic from m-f (all I have on hand, 'til Del sends my order-hint hint,LOL) but even the super-soft slides off easily if form is lubed just a little. Man I am having fun making the forms and dipping these even if they are tooooo soft. David

Without an arc welder you will have trouble trying to solder/weld the two pieces of aluminum together. But you may try to join them with epoxy. I have made mine from stainless table knives (1.00 for six at Wal-Mart) and used spinnerbait blade for the tail. I joined these two pcs. together with some silver solder I got from a welding supply shop (Radnor Safety-Silv 56) and it worked well with a mapp gas torch. The two pieces definitely must be attached. If you look closely at pics delw has on here you can see that form is all one piece. And I must add that his idea has worked well for me. Just imagine, a man who makes living from making alum. molds telling us that it's better to dip, and then telling how it is done. What a guy. David

Delw, would you give some insight into the painting of these baits? (ie. type of paint, scale pattern, etc.) I am hung up on that. I do want to thank you for your directions for dipping, getting that down pretty good. Thanks David

If it was me, I would look into copyright! David

bojon, I would buy your book, either printed version or e-book. Will be watchin' to see when it'll be avail. captsully18Aaol.com