diemai

@ rofish Thanks a lot for the input and your pictures ! This is great:yes: ! Very clever idea about an even two way hinge:yay: ! If made accurate , it should provide the most "easy going" of a hinge , I suppose , though the single sections can't be as close together as with other designs . I even think , that you won't even have to wrap extra wire around the two coils , when soldered properly , they'd be rigid enough . But the problem would be to solder them perfectly aligned this way , I would try making a jig consisting of two of those needles , fixed rigid and paralell , also equipped with a sort of spacer , so that the two coils would sit right next to each other , perfectly paralell and level in their lengths for soldering . If it should work out this way , one probably might even take brass tubing instead of wire coils . But neverthelees , it is just a very clever idea , rofish ! @ mark poulson , perch , DSV Thanks a lot for your comments , guys:worship: ! My wife took me shopping the whole day to Hamburg today , so I took a chance on a visit at a model shop and invested in a couple of model making paints(can't get them in my hometown) , by now I must have about 2 1/2 dozens of these small cans , so with some patience and a good hand on it I should get something going on that lure , though it would take a lot longer than spraying . But now , after this bad failure , my ambition is on alert , but at first I'd have to remove all paint ! @ perch Almost lost a rod as well to a carp in spring 2006 ! We were already packing up to leave and therefore didn't attend the last rod remaining on the rod rests only to see it suddenly getting pulled towards the water(happened in that pond shown in my avatar !) . Before I could reach it , it was already swimming away on that pond , only to slowly submerge like a submarine on the dive ! We saw it coming up again on the other bank , got stuck in a bush , so my wife(it was her rod) could recover it after a 1/4 mile walk , the carp had already snapped the leader . It remained afloat all the time , since it was a telescopic rod with obviously quality fittings , so no water entered to sink it , it could even carry the weight of the reel ! After some cleaning up of rod and reel , we caught fish with it again the next weekend:yes: ! Around 10 years ago , I had another rod gone like this , but that one must be still there:( ! I guess , this most likely happens , when using a special type of hook with an inward curved point(yet not as pronounced as a circle hook) , these find grip immediately , even without a hookset ! So , if rods are unattended and bail closed(or "freespool" off) , they might be gone pretty fast:yes: ! Greetz , Dieter

@ DSV The principle of that idea is correct , but I guess , putting it to practise might be finacky , since you have some hardware inside of your lure , that might be in the way for such bores or hollow chambers . Also you need a certain amount of weight to let the lure swim upright or to balance its action . Smaller baits(up to 3") made of less buoyant hardwood might sink , having added all hardware , you won't even need such bores , but it is very hard to predict , rather more a gamble ! But I read something similar in the German edition of a Swedish book about crankbait making : The author described there , how to add buoancy to a lure , either to render a sinker to be floating up or to decrease the sink rate . He'd drill one or more holes in the back portion of the crankbait , fill a little epoxy inside and close the hole with some transparent ,- or plastic tape and then turn the lure to rest back down , until the glue has cured totally . After he'd just peel off the tape and paint it over according to the paint pattern that the crank has . I haven't done this before , I might think , that a pike would probably pierce a hole inside these airchambers , when the epoxy layer should have turned out too thin , so I would try to put some very buoyant material like balsa , foam packing material or similar inside before epoxying . good success furthermore , Dieter

From me as well : Happy Birthday for your 49th , Spike:yeah: ! Probably the one , for that a man might still accept a "Happy Birthday" , since it might probably be the very end of his youth , the next one he might finally turn mature at last:yes: ! have a great day , all the best , Dieter

@ rofish I would use 1mm dia. SST welding wire for the coil . The trick is to first fix the nail with its head portion sideward horizontally into a vise(the head squeezes flat) . The wire piece should be about 20" or more in length , bend one end in a way , that it would somehow bind between the two clambs of the vise , so the wire won't start to turn , as you are wrapping the other end tightly around the nail , coil against coil . The SST wire has to be as long at the wrapping end , since it is quite rigid , so it wraps easier by hand , as that end gets shorter , one need to employ pliers to grab it . Due to always needing to change grip of pliers , this operation won't work as easy as hand-wrapping and might lead to not accurate coiling . After the coil is finished , one has to bend the two tag ends straight and 90

Sorry , forgot attachements:huh: !

