Anglinarcher

Nope, I don't think it is necessary.

Microballoons are pretty light so it can be a nightmare trying to weigh them. I use a Lee reloader kit that has measurement cups measured in cubic centimeters. I have owned them for a long time, but I suspect they are still available. I use the Alumilite White, but it is close to the RC-3 in density, so using volume, I can get you close if you use the following chart. https://www.makelure.com/store/pg/177-specific-gravity-chart.aspx Try 8 cc of microballoons to 10 cc of RC-3. Because RC-3 has a specific gravity of 1.05, close to the 1.07 of Alumilite White, you can instead use 8 cc of microballoons to 10 grams of RC-3. If you maintain the ratio 8/10 or 4/5 or 2 cc to 2.5 grams of RC-3 you will get a density really close to .7 g/cc. I hope this helps you out.

Very interesting. I like them.

I have played with it but I don't like the extra weight. Still, the best way I know of is to use the razor knife and push the blade down only, toward the blade, so you never pull the foil/transfer up. It seemed to work well enough that way, but it is slow.

It is the size, not the source that matters. I have seen different sizes from Dollar Tree.

It may very well be the oils on your finger. Have you tried wearing nitrile gloves when you do this?

Looks good. What does it take to get started into it, and what kind of cost for a starting kit?

Density is mass divided by volume or grams per cubic centimeter. If you take a piece of balsa and screw in a screw eye, you can then do the following: Get a container that is big enough to hold the sample , enough water to submerge it, and a gram scale big enough to weigh it all. Because water weighs 1 gram per cc, if you submerge the sample just to the screw eye, you are displacing the amount of water that is equal to the volume of the item. You are also placing exactly one gram of weight on the scale per each cubic centimeter of volume displaced. When you weigh the container, water, you then record it. Then weigh the container, water, the sample submerged to the screw eye, record. Subtract the 1st from the 2nd and you have the volume of the sample. Now, remove the screw eye from the sample and let it dry. Weigh the sample, divide the weight of the sample by the volume of the sample and you have the density of the sample. It is really easier they it sounds, and I see I need to video this stuff and start a YouTube channel again. If it does not make sense, let me know and I will try to do a quick video of it and create a link. Two samples of different materials, of the exact same size, will give the exact same volume as expected. But the weights of the samples will differ. The volumes divided by the weights will work every time. I respect you way way way too much to every tell you that. LOL Not on my wildest day would I do that!

Yes, but you can't really do it without taking a sample home. Hover over ACTIVITY at the top right of this screen. Once the drop down menu comes up go down to the search feature. Type in Archimedes Dunk Test. Or you can go to the one below. http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/22200-archimedes-dunk-test/?tab=comments#comment-165612 I first did this test to determine density of materials in a science class in the 70's, but it seems that they forget to teach it today. LOL Vodkaman did a great jog bringing it back for us.

How true!

I am not the oldest of the "old school" but old enough. Balsa was/is light, and because of it is can be made super reactive (action wise). That was, and is, the biggest reason people like it. Even today Rapala is a big user of it, and the Flatfish made in the old time was far more effective than the plastic ones of today, at least in my opinion. But, you have rediscovered one of its problems. It is weak. It is also grainy, meaning it is often easier to sand then use knives, etc. Based on your picture, your lip was not embedded nearly deep enough for that kind of application. I can only tell you that you are not the first to make that mistake, and you won't be the last either. Balsa often requires through wire harnesses inside, so it can require splitting the bait and then gluing it back together. For a long time balsa guys would harden the unpainted bait with propionate (i think that is what it was called), but I read that many now use thing superglue. I have tried superglue and it works without making the bait heavy (soaking it with other things can make it heavy): I sand it a little after it is dried/cured. I personally believe you get stronger baits with the superglue then with the You are doing very well using One other thing, the etex. I would be interested in knowing how long you waited to fish it. Normally after a few days it is hard enough that the hooks won't easily penetrate. It is softer the first few hours, even a day or two, but ....... If it is not getting harder, then it can be that you are not mixing equal amounts. Check it out and let us know. Practice, practice, and with each lure you will learn more. Soon you will rediscover why balsa was, and to many is, a great lure making material. And if you have questions, just come back and ask. Now that I have opened the door with this, I am sure you will get far more results. We have lots and lots of different opinions and ideas, so let the flood gates open.

Yep. https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=B2XJWr6NG-r-jwTlhafoCA&q=melting+point+of+tungsten&oq=melting+point+of+tun&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l6j0i22i30k1l4.1204.5033.0.8553.21.13.0.7.7.0.179.1460.5j8.13.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..1.20.1487.0..46j35i39k1j0i131k1j0i46k1.0.9Ka2MpuOxT0

I agree completely. I tend to use Alumisol, but because I know how it will work each time, not for the cost. I want to try others, but just can't seem to bring myself to do it. In the past I got a hold of some real stinker of stuff, but they are out of business now. Check out the thread sticky at the top of the page on PVC. I think it is the easiest to sculpt myself. We have a whole group on this site that are always willing to help out in any way we can. Just join in and enjoy.

