EdL

At a rod building event a couple of years ago one of the builders used canned air to burst bubbles on the epoxy finish on the wraps. He just passed over the epoxy quickly, lightly and bubbles broke. Seems like it depended on just right of air flow (not too direct or too light). Some other rod building guys used butane micro heat guns. This is what I use on rod epoxy. Again not too much heat -just a light touch. More than one way to do this. I thought about using a hair dryer but don't since dust in the air can be kicked up.

http://jonestones.com/product_info.php?cPath=4&products_id=35 Ben - I went to the jones tone web site and found a a page where they have bulk or single sheets available. The first page only showed set but under bulks there was this page. Have a great Christmas and New Year. Ed

photo finishing a lure is where you get an image (pic) of a fish such as a shad or perch-both sides, manipulate it for size to fit on a lure body and then affix each side to the body. Then you clear coat finish the lure. Basically you are using a picture of a fish instead of having to paint it. Suppose to be more realistic. Do an internet search as there are several how-to out there.

Hey at least you weren't driving like a lot of fools do where I live. No harm done and it goes to show that we are all human. I almost cut off a finger on a table saw cause I got distracted. That was a few years ago and now I NEVER take that chance of letting my fingers get that close again. Glad this top coating business doesn't involve anything that will go boom if not mixed right.

Go look in the hard bait tutorial section here on TU. There's a how-to- for working with round stock. It may not be exactly what you're needing but if you're building baits you must have creative attributes that work to come up with a jig or fixture to do what you want. Beside using a jig or fixture is much safer to use than trying to hold a piece of wood with your fingers and pushing the stock into a moving blade.

Tell her you love her and that's all that matters. If she says something nice about it anyway then she's probably a keeper. If she doesn't ... well that up to you.

Good site. Thanks Ben for sharing link.

Ben's note about Iwata using teflon packing rings is a reason to spend the bucks for a good quality airbrush. Cheaper ones likely will use O-rings which may be degraded by acetone or other hydrocarbon solvents or reducers. One thing about teflon is while it will hold up to acetone it can be scratched with mechanical tools. So poking around inside the brush with metal pick to clean out dried paint should be avoided. Let the brush soak in reducer for a while then drain and blow out with dry air. I used to deal with orifice flow meters that used teflon seal rings and when extracted from the plate changer the teflon would sometimes have scratch lines on the surface created during the extraction. We would have to toss them away because the scratch would create a leak path around the orifice plate and not seal properly. Probably not a big deal for the air brush but why ruin a packing and have to order a replacement. You won't find a teflon packing for your airbrush at HL/Mich/HD/Lo/Ace/CVS/Walg - you get the idea.

Been away a few days - belated thanks to a garrett for sharing what he uses and his experiences.

Agarrett - nice write up. Just what brand and type of silicone are you using to make the mold?

Maybe this might help: Melting Plastics In Acetone - Not Propionate Pellets Isn't the search function on this forum the greatest?

Looks like the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Great lures you've done. Welcome aboard TU. Ed

I don't prime but do put down the first coat of white or pearl white createx as a base coat.

Before I retired as an engineer I sometimes had to train or explain work processes to younger engineers. So I had some experience in trying to put out a set of instructions. Today its easier with computers, small cameras, and pdf creation software to document a process. To put one of these how-to's together just remember to document clearly the steps you do. Be sure to include all steps and don't assume the reader will understand everything. Some people may not have the experience and are trying to learn. Thanks for everyones appreciation. Some of you like Pete have contributed to TU that helps me so I wanted to do my part to pay it back.

ME - I'm still starting out. At least it seems that way cause I learn something everyday. TU is great for this. I had a job that lasted 40 years and one day I thought I'd quit and start up a hobby to occupy my time and do something with the remaining brain cells I have and keep them working. Since I like to fish I decided why not try making some baits.