littleriver

@ Skeeter Same here. Really enjoyed the read . Thank you for bringing it again. A couple of years ago I would have been scratching my head but after building a few I get some of what your sharing here. I will be putting this information to use on future builds. Thanks. I was thinking about the poe's bait that slowly rises at 5 ft. i believe at 10 or 15 feet that same bait is going to rise much faster. My question is do you have a way of gauging what a bait will do at deeper depths without actually seeing it? I have no access to a pool . I was thinking maybe I could gauge the rise at shallower depths and try to calculate this into deeper depths.

scrubs I have a nice airbrush, pump, and booth with more paint than I know what to do with but honestly, I prefer the brush. Soo simple to use and best of all I can do it on the couch. I just like it. Dieter I made some progress the past couple of days. Band saw and carving knife were the weapons of choice. I did have to install a substantial ballast and used a dremel for this job. Next time, I think I will use a heavier wood to cut down on ballast. Especially, if i am going to make this any bigger. I took it out for a test run last night . I am happy with initial results. I seem to be experincing the same problem with front hook . Not sure turning is going to help since it is so close to front. May have to go with a short shank hook. Here is a look Ready for paint!

Amen It's been said, "the man is the richest whose pleasures are cheapest." Thoreau

Skeeter I apply with with a really cheap small artist brushes. Just like the ones found in these sets at dollar tree. A tip handed to me via Gene. Thank you! http://www.dollartree.com/household/arts-and-crafts/painting/Crafter-rsquo-s-Square-6-Color-Paint-Pallets/500c565c866p336948/index.pro?method=search I reuse the brush over and over. Clean with alcohol and store in a mason jar with an inch of alcohol covering bristles. Much like a comb in barber shops used to be stored. Ready to go for the next customer. One coat will do . Just have to be sure bait is completely covered well. A good light is a must and in my case reading glasses help. It is thicker than devcon but keeping it warm goes a long way. 70F . Should you want it thinner , isopropyl alcohol 91 percent does a good job. Use same for cleaning and may be found at walmart. There is ample working time with this product , unlike devcon, so best to go slow and don't rush. I let it sit a couple minutes after mixing to let bubble surface then just pop them with breath. A good blow on the bait as well after coating helps with any missed air bubbles. All my most recent baits in gallery are one coat. It is more durable than devcon . Where devcon can and will crack, this product is hard but flexible at the same time. It does get harder in heat. A heated enviroment will make curing go faster. Without heat expect 5hr on wheel and 10 hr to touch min. Heat will greatly shorten this time. This is a thick product and that can be a drawback on some baits if your not wanting to add to bait weight. But I would say this makes an excellent topcoat for most situations.

Mark The plastic version I purchased off ebay photoed here does indeed hunt. It is more pronounced at higher speeds but was easy to achieve and maintain without much effort. A really nice surprise. I wasn't expecting this action from this bait. The lure has a very interesting history as well. It is worth a read to visit some of the early links posted here. Seems one fisherman liked the lure so much he bought the company just so he could continue to have it available. Dieter I see what you mean on a variety of subtle design differences. I too believe homemades should have some level of success. Your bait is looking great, Very jeleous just now as you are way ahead of me . I will have to find my way to the shop soon. I really like that old school look with the hooks. Nice add !!

Hope you can see it in this photo

@Dieter Looks great! You really nailed it , almost. There is a slight 1 to 1,1/2mm drop on the belly starting at the front hook hanger going to the nose. I did a lousy Job capturing this drop in the profile pictures. It is a slight drop just at the hook hanger to the nose. It as though, it gently starts sloping down towards the nose starting at the front hanger hanger. it is a gentle turn rather than a clear break. It may not be a big deal but I wanted you to know it is there. Everything else is spot on . Looking forward to seeing your bait. I will give this a go myself next week but going to use a much lighter wood (paulownia) and weight the lure to get it sitting right in the water. I hope we can capture. the action of this bait. It is really responsive in the water. Great job on the sketch! I'll be using yours .

Thank you gentlemen. Rocky structure is where it is at here.

Yeah, there is more to it but that is part of the journey.

Craigslist might score you a good machine in your price range. That is how all my power equipment was aquired. But do your homework and look for like new condition lightly used. Most power tools have parts that wear and your not wanting to rebuild your new used saw. It is easy to buy and hard to get started.