Not much anymore, but in the 80's we made "creature lures" that way. We would use either a hot flame or iron to splice different tails or appendages to lures. Some were just downright weird, but they worked. LOL

It does sound really good, and I will watch the videos on it in the future, but ....... I went to the web site. http://www.superchrome.ca/superchrome.php For the beginners kit, $299 US is a bit steep to experiment with, at least for me. Also, just how "easy" is it. The site says to have a professional clean booth, something I don't own or have access to. Don't get me wrong, if it works, and if you can get the same number of lures out of this as you can with 8 oz of regular paint, then maybe. Worse yet, it has its own clear, and I have no way to know if it is going to be good enough for our needs. I do see that in their web site that they link into a guy that paints fishing lures, and that gives me hope......... http://www.superchrome.ca/DIY-superchrome.php Final thoughts, Primer is a urathene 1.2 to 1.4 mm gun tip for the primer 36+ hours for solvent to evaporate or several hours in a drying oven 0.8 to 1.0 mm tip for the chrome spray 72+ hours for solvent to evaporate or oven dry again 1.2 to 1.4 mm gun tip for clear coat 12 hours cure, or oven again. Total, two different guns, 120 hours in drying times from start to finish. I just don't have those abilities for my hobby use.

You know what, I was just thinking. The ability to control pressure is probably more important than any of the compressors or airbrushes we are talking about. The best airbrush is not going to give you, or more accurately me, the results I want if the pressure is not adjustable. Just something to think about. I have a valve and a pressure gage on one of my compressors for when I need the best results.

Sounds good. Glad it worked out for you.

The Alumifoam is an aggressive expander. But, you have done well in choosing HS1 and by clamping the mold. My thoughts are that if the part is "thinner" thaa it is your clamping method. I make my mold walls pretty thick when I am doing a mold where I will be using Alumifoam. The proper way to clamp it is to put a piece of wood (plywood or similar) on each side. Clamp the mold between the plywood. I can use Alumifoam and get extremely consistent results using HS2 if I clamp it using the wood on the sides, then clamping it just enough to keep the mold closed and tight, but not enough to crush the mold. By going to HS1 or Quickset, I get more ability to clamp down without crushing the mold (thinner pieces) or getting Alumifoam deformation. My go to is PLAT 55 for a really good Alumifoam mold. I hope I explained this well enough. If the piece was thicker, than the vent holes would be suspect or we would need more aggressive clamping. But, the key word I read was thinner pieces were coming out. Let me know if that is not clear enough or we need to try something else.

We had a thread about a year ago that was about how to make a lure "hunt". I wonder if the items discussed then might apply to this? To me, hunting is the early stages of a lure getting ready to blow out, soooooooooo. Does your lure start to hunt just before it blows out? You mention that the lure is running good at lower speeds so maybe this might provide a clue. Going from memory now, Vodkaman discussed trimming the lip a little more each time. I seem to recall he may go through 10 lures, going well past the sweet spot, just to make sure he has found the right version. So, this would agree with I also seem to recall something in the same, or similar thread, about raising or lowering the ballast location. I know that from my own swimbaits, a high center of gravity will blow out much much sooner than a low center of gravity. I have 4 versions of a bait that I am doing, each identical in every way, other then how high the center of gravity is, and when the water clears enough for video, or our pool opens, I will document the differences. I also seem to believe Dave mentioned that lip angle made a difference as well. Mark and Dave think alike. Yes, I have seen this as well. When experimenting several years ago on what I thought were radical designs at the time, I found that even length of the lure, how fat the lure was, well, all the control surfaces interact with each other so changing one can change another. Funny thing about lure "bill" design is that no two people seem to totally agree. For example, I knew about the following link and they give their theory. https://makewoodenlures.com/wooden-crankbaits-4-important-tips/ Tips 2, 3, and 4 might apply. As for my advice on this one, well, without seeing it myself, take someone else's advice. LOL Did I mention that width of the lip, especially a square bill, can make it blow out early on some of the lures I did. ROFLOL Sorry, so many variables. I just hope this summary helps some.

Funny thing is AZ that I forgot all about the top left search.......you know, too close to my nose to see. LOL

Just one warning. A phone call to the IRS is useful, but not legally binding. If they give you wrong information, it is still your fault. In other words, get it right, by getting it in writing. If you have an accountant, ask the question of them, and "get it in writing". Don't you just LOVE the IRS?

And of course cal LPO and give them a chance to help. They don't make their own lead so if they got a bad batch, they need to know as well.

It is, and most of the time you do not need to degas silicone. In the case of lead molding, it is a little different. The hot lead causes the silicone to expand. When the silicone expands, pores/voids that were otherwise not seen or even matter, can open and create similar things. Most lead silicone molds don't last long so keep that in mind. Remember that hot flames are higher than silicone can take so be careful. Also, I have never found removing anything other than silicone from silicone to be difficult. Lead just drops out so I don't see this is necessary at all. This is new to me. OIR, what does the chalk do to the silicone rubber? Time for me to learn something new here, awesome. Not so much a reaction, but if air cannot get out, then it will create bubbles. Moisture will also do this. My concerns would be that most of the time the air would be pushed to one spot, so........ the reason I asked about degassing the silicone. This would be the first thing I would do, and it is the easiest to do. A sharp razor knife and you can cut a vent in the silicone. If it fixes it, great, if now, then it will only leave a small sprue to remove. This reduces the surface tension allowing the air to move out better. Without a vent, it still has not place to go, but this is also a great test to do. I have seen this work on resin as well.

You may have hit the nail on the head. I always direct them to the search under the Activity and that is the one I use. Hmmmmmmmm

Please remember that we all have days like that. Days when friends seem like enemies, days when sunny skies seem more depressing than the darkest storm. On those days, less than friendly enemies seem to be everywhere looking to discourage us even more. More often than not, it is our own perception, not reality. Our friends are still our friends, the enemies are not as numerous or as strong as we think. There will always be opposition in all things, and that is as it should be. Brighter days will be ahead. At least that is what I tell myself every day.