@ DSV Here are some pics of different kind of carp , that we have over here . The most common ones in fishing waters are the ones with fully scaled body and the ones with partly scaled body(this is what I planned to resemble) . The one with almost no scales is rather more seldom . All of these were breeded out of the wild carp , that looks almost alike to the scaled one , but has less body height , rather more spindle-shaped body . You hardly see the fully scaled type in hatcheries , since the less scaled versions are easier to handle in the kitchen , but generally all are thesame kind of fish . Hope , none of you guys would now smash your screen in anger , since by the thread by Spike-A-Pike I can now imagine , how much you dislike these fish:angry: ! Greetz , Dieter

@ DSV Don't know , how this hinge was exactly fixed into the lure , there were no instructions with it:huh: . The wire coil one can simply wrap around a nail , fixed horizontally in a vise , done that before for spacer coils and coil spring locks . I suppose , that the tag ends of the two hinge parts are either epoxied into bores of sufficient size or set in a two-halves lure , maybe secured with crosswise pins ? In both cases the tag ends must be bent backward(towards joint) somehow to let epoxy grip better or give pins the opportunity to lock the parts against slide-out ! Or they are anchored similar to your "T"-shaped hookhangers ? Indeed I wanted to resemble a small carp with my paint pattern , but the hatchery type with only few scales around the lateral line and the roots of the fins , these ones I have planned to brush on . I think , I'd still stick to my plans , in fact I was almost about to start with brushing , now I regret not to have done it , would have saved a lot of difficulties:( ! Greetz , Dieter

Thanks for your concerns , guys , this failure really bothers me ! It would not have been as bad , if I hadn't put it out here on TU ! Not that I am somehow ashame about that failure(We all know Murphy , I guess ?) , but its just disturbing me ! As I got back from work , I went straight to my basement to check , and it seems , that the crackles have enlarged a bit ! So I almost made up my mind by now about the radical "Dremel" operation and have the lure bare of paint , dead ! After I'd prime again and brush paint as good as I can . As rofish said , the fish won't bother ! I have already considered about brushing exclusively before , at least it would only cost a fraction of those rattle cans ! @ rofish Here is the picture , that I refered to in my post , where the link didn't work . It is really a bit unusual , but yet somehow ingenious . But I guess , that the functionality stands and falls with the rigidity of the wire used . The lure is stated to be 14,5 cm long . Greetz , Dieter

@ widowmaker Certainly this would work out , you can even make them in any size desired , only takes some accuracy . First flatten out the lip as you stated , you may then use a steel marker needle to trace the shape onto your aluminium sheet . If you want to alter the size , trace with a thin pencil on a piece of paper and put it in a photocopy machine to enlarge or minor:wink: . After cut out roughly and use ordinary allround glue to stick it onto the metal sheet . Work out the shape accurately , file the edges very smooth , this way you get another tracing template of different size , that you should keep ! You can't achieve the cupping just by bending by hand . As mark poulson said , it requires a ballpeen hammer and a steelplate or anvil . Take first a scrap piece to practise and see , how the sheet deforms under the beats of the hammer . For soft metal sheets like aluminium and copper(up to 2 mm thick)or SST(0,5 mm only) you won't neccessarely need a stencil ! When holding the sheet cut-out blank under a small angle onto the anvil and hit it at the right spot(about where it contacts the anvil plane) , it would bend a little with every beat , therefore you should use a ballpeenhammer of only 2 1/2 to 3 ounces . For working brass or even thicker SST sheet it could be a little heavier , but the heavier , the more it would tire out your hand ! Its not the sheer weight and energy of the hitting hammer , but the amount of hits , that makes up for an evenly curved shape of the sheet metal . When I shape thicker sheet , up to 2 mm(for spoons) , I would need a stencil , which I carve from hardwood with oval router bits and my "Dremel" , about accordingly to my spoon size(you can shape smaller ones in it too , but not vice-versa) . I'd beat the sheet cut-out blank flush into that indention with a 2 to 4 pounds plastic hammer , just to have it roughly pre-shaped , the fine curvature is again done with a ballpeenhammer on the anvil . When using a ballpeenhammer for it , you'd only cause blemishes , but no general curvy shape:( ! A bit more information about shaping sheet metal to a lure you can find in the hardbait gallery , just search for "spoons" or uploads under "D" , I posted some of my spoons there(obviously the only here on TU). I haven't yet made jitterbug lips , but 100's of spoons and spinnerblades , so , without bragging , I know quite well about luremaking out of metal sheets ! Good Luck , diemai