Ardent Angler The bibs were the straw that broke the camel back for me. I thought I couldn't make the cuts I wanted with a band saw. I was wrong. Here is what I was after Doable precise and easy. The 10 in bands are not too bad but a the bigger models are beasts. Yes you may change the blade on the scroll but the thickness of material and density of that material really effects what you can cut effectively. A pine 2x4 is too much for a scroll but a 10 inch band it is butter. Without it your back to using that hand saw. Same with metal sheet for homemade spinners or spoons. Things come up; given to you or seen on here and you want to try it . Without the right tool to cut it; your back to hand tools or just out of luck. Something about a big motor and a blade going one direction is magic for cutting things well. Yes it is really as easy as carving out a shape slapping some hooks on it to make a lure. When I was first on the fence about making lures, I remember a video a child made of himself making a fishing lure with a piece of a 2x4 and kitchen knife and some super glue. He made the lure in what seemed minutes and was fishing it before the video was over. That inspired me to give it a go. The baits aren't always pretty or work the way their intended but if you like this sort of work you'll stay on the path to better things. If not , you'll at least have the satisfaction of knowing and a saw. For myself, I'm keeping the band saw.

ArdentAngler After handtools, my first saw was a scroll. I used it for a while to cut body shapes and bills. The machine did great for detail cuts but like Bob, I had a problem with it lifting the material from the table. This was very annoying to me. Also, i had to set up machine everytime I would switch from wood to bibs. Then, I had the opportunity to use a friends band saw. After cutting out a few shapes and bibs, I quickly realized which machine I liked better. Every builder will have his or her preference but a band saw is more versatile and can be used for a wide array of tasks with the right blade. From lexan, wood and even metal with the right blade, this saw will meet most of your needs . My scroll saw has set silent since purchasing the band saw.

@ Griffond Just apply a second coat. Epoxy will self level assuming your using a turner. @ Richard , Ben Thank you gentlemen for the information. How is the durability compared to devcon. My biggest complaint about devcon is it will sometimes crack upon impact( hard but fragile).

Thanks nova I am on city sewer. I was joking about the sewer but one has to wonder at the growth right. But infact, they are known for their fast growth. We have had a really wet spring and summer here to boot. This part of east TN is a semi rainforest. So all in all, I would say this is just what you get when conditions are right.

Cost and value are two of this products strongest points.

Mark Thank you for the info. I have purchased wood before with the ends waxed and wondered what that was about; now I know. I will look into the meter as well. Gon2long The solid wood is what i want. I have cut pieces only three inches in diameter and found there was enough wood to make a bait. Your right though; there is a substantial hollow center. I would prefer wood pieces around an inch. I am thinking(wild guess) shoots around a foot in diameter should give me the wood I want.

I found I get way more use out of my band saw. Scroll saws are about as noisy as sewing machine. Not sure how noisy a small tabletop band saw would be but i know I use mine more than the scroll saw by far.

Mark, I plan on cutting mine into strips a couple of feet long and appx 1 inch wide . Then, store it in the attic of my house or shed for about a year. Must place strips between stacked layers so moisture may escape. What I have seen of this wood, it dries quick . Keep it dry and wait.

Nearly forgot, Tabletop is the clear one on the left; Devcon is on the right.

Sharing a picture of a test I conducted some time ago comparing devcon2ton to this epoxy. I wanted to see if one darkened faster than another when exposed to the sun. Here is the photo In all fairness there can be a noticeable difference in color of devcon depending on it's freshness. However after using both products, I believe this tabletops best attribute is durability and cost but requires a turner and time consuming . Devcon is simple, fast and readily available but expensive and not as durable.

I remember Ben; we compared notes a little over a year ago in one of these threads. Any ideas on how big your going to let yours grow before harvesting? Since I have so many suckers, i thought I would keep them to a size a could mill on the band saw.

Hello In year two with my paulownia tree suckers growing off an older tree root, thought I would share their phenomenal growth. These trees must be tapped into the sewer line. My wife is really starting to give me grief but my plan is to hold out for at least another year before cutting any. The largest is close to six inches in diameter at the base. year one growth year 2

Hello , I have been using this product for a couple years now. Feel safe in recommending it to others. it was recommend to me by another local builder. I have to say, as epoxies go, it is pretty good. The learning curve for epoxies like etex is a bit long but I believe is worth the effort if you like this type of topcoat. I use the product for bill and hook hanger installation too. This product is not for those in a hurry but if your patient, the results are great. A lure turner is a must but the cleanup is easy with alcohol. Here is a link to the product. http://www.uscomposites.com/kk121.html I bought the 2 quarts and after two years of using this product exclusively ( besides the occasional exception of trying something new) on over a couple hundred baits, I still have over half of it left.

Thank you I have heard of Bob Smiths, though I have never tried it. I will look for it locally.