CRANKNTN

Seeking 54, sorry if you took it the wrong way, but I wasn't blaming you for ruining my lure. The brake fluid was something I haven't tried before and had high hopes that it would work. I'm not going to get too bent out of shape over a $4 bait. I think next time I'll monitor my bait a little more closely while soaking. I think this idea has promise, I just think I soaked my bait too long. I see the bait you used was not a clear plastic bait. Brake fluid may react totally different with the clear plastic type baits. I will experiment some more with the idea. Thanks for sharing the info.

Blackjack, I've seen you more than once on this site make claim to know how to do something but never fully explain how to do it. I became a member of this forum to learn and maybe teach others the mistakes I have made. I think it's safe to say the majority of members joined for the same reasons. I think if I knew how to help someone with something and knew I wasn't going to tell them how to do it, I probably wouldn't even comment on the subject.

Tried the brake fluid on a Strike King series 5 crankbait and just ruined it. I let the bait soak for 24 hrs. The plastic was real cloudy and the bill snapped off. Should've known better, sounded too good.

When I brushed on the crackle, it did not level like Devcon and left brush strokes. It looked terrible brushed.

Are you guys spraying the crackle? I tried brushing it a while back with not so good results. The stuff is water based so I don't see why you couldn't thin with water and spray it.

www.landotackle.com This place makes the lure bodies you see at Stamina and Barlow's. They quoted me a price for a custom crankbait mold. You better be sitting down when they tell you the price.

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Silver and red hologram are the most commonly used colors on lures by far.

I was brainstorming at work today and here's what I came up with. After I ruin a couple dozen baits and finally get my slot where I want it, I take some scrap plywood and build a box about 2 to 3 times the size of my bait. Having noticed how Devcon peals right off aluminum foil, I line the inside of my box with aluminum foil. I then fill my box completely full of Devcon. After wrapping my bait with aluminum foil, I submerge my bait in the Devcon bath. I'm thinking after the Devcon cures a bit, I can disassemble my box leaving my bait in a perfect block of Devcon. With any luck, I can cut the block and the bait in half and have a perfect jig for my bait. That is, if I can retrieve my bait without destroying my mold. With the Devcon being clear, I can glue my bait back together, insert it back into the mold and mark the holes for my ballast and screw eyes, and also the bill slot. The reason I thought of the Devcon is it will be durable enough to use for a while. The only thing that worries me is removing my bait after I cut the block in half. Hopefully with the bait wrapped in the layer of foil, it will pop right out. I know the bait will have to be perfectly centered in the box for it to work. If not, the whole thing's a bust! But then Bruce's idea is alot less work and should work equally as well.

I think I have just about everything figured out on this making your own bait stuff. The only questions I have pertain to the bill slots. How do you guys replicate the exact same slot from one bait to the next? What is the most proven way to cut a bill slot? I will probably buy blanks as opposed to carving my own. I have seen the blanks at Lurecraft with the slots already cut, but the body styles are limited. I really need to learn to cut my own. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Paasche Air Eraser

While browsing through one of the paint supply websites, I ran across a small sandblaster made by Paasche. It looks like an airbrush. Does anyone have one or know how well it works on lures?

Living Rubber no longer carries flat rubber. I have talked to the owner several times. It has been out of production for several years. Most of the people that have some are not willing to part with it. I have a pound of black, but the brown is very hard to come by. There are several lure companies still producing jigs with the flat rubber. From what I am told, this rubber is imported from Japan. The lure companies I have talked to will not sell the rubber alone. I don't know why Living Rubber does not have access to the rubber from Japan. I think it would wise of them to add flat rubber to their inventory. Demand is very high.

Looking for the old flat living rubber, not the round. Any leads would be appreciated.

I guess the amount to mix with epoxy would be determined by trial and error?

Are you saying baby powder in Devcon will give a matte finish?

I can keep a secret.

Yes, BobP, they do have a rubbery texture. Quick20xd, the epoxy paint thing may be correct. Whatever it is, it's very durable. I'd like to paint some crawfish patterns with a matte finish. The fish probably don't care about the finish but I do. I've never seen a crawfish shine like a new penny. I like my presentations to be as realistic as possible. I don't think sanding the epoxy finish would be the result I'm looking for. There IS something out there to get this finish. Too many lure companies have matte finish baits. BTW, Quick20xd, I'm a Bullet man too!!

Has anyone used a durable matte topcoat? I know that Createx has one but not sure about the durability. I have fished several matte Lucky Craft baits and they seem to be fairly durable.

I used Createx. I also used some Testors acrylic in an olive color for highlights. I painted another bait last night with the same colors and same tube of Devcon, came home from work today, the bait was perfect. I am 100% sure my paint was dry. I heat set every coat of paint. The only cause I can think of is while the lure was on the turner, I painted another bait. I don't think it was paint overspray, but maybe Windex I clean my gun with between colors. I'm still investigating.

I painted and epoxied a bait friday evening after work. I let it turn over night took it off the turner Sat morning. The whole time the bait was clamped in an exacto knife by the rear hook hanger.I did not touch this bait until Monday evening. I unclamped the bait and the finish was real hazy and cloudy. I tried to clean it up with Windex but if anything only made it worse.What went wrong? I epoxied another bait at the same time with the same batch of Devcon and it was perfect.