Sonny.Barile

diemai Which Heiddy are you showing in your lure test video? 9 or 11cm model? The lure plan calls for beech but that is unavailable here. I am going to try the 11 cm model in red oak. (same density) Also, do you use the prescribed weight position? I may need to use slightly less lead because I want to experiment with larger hooks. I have some 2/0 4x strong trebles. Maybe with the extra weight of the larger hooks I can use a lighter wood? Maybe poplar? Regards Sonny

diemai The last video was good for me to see. Very educational. I am inspired to hit the garage tomorrow morning. Regards Sonny

I have a huge container of Alumilite MB's also. I used the Alumilite White with MB's to reproduce the large model Skitter Pop. It took me about a dozen parts to get the MB and weighting just right but the end result works great. I can obtain the Smooth Cast 300 locally so it would end up costing half as much as the Alumilite with shipping. So I guess it is a no-brainer. Did the Smooth Cast have a strong odor?

I thought about that after doing it. (Duh) Just because it is oderless doesnt mean the vapors arent there. They just dont have a smell. Why do like the smooth cast better? BTW I didnt do casting in my kitchen (wife would let me have it good)) I did it in a storage room that had a window. I just seemed like the warnings on the Smooth Cast 300 were harsh and the data sheet for Alumilite says it is safe to use in your home.

I have used Alumalite in the house without issues with fumes or odors. I went to pick up some Smooth Cast 300 from Dick Blicks today but the warnings on the package really turned me off. I left it on the shelf. Is this stuff safe to use in the house like the Alumalite?

Are you retired or doing something els? I am designer for a medical device co. but have worked in defense and the valve industry. The lab we have is loaded with Instron machines, urethane foam blocks (similar to bone) and frozen Bovine (cow) femurs. LOL Nothing I would consider world class. One issue I had in the past was over building surf plugs with very rigid thru wire. I was using .093 17-4 stainless rods purchased preheat treated to H900. I had a hard time tuning them and would often scuff the finish with pliers. I have had better success with some 300 series locking wire (annealed) but I need to keep the loops smaller or they end up yielding (deformed). The Blues here in NJ are often in the 3 foot class with teeth.....

That is what an adhesive co. called the testing they do. The theory is that the strand structure will stretch over a period of time if under constant load so the test is sort of dynamic and not exactly static. However, that does not mean the same thing as repeated cycling. With your background you probably are subject to all the same free trade magazines I am. It was in NASA tech Briefs. I usually use the yield instead of the ultimate when calculating. I am a wuss in that way..... After talking about this I am getting inspired to try similar testing in a salt water bath....... Sonny

OOPS.....I meant to say glue doesnt plasically deform like metal....not wood. LOL .....and can anyone tell me why I cant edit a post......

Pizza. You are right if testing .....lets say a leaf spring ..... but we are not only testing the metal wire. We are testing the glue joint also. When testing glue joints, the industry uses load over time. ...and yes it is static. (I read up on major marine epoxy co. and how they test). Also, wood does not plastically deform in the same manor as more homogeneous materials like metal and plastic do. Regards Sonny

The test described above by RayburnGuy is a valid engineering test. (Usually referred to as a pull test) It isnt exactly the way it would happen in nature but it gives the engineer a number to work with when designing. Most of the tackle you buy is tested and rated using a similar method. Most of the time it is done with fixtures and a lpull scale but the method described above achieves the same thing. Leaving the weight on for a while also is good because that checks for fatigue over time. Sonny

It figures!!!!!!! I just saw a commercial that stated one of the major brands is going tubeless in an act of conservation.

EdL did u use the word "anal" on purpose?

You dont have to cut with a saw. Build the master with the lip. Make your mold. Lube the surface of the lip slot in the mold, and pour some more silicone in the lip slot to fill it. When it cures, remove it. Now you can make a lipped bait, or load the silicone slug in and make a lipless. This way your lip will always be straight. When you mold without the lip you may get a little flash but can easily clean that up. Regards Sonny

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Yup, You did it!

The niche I fill is for a guy who cant afford to lose $100 in tackle every weekend. The area I fish in the spring to early summer is shallow and has tons of 3 foot bluefish. They shread my store boughts and at $10 or more each I just cant keep up. The rest of the year Im fishing for Striped Bass (the real kind not those abominations you guys catch in the lakes LOL) and for that I use store bought soft plastics on jig heads.

Can you put a link to what it is you want to use. It sounds interesting.......

Hey! Not for nuthin......but A fish stole my idea. He took my prototype right off of my line and ran away with it.....

Gentlemen, This is a touchy subject. I wont give my own opinion because I am the holder of a few patents. (Unrelated to this field) I will however add that the provisional patent process is very inexpensive and can be done for about $150. It is a good way to get a product line started. This way you can put it out there and try to drum up business. If it turns out to be a failure you are only out a buck-fifty. If it works out for you, you can invest further in to a full patent. (Or sell it to a big box company as I would). Regards Sonny