Musky Glenn

Flashabou comes in different sizes, and I believe it is a combination of two different sizes. I don't believe it has any lumaflex in it. I'm also sure your eyes are better than mine. Musky Glenn

I tend to use heavier leader wire in the .050 sizes for two reasons. First is kinking and the second is it doesn't seem to tangle in hooks as often. Your right, breakage is not a problem with the smaller sizes. The WNC Muskie Club has had some problems with florocarbon leaders being biten into. Musky Glenn

If you have a Bass Pro Shop near by, they usually carry stainless steel leader wire in a few sizes. Musky Glenn

Tony Maxwell, I found a good source for Lumiflex. Give them a call. They don't list it on their web site but they know it by Lumiflex. Supreme Corp. 325 Spence Rd. Conover, NC 888-604-6975 Musky Glenn

Here is an old photo of the brushes I use.

I use epoxy and apply it with a nylon bristle/cheap plastic handle brush. They are approx. 1/8-1/4" wide. I go to the local Dollar, Dollar General, Mighty Dollar stores and buy them in a pack 12 for $1.00. Thats about $.08 apiece and just throw them away. They are good for pushing epoxy around and the bristles stay in them good. They don't like Lacquer thinner. The bristles extend about 1/4 inch into the plastic handle. Musky Glenn

I would recommend you tape up a piece of white paper and experiment with different tips, pressure and thinning. I would install the .05 tip and then go through this test. The first thing I do when I have an unknown problem is start eleminating each varible one at a time. Gun trouble- I spray plain water through it, that will let you know if it is the gun. Paint thickness- thin it down till it sprays with thirty pounds of pressure. Pressure- run the pressure up until it sprays then come down to what you need for your application. In my openion it is important to do the trials in that order. When you come down with the pressure you may have to thin the paint more to spray at a lower pressure. Then I would go to a smaller tip and try it . That is how I deal with the "no spray gun". It doesn't sound to me like a problem with a cheap gun. It may not do the fine work you are wishing for, but it should spray paint. Good luck Musky Glenn

Some auto body shops have plastic welders for repairing plastic parts on bumpers, fenders and grills etc. I remember there being about half a dozen different type of plastics that you had to have plastic rods to match each type of plastic. Kind of like melting your rubber baits back together after they get chewed up. Musky Glenn

I agree with Smallmouthaholic 100%. A lot of the spinner baits I make for myself I leave the lead head naked. If it tarnishes I barely touch it with a knife blade and it brings the shine right back. Saves on eyes also. Musky Glenn

Back to the original question of cutting the 3rd and 4th sides of a lure. The answer is in your trash can. Lets say you band saw the top and bottom profiles first and second. Make sure there is enough scrap wood on each side to hole top and bottom scrap pieces so that they can be taped back to the lure blank. When you tape them back on the top and bottom then you have a flat side to cut the right and left profile. Then the hand work starts. This is the same way some of the custom table legs are made. Musky Glenn

The got to be metal of some type to have the right action. They sink like a rock. I believe Rapala's are lead. Musky Glenn

I'm not set up for powder painting so I use createx paint, put the eyes on with the glue on the back of the eye and d2t over the entire head. The eyes don't come off for me. That works for the volumn I make. Musky Glenn

That paint job is better than anything I do but it looks like a simpler pattern to me. Base coat of green on head and char on rear. The scales look like they were done at the same time by using a double layer of netting just off set. Then all the beautiful fading takes place. Love those eyes. Musky Glenn

I have wondered about the same mold. It seems odd that as many of those jigs as Rapala sells why is there not a mold. I wouldn't care if it had provesions for front and back hook. You can make the plastic wing out of a corner of the hard plastic lid that comes on some Rapala lures. That mold would sell. Musky Glenn

I have subscribed to Bass several times but much prefer Musky Hunter Mag. They start an article and run it all together, they don't continue part of it to the back of the book. Muskies are just a special fish, as are all other fish that happens to be your favorite. I wish Tackle Underground had a mag! Musky Glenn

Some things to consider. 1. A blank without eyes never feels like the finished rod, it will always feel more limber with the eyes on. 2. When you cut a blank that makes it stiffer 3. Eyes are usually cheaper than blanks so buying a heavy set and a light set might allow you to achieve the flex you are looking for. Light eyes stiffer rod- heavy eyes more flex. I would waste an old rod to see how cutting affects that blank and apply that knowledge to the new blank you are getting. Musky Glenn

Kelly, you would need a bend on each side of the blade because at times that blade will slide both ways depending if it is on one of the top or bottom legs. Musky Glenn

The Musky Shop stills sells the Slop Master spinner baits by Bucher. (Rollie and Helens Musky Shop) Your right that is a good (musky) spinner bait. Musky Glenn

I didn't have the crimp sleeves and tried the piece off a pop rivet. It didn't hold so I took round nose pliers and made a loop for the swivel to hang from. Looks good but I haven't thrown it yet to see how that will work. If you try the double tier style, you can run the middle wire long, put a loop where you want the other legs to hang from. Secure with pop rivet shell or copper electrical compression sleve. I paint my sleeves red. I don't pour heads on my top, just copper compression sleves. They seem to lay out a little better or it might just be me. They catch fish. Musky Glenn

I know it is hard to tell what buck tail that is because of the distance from camera. That is actually a new Double Cow Girl. They are made as right as you can get. I'm sure if I had some liquid water to run it through it would work fine. Musky Glenn

I scrape them with a knife blade. Hard on knife blades. Musky Glenn

Having never used it for lures, I am not the one to answer your question. But, I have worked around this type of sealer many years in the construction trades. I would think the ability to walk on it, mop it and park cars on it would indicate it would probably stand up to fishing conditions. Remember, I could be completely wrong. Musky Glenn

Great looking lure.

How critical is the placement of the balast, was there a lot of trial and error. Musky Glenn

Do nesting pliers slip less than round nose pliers? Musky Glenn