! What a mess ! The worst case has occured , things went on too well so far ! "Murphy doesn't sleep" I read somewhere here on TU in someones signature ! It's d:censored: true ! Going to the workshop , I just had to face , that the paint of my swimbait had evolved crackles:cry: ! Blame it on the new yellow paint that I applied at first on the primer coats , does not seem top be compatible to the other paints(though it is also solvent-based , but a different brand) . I will try to spray it over for one more time now , trying to achieve about the same color blend , as it has now , have to look for another yellow paint before , since my old , proven can is down to the bottom:( ! But after experience I know , that these crackles would always show up again , even under fresh coats of spray paint ! If I'd brush paint over with model making enamels , I'd achieve coverage , but it won't look that good in terms of blending the different tones . This would be my second option , if re-spraying should fail , but I have a little hope , that it works , since the crackles are not that deep(not yet) . Same thing happened to me with another "Suick" type lure(even worse) , that time I blamed it on the primer paint , but obviously this was not the case , since I have switched the primer to an acrylic one ! Third option(after previously mentioned should fail) is to remove all paint down to the bare wood , done it before with another lure:yes: . But sanding didn't work well at all , I utilized my "Dremel" with a soft brass bristle brush for it . Since those lures are made of hard beechwood , this brush doesn't "bite" into the wood's surface , if worked carefully ! Sorry about this failure , since some guys seem to be impatient to see the finished lure , but this mess really throws me back quite a bit:( ! Greetz , Dieter

@ rofish I'll try , but don't have time now , must go to work soon ! I did such before to import a pic from the web into my own picture file , so it might work out again ! I edited the link again very fast , after I saw , that it was not accessible to everyone ! You must have been there just that moment between posting and editing !

@ DSV I can only say , that you are fast as lightning in procceding your new bait:yes: ! And I strictly believe , that darker colors are better for topwater baits , since the probably cast a better silhouette against the sky for the fish to see from below:yes: ! Can't wait too see it finished ! Dieter

It's a very common method amongst Scandinavian hobby luremakers ! And I know , that in Finland many utilize clear concrete lacquer to topcoat their lures , not epoxy . A Finnish friend told me about it , saying that it was quite a smelly affair dipping the lures , but the results are great , I have got some cranks made that way and they are great ! greetz , diemai

@ DSV Just Like you , I really enjoy doing the construction of a new lure model , especially if it has some "mechanical" features(hinges) to tinker about:yes: ! I am also already making plans on another model , but with a different hinge construction , but also I want to put an idea to practice about a lure , that can be made to pop and also made to "Walk-The-Dog" at the same retrieve:wink: . I am not so fast like you , by far , only have two hours per day for making lures through the week , on weekends most likely I don't touch them at all , this is why this thread can never proceed that fast:huh: ! I have tested that lure previously , you can read it a few pages backward , but I can't provide such a nice video like you did . Though my camera has a video function , I haven't bothered yet to care about it . Such new electronic and computer stuff always scares me , don't have the patience to learn about it , sorry to say:huh: ! This swimbait here I weighted to be sinking after final assembly , as far as I can tell by your video , it wiggles a little more intense and also takes about half pull distance to start wiggling compared to yours in the video . Greetz , Dieter

@ hazmail Wanna buy the old sledge of my daughter ? Seems , that I can't use it over here anymore:? ! Beware of avalanches:) , diemai

@ markpoulson Thanks a lot , but after work in the evening I usually don't go down my workshop anymore , but watch TV or check TU . I have planned to proceed the coming morning , but have to be earlier at work , since my shiftmate is gonna be absent , so no time left , I think:( . Its very clever to protect the single paint coats to be able to clean them off again , but won't work with my own , these are solvent based ! If I should make a big mistake whilst painting , I'd just apply new primer and start all over again , or just spray the lure in another , darker color , if possible ! I am not too choosy in that way ! Sometimes I also sand all off again , namely if paint should crackle , in this case the different paints don't match to one another in terms of compatibility , thus have to be entirely removed ! @ captsully18 Thank you so much for your kind words , but without Marks help and assistance I probably would not have started out at all , now I am already thinking over the next step/swimbait . I hope , that by this and other threads like this one some fella's would also be encouraged to try something , that is probably new to them , no matter , wether the lure here should fail or not , they can only learn ! Thanks again:worship: , Dieter

