CL Rods

diemai, nice tip on use of a rivet!

Wow that is just awesome! That bad part is I was thinking about how long it might take me to event think about doing it and I just can't imagine ONLY 50 hours! I think that is amazing to complete not only a work of art but a functional, practical, fishable work of art in ONLY 50 hours! I think JR needs to make some videos! And start of course by taking an advert out on this site and offering those videos for sale to TU members! I bet it would take more than 50 hours to watch them over and over ....

Hmm, I think it is the cold! I lived in Omaha for 5 years and I just couldn't get over how long it might be cold. And you are so far north of that, that you have 6 months of cold for sure! Being from North Miami originally, the Carolinas are a great compromise, because we still fish all year round! I just miss the foot long bluegill, Snook, Dolphin, Cuda, Grouper, ......... and dang now they have Peacock and Oscars! And boy did this thread get hijacked! Oh, yeah... go to your local building supply store and if you have a 1/2" drill look for the stirring bits they have for drywall mud. You might find one for a 3/8" drill but... hope it is a good drill.

If you can afford it by the brush with the MAC valve on the brush itself. I switch brushes back and forth sometimes and wish all of mine had a MAC valve on the brush. It is easy enough to alter the air pressure at the compressor, but I think the micro fine tuning you can do on the airbrush is the best. And that way if you run more than one brush from a splitter the pressure is what you need for each brush. And there are a few (well lots, they just don't all post a lot any more) really good artists on the site. Check out the work of those who respond, depending on who does. Especially the artists of the site. There are a few who I just really like and that might help you with your decision. I am a newbie compared to many.

agree 100%

well I am going to say no any white is not good as a base. I'd recommend using a paint specifically designed as a permanent base coat or using a primer like Bull Dog. Now I have only been at this for about 7 months but my answer is from my experience and from reading the good info on the site and getting a chance to meet and talk with some in person. Tater, lets fish! Rather than post again I am just revising this post. To fatfingers points about wood baits and sealers, I'd agree. BUT to your TITLE, I assumed you were doing repaints of commercial baits and I'll stick with my answer.

Well, I use mostly Createx, some Auto Air, but some cheap stuff, and some I mix up from translucents mediums and powder. I have never used your brand of air brush, but practice and more practice. I keep getting better and figure out more and more the more I practice and do and the more I ask some people how they do certain highlites etc. I have gotten a lot better and nothing changed, still use a middle of the road Iwata and a less expensive brand I use almost exclusively for transparents and basic opaques. i.e.: no pearls as the tip is too small But it does have a MAC valve which is very helpful in getting the finer detail applied. But you are definetly correct that I see certain paint jobs done with lacquers that I know can't be done with acrylics and epoxy top coats. In fact I am about convinced if you want to paint certain brands of rattle traps etc. that you just about must use something besides what I am because of the sharp edges. But I don't have the space to get set up for major ventilation... so you do what you can. But to your point I'd still like to know how a number of people to the gill fins with that are virtually transparent, yet have detailed lines in the fins. Check out the bottle openers, and you'll see what I mean.

You guys motivated me to make and paint one for myself. Loaded some to the gallery also.

If you have a Northern Tool store near you, you need to head in to the store. I bought a bunch of generic craft knives (similar to Exacto) for 97cents apiece a couple of months ago. Perhaps your store would have them also.

I purchased them at local Craft and Art stores.

Auto Air Gem Ruby, is one of my favorites. Gem Jade, is nice and I just ordered some of the Flair color. It ain't cheap so my hopes are high. I have also mixed some of my own using Jacquard powdered products and Translucent Base, Duo Green-Yellow, Interference Violet, Interference Blue and Bronze (i think). This option is much more affordable and you can create some very subtle or bold highlites based on whether you spray them on clear lures, dark base coats or light base coats. The lighter the base color the more subtle the effect and more passes you will need to make.

Ditto, at minimum get a hound dog or BPS version add some light chain links. I know guys who use old reels and broken off rods to lower the line and reel it back in to keep it organized. Me, I use a closed cell foam buoy (i cut it out from a larger piece) just in case the line falls in, so I can ALWAYS get it back. But I use the extending pole most of the time!

Bah Humbug on the 56K dial up users. Any way to check how many of your users connect via a dial up service versus DSL or Cable Modems by checking their email addresses? Run a query on your DB and see how many cavemen there are versus modern man. I'd just as soon shoot myself in the foot than dial in. I can hear the boo hisses now from the CAVE PEOPLE! They probably identify with the Geico commercials.

Does this stuff EVER harden up similar to D2T or does it always stay feeling more like a dipped vinyl coating on metal? I have done 3 batches of lures now and they all just feel for a lack of better description, 'pliable'. I guess I am just very used to D2T type products that get harder and the ETEX just doesn't feel right in my mind and if I had bought one coated with the stuff I'd probably think who ever used it screwed up. ie: it doesn't feel like any 'factory' lure feels. While it goes on with fewer headaches the EXTENDED turning time required may out weigh the ease of application.

Yeah it is a good deal. Makes ETEX very reasonable also!

When you think you have sanded it enough to get rid of the wood grain, just really look at it to make sure. Get 400 grit paper to finish it off even before you seal the lure and again after the sealer is dry. Otherwise a soon as you put down the base coat / primer all those flaws will just jump out at you. You might be able to sand them out of the seal coat and you might just end up sanding them out and re-sealing it again. The D2T will help level out some irregularities but not all of them.