Musky Glenn

Vodkaman is on the right track but I would change the timing just a bit. I believe this, like a lip slot, should be done first thing while the lure is still square/rectangle. That would simplify the holding process. I would probably use a drill press and rig up a slide for the vise. Musky Glenn

The best 1/4 and 3/8 oz. spinnerbaits I ever used were made with .029 wire. They didn't hold up well but they sure caught muskies! Musky Glenn

Click on photo to enlarge. This is the most flexable, movable material I have used for spinnerbaits. The down side of it is it fades if left in sunlight or heated areas, like in plastic storage boxes left in outdoor boats. Best skirt I have ever used.

Below is an article that explains the differences in im6-7-8. I usually use www.mudhole.com for answers concerning where to find different rod building stuff. Their high end rods now tend to be rated differently under the heading of MHX world class rod blanks. In the article below and some others I read, while trying to understand IM8 characteristics, it became clear that you really can't compare IM8 between two different companys as there is no industry standard for them to meet. Looks like you would have to go back to the old "grab it and shake it days." The article below is over ten years old and is speaking of IM8, that is old technology. I know there is now IM10 technology out there. I would suggest you go to each companys web site and see what they call their high end rods of today and find out who sells their blanks. I still don't know where you can find IM8 blanks. Musky Glenn http://www.flwoutdoors.com/fishing-articles/features/141123/graphite-rods/#.VH4-A8np8nQ

The spools of lumiflex are available from Supreme Corp. 325 Spencer Rd. Conover, NC 888-604-6975 You have to call, they don't show it on their web site. They know it by lumiflex. Musky Glenn

Happy Thanksgiving from Western North Carolina. Prime time to catch a big old goodun. Musky Glenn

I spray water based paints only and never use a mask of any kind. My paint booth is a 18" sq. card board box which I spray into the open end. I usually spray with only 5-10 lb. of pressure and there is very little overspray. When I do my base coat which is a spray bomb can, I take it out side because there is 20 times more overspray from that than my spray gun. I taught cabinetmaking for 29 years at a community college. When we sprayed polyurethane and lacquers, we always wore resperators. We had a large walk in paint booth with full draft ventilation. Never developed any problems from it but at the end of the day you could taste it and smell it for quite a while. This never happens to me with water based paints. But that is just my two cents worth, some people are more prone to problems than others. Musky Glenn

Lumaflex at Supreme Corp. 325 Spencer Rd. Conover, N.C. 888-604-6975 You have to call them, their web site doesn't show it. Nice people to work with. Musky Glenn

I haven't had a problem with #5's and epoxy. They work great, haven't tried smaller sizes. Musky Glenn

I had a small Craftsman air compressor that didn't have a storage tank with it. I bought a portable air storage tank which I ran an air line from air compressor to storage tank. From storage tank I ran a short air line to my regulator which is attached to the side of my paint station. I add 90 # of air to tank and that will run me for about 2 hours before I have to turn the noisy air compressor back on. Musky Glenn

It will save you a lot of head aches if you run 50# of air to a small regulator close to your air brush. You will then be able to adjust the air down to as little as you like without having to leave the area to go to the air compressor. I believe you can get a regulator at Harbor Freight for around $15. with a moisture separator. Musky Glenn

This would be a good book to check out for setting up any kind of wood working shop equipment. Musky Glenn Cabinetmaking and Millwork by John Feirer

Bill Norman dd22's are deep runners that I use with a garcia 3.8 to 1 ratio reel. I believe the "Smoo" was the worst running lure I ever bought. Just my $.02. Musky Glenn

Some band saws have a gauge with a swinging dial that indicates how tight a blade should be according to the width of the blade. Musky Glenn

That lure looks a lot like a 9" Grandma, find a photo of one to compare yours to. Best way to tell if hooks tangle is to fish it some. The hooks I carry to replace cut off hooks is size 3/0. They would probably make your lure a little more active. The thing about larger hooks is the barb is also larger. This is what usually causes hooks not to penatrate past the barb and you end up fighting the fish with it hooked on the end of the hook point. A hook that goes in all the way to the bottom of the hook stays put most of the time. Most of the time if hooks tangle on a musky lure, the lure will still run ok. If the hook tangles on the lip it will not run ok. I would stay back with the front hook. I would go with 3/0 on front two hooks and leave the larger 5/0 on the rear. Don't worry about pine, it will hold fine. Remember locked down drags only hold about 15 lbs. Musky Glenn

I have used several different types of epoxy and can't tell much difference in them. I use cheap nylon brushes but I brush it on thin because I don't use a turner. I do enough brushing to get an even thin coat and just let it hang to dry. I don't pay any attention to brush marks as I apply the finish. It seems to always level out and hide the brush marks. Never had a bubble problem doing it this way. One coat gives a high shine and looks great. I only apply a second coat if it is one of my musky lures. Two coats holds up better than one coat. Never tried one thick coat. Musky Glenn

Checks in the mail (reel that is) should be there Wed. Musky Glenn

I save my empty spools that come with rod winding thread. Some of them have a "split" end that you can just pull the end of the thread into to hold for starting. I have several round handle paint brushes and select one that will go through the spool and wedge itself with enough going all the way through that I can chuck the paint brush in to a battery drill. Juke up Charlie Daniels and relax while the drill works. Musky Glenn

Muskies like um too. Black with silver blades, hard to beat that color combo. Musky Glenn

Just my take on this subject. The band saw is never going to be finish work. Give the skip tooth style blade a try some time. Less teeth, a little rougher cut, but man they cut. I am not suggesting this web site, never used it, just showing an example of a skip tooth blade. Musky Glenn http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/316-4-tpi-skiptooth-bandsaw-blades.aspx

I received your reel today and it turned into a head scratcher. You know that feeling when everything looks correct but it still doesn't work, well that was me this evening. The brake blocks were the problem of keeping the reel from closing. But like you said, when you got it closed the spool was very hard to turn. I went from end to end and finally traced it down to the spool. I found that by taking a spool out of one of my working reels and installing it into your reel. That cured the problem, but what was wrong with your spool? I thought that the bearings might be bad and locking it up under pressure. I found a used spool out of 4500 and took the bearings out of it. They were in bad shape so I didn't go that route. That reel did have a good brake block piece on it that was good. I replaced the sheet metal part that holds the two white brake blocks and that cured your problem. You can make out this part in your second photo in the middle. It is the piece holding the two white brake blocks. I probably could have just replaced the brake blocks but since that worked, leave well enough alone. I will mail your reel back on Monday along with the bad brake block. Even after knowing what the problem was I still can't see what was wrong with it. Just one of those "could only happen to me deals". It should be good for many more fish. Good Luck, Musky Glenn

I would start with white and mix black to it very slowly. It'll change rather quick. Musky Glenn

There is a lot of different details going on with that paint job. What I do is look at each individual feature and decide how that was painted then work out an order in which each one was applied. You Tube is a good place to see videos of actual lure painting. Musky Glenn

They don't list it on their web site, you have to call or go by in person. I never checked to see if they had other colors. That was the only two I was interested in buying. Musky Glenn

This is how I buy Lumiflex. Also notice the coat hanger bent into the shape of a goal post, I put that in my drill and spin how ever many wraps I need to make one skirt. Those are also the type of brushes I buy for epoxy. Those are the only two colors of Lumiflex I use. Everything else I use some type of silicone skirts. Musky Glenn http://s226.photobucket.com/user/muskyglenn/media/100_3470_zps0f5a24b0.jpg.html?o=77