Matt Moreau

Proportionate is easier but not as good IMHO. Once a hook rashes throught the topcoat and plastic then the balsa is exposed and your lure destroyed. I do use proportionate still just cause i have som left but once its gone i will not buy more. Go with Devcon if you care or expect to use the lure a few times.

Ok, playing with the weights has made a differance but still cant get that great action I was hoping for. I think it does boil down to the resin and just cant match the density/bouyancy of wood. I would love to hear others thoughts too.

Lots of good info for me to test with. Thanks for taking the time Mark. Looks like i gotta play around a bit when i have some time.

There are a few different modelsof Eclipses. HP-CS is the one I have and most versital I think. but go to TCP Global or chicago aibrush supply they both have better prices than u posted above and great service.

Wow thats true riverman....I do not PM all that much but I hope I have never done this to anyone. I truly appreciate the wisdom, guidance and help you guys put out everyday. I agree it is a thankless job and I hope you guys know that I could not be where I am today without you. Now that being said.... I have a Glider question below i could really use some insider info on. I am just joking... couldnt resist! hehe I just want to say that there are about 10 - 15 guys on here that give so much on a daily basis. I consider them the Hardbait OG's and you should know who you are... You guys answer 99% of the questions in here.... Wish I could do or say more but I for one appreciate the hell out of you guys. You are true pioneers of this site. You have put smiles on a lot of our faces when we catch fish on lures that you helped us make. I hope it offers some solice for you to know that you helped give us that feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. A humble thank you, Matt

Try 2 liter soda jugs too. And I use an Exacto Knife to cut mine.

I have an Iwata eclipse and a paasche talon.... GET THE ECLIPSE! No comparison, but be warned be vary careful when cleaning an eclipse as I haev gone through 2 nozzles already. they are really REALLY fragile!

I use wheel weights almost exclusivley... I melt in an old pot OUTSIDE on a portable electric little stove. then i take a long metal spoon and scoop off all the crud on top. then i pour into bricks. I use a muffin tin for the bricks and only pour a 1/4 or so up... they slide right into a lee melting pot that way. Cheers Matt

Man I cant get an action that I like for the life of me on these things... I carved a master from basswood and made a mold out of RTV. I have poured 6 of these thus far with different ratios of floatant. It seems to get brittle if I go much more than 1-1 on the micro baloons so thats where I stopped... then I have messed with tow line tie placement, weighting placement and weight. I can get them to walk somewhat but they all have a tendancy to dive under the surface and roll/rock side to side more than i would like to see. 90-95% of the weight is as far back as I can get on all the models. some have a lil if any at the hook hanger in the mid section just to try to stableize it a little. I am thinking that maybe I just cant get enogh bouyancy to weight properly to get that nice punker or spook action. My design is about the same volume as a 6' punker and just a classic fish shape.... Any help or ideas would be awesome! Thanks in advance, Matt

I use a Qtip and clear the excess as it forms a drip Gunnie... only takes a couple mins beforeyou dont have to do this anymore and your good.

@ ZOLJA - I have a product like that PVC... Dont know what it is and it is cut into 4'' long by 1'' wide blocks. A buddy just gave me a bunch of them. Anyways to get the little bubles out I just seal them with proportionate. thinned Devcon will work too @ MARKLEY34 - Its always smart to wear a mask as it is a plastic and that dust could be harmful.

I use Cyanoacrylate or simply called CA. Its basically a super glue that hobbiest use. put it on the lip, line tie or whatever and place where you want...then spray with an accelerator and it is set in seconds. Doenst expand or brown. Probably not as good as 2 ton expoxy but it works for my purposes.

I fill anything that needs it with wood filler or dry wall filler then dip them in a homade Proportionate that I had(basically plastic cups dissolved in paitn thinner).... that leaves them sealed and somewhat smooth. I usually scuff and final sand after dipping in the prop. I have tried the devcon and it makes a harder finish. I was was using balsa i would go this route.

We need more information to be able to help... What are you dipping them in.... What type of paint....and so on! There are a great many things that can cause this...Like Vanndalizer said contaminates could be the culprit. But If I had to guess I would say that you are using water based paints "Acrylics" and those need to be "heat set". If you do not heat set them the paint doesnt cure properly and can wrinkle after being dipped. Do a search on heat setting... I use a hair dryer on high and really hit every single coat of paint I put on the bait to make sure its set and dry. You could always use epoxy for your clear coat. But then again that bring up a whole nother multitude of issues.

I just got a new Iwata... $100.00 for an Eclipse basically... http://www.dickblick.com/landing/specialoffer/

Dick Blicks has a sale right now $20 off a $100...$25 off $120 purchase and so on... I just ordered another Eclipse for basically $100... Smokin deal!!! Save $20 on orders of $99 or more! Save $25 on orders of $125 or more! Save $30 on orders of $150 or more! Save $35 on orders of $175 or more! Save $40 on orders of $200 or more! Applies to all online, in-stock items! plus FREE SHIPPING on orders $99 or more!* http://www.dickblick.com/landing/specialoffer/

Get a bigger belly hook and put a lead clamshell sinker on it... will not kill the action and will give you constant contact with the bait as there will be no sinker on the line. You can adjust the size of the clam shell to desired fall rate.

I have read in many other posts that ask this question people are using the round scrubies you can buy at Walmart for 99 cents. They say it stretches and has a nice pattern. I have not personally tried them tho. I went to the fabric section of wallyworld and bought a ton of fabrik for cheap and in my couple years at this i have not ran out. Here is what it looks like on a lure....

Hey guys, Anyone ever order from National Balsa? They seem to have some cheap prices. Please post where you order from. Thanks!

I took 2 cheap plastic picture frames from Wallyworld put a hinge on em and attached the netting. put your bait in and clamp shut and your done! I can post pics later if anyone wants.

Bob you are an Angel amoung Saints.... I didnt even think about salsa jars!!!! They have a nice wide mouth and stumpier!!! Wooohoo! Thank you sir. Since I have your attention from what I have read about 3 dips should suffice? waiting 30 mins between dippings? Do you stir or shake your DN before use?