@ DSV So you're ready to go after all section halves are glued together ! Good Success:yay: ! Dieter

@ Spike-A- Pike I can imagine this accurate casting very well , though I am not too good in it . I assume , that in America you'd pass by such spots by boat and cast towards the bank or timber or whatever holding spot . Standing in a boat it is a lot easier to cast accurately , rather than casting fom the bank , standing under trees and bushes , at reed margins and stuff like that , every cast probably has to be made different , due to these obstacles . I have some US musky videos , just remember the guys in there , standing on the deck of their boat , casting....reeling....casting.....reeling....movements of great conformity ! Over here many of us lure anglers don't bother much about such pinpoint casting , distance is rather more an issue , with well balanced tackle we make 40 or 50 as well , not feet , but metres ! Our bank fishing lure rods are up to 12 feet long , so its a good lever to fire out your bait into the sunset on a thin braid ! In many waters , like our bigger rivers , bigger lakes with boating restrictions or the Baltic coast , such is essential to reach the likely holding spots of the fish . We say , that "you have to reach over the edge" , meaning the first drop-off from the shallow bank water to deeper water , that's where you can expect the fish to be ! But I am also convinced about this method casting accurately into likely holding spots , its always a new challenge to get your lure there without hanging it into trees ! I have already caught a few fish this way , and its fun ! Greetz , diemai

@ DSV Sorry , but does that mean , that it would work on the polyurethane , or you just tried your coloration only ? Dieter

@ Spike-A-Pike No need to get that ruler just for me:nuhuh: , I am familiar with the sizes of your musky bucktails over there , have blade size charts in some US catalogs and books and I also have some homemade bucktails , though only in the "old fashioned sizes":wink: ! I fancied to try bigger blades some three years ago , so I shaped some of thinner SST sheet , about 4 1/2" to 5" long and rigged these onto a heavy copper wire coil body . Since I didn't have any ready tied bucktail nor any tying material , I just added a red lure flipper to the hook . On the second day testing a smaller pike scratching 28" took that lure , but I haven't used them a lot anymore , since the tension of the spinning blade on the rod is just too much for me , and I don't like to carry an extra more rigid rod along , I'd only do that in fall season ocassionally . For sure I won't tie on a 10" bucktail , in Europe everything is a bit smaller:lol: ! These lures won't cast too well , not a problem for you guys with your spacious boats that get anywhere , but over here the majority of anglers fish from bank only , so most likely we need lures to cast well ! Good Luck about introducing your lures:yay: , diemai

@ Jeep I also dip my lureblanks into wood preserver twice prior to putting a first temporary topcoat on(so that lure won't soak water whilst testing and weighting) . Don't know , wether this really helps a bit , but I feel better doing it ! It's a stuff , that can be used outdoors for any kind of wood , with or without painting over . It keeps water out and prevents the wood from getting rotten(after its description) . In Germany you can get this stuff in any big tool ,-and garden markets and paint stores , so I'm sure , that in Holland you should find it as well in such shops . Good Luck , diemai

@ DSV Hopefully you'd find a way to put on that paint style onto your new swimbait , that trout pattern looks cool , very nice brush job:yes:! Maybe you'd need some sort of primer , that adheres to the polyurethane and acrylic paint alike . I haven't worked with that sealer before , so I can't give you any advice:huh: ! So it seems , that your lure turned out for you exactly the way , that you've planned , that is great:yay: ! I wish , such would also happen to me frequently , but since I always think of new , different and sometimes little weird designs , I sometimes have to face disappointment:huh:! Greetz , Dieter

@ rofish Tanks a lot:worship: , off to work now:flame: ! Dieter

This morning I finally applied first paint coats onto my swimbait , after having it primed white during the past days . Sorry , Mark , but I did not go after your advice to connect the lure sections prior to painting , since I just wanted to save time about unmasking the eyes and fixing the connected lure into a sort of frame for painting . I was just in a good mood about also spraying my batch of "Banana" lures with my rattle cans , and I did not plan from the start to put on a scale pattern onto my swimbait , which would have made connecting the sections essential ! OK , the right side of the head section turned out to a little darker tone , also these d:censored: rattle cans sometimes cause some paint drops , but the way , as it looks now , I can tolerate for myself ! After these blended paints have dried overnight , I'd proceed to brush on some details with model making enamels . wish me luck folks , Dieter