Anglinarcher

Atlasstone said: "I think the question I need to answer by suspending the object is whether the current under the surface is the same speed as the current at the surface. Am I off base on this?" No, you are not off base at all. In water flow systems design, we often use a trapazoid shape so that the water on top flows closer to the flow rate at the bottom. If you do any stream fishing with "floats" and weighted flies/lures/baits, you will often see the float tip forward because the slow flow at the bottom holds it back some. The real question is "is there enough of a difference in the 4 or so inches of the tank to matter?". I kind of doubt it, but then again, I doubted the velocities that you clearly have proven with the latest video. Only testing would prove one way or another.

The video indicates that you may be dead on. Either that or the pump is pumping more then it claims. This has been bothering me some just like others on this site. Most pumps are rated with some "head". For example, it will pump x gpm at y feet of head. A bildge pump does not have that rating, nevertheless, I assume it is normal to assume it is pumping that at about 5' of head to get it over the top of the boat. With no "head" or vertical lift, you could be getting much more then the 1200 +/- GPM claimed. Hmmmmmm

My light is not big enough. LOL They make this stuff for Surf Boards, and they take a beating on rocks and coral, so I can see this working with the right light system.

To be honest, I did not know that Color Tech and SpikeIT was the same until this thread. I guess I just never bothered to pay attention. The stuff I have is from the "ISpikeIT.com" web site. I bought the Pearl White 127 and the Hi-Lite Red 136. http://www.ispikeit.com/Store/c-79-pearl-glo-pigments.aspx As I mentioned before, I have not tried either with the heat gun trick yet so I can't respond as to how it will work in that regards, but I can compare the material to the Alumilite Products in other respects. Alumilite sells two different dust type products. They have their "metalic" powders http://www.makelure.com/ProdDetail.cfm?Category=Dyes%20-%20Fillers&Name=Alumilite%20Metallic%20Powder of which I have their PEARLESCENT. It is not as fine as the SpikeIT product, but as an additive to Plastisol it works about the same. Alumilite also has a new product, their Alumidust. http://www.makelure.com/ProdDetail.cfm?Category=Support%20Products&Name=Alumidust I have all of their colors of this stuff. If I want to really get a pearl, I need to use the SpikeIT or the Alumilite Pearlescent from their "metalic" powders, but for a subtle pearl, the dust works great as a color additive. Still, that is not what it was designed for. The Dust is very fine, much finer then either the Alumilite Metalics or the SpikeIT. It was designed to paint, with a brush, on the inside of a silicone mold prior to pouring Plastisol or Resin. The colors of the dust then transfer to and are bonded to the Plastisol or Resin. I have found that it will paint to the inside of most plastic and aluminum molds as well, but the Silicone holds it better. Only recently has Larry Dahlberg started painting it on to the Plastisol baits and heating it to bond it. In the past, Larry Dahlberg would dip the baits in a very soft clear plastisol to get a glossy surface over the dusted bait. Here is my take on it. The Alumilite "metalic" is the best for getting an almost metal flake look out of the pearl I use. The SpikeIT gives me a cleaner and a more true pearl, as an additive. The Alumidust can be added as an additive, and you get some interesting results, but it is hard for me to get a clean and consistent result. The Alumidust works best as a surface paint, either before molding or after molding and then heating it. The colors of the Alumilite "metalic" are limited. The SpikeIT colors are not as limited, but are still limited. The Alumilite Dust color option is vast (33), but I find myself only using about a third of them for my taste.

I look forward to this.

It is not the same stuff, I have both. I also like the lureworks stuff, but have not tried it with heat guns.

I offer this link for your consideration. You can make your own molds, copy your favorite soft baits, and them pour them. This is a great way to start and learn. http://www.makelure.com/ProdDetail.cfm?Category=Lure%20Kits&Name=Soft%20Bait%20Kit

Thanks wchilton.

What Alumilite product did you use? If you have moderate undercuts, make sure you use the HS2. For severe undercuts, use the HS3. If you have undercuts, then an aluminum mold will only work if you make it in multiple pieces that can eliminate the undercuts. Silicone is the longest lasting of the RTV molds available to date. Using a mold release sure does help over time, but so can rubbing a thin coat of Silicone lubricant to it on occation. I have not used Oomoo, so I can't respond.

"So how long are most letting them drip and/or settle before curing?" It kind of depends. For sure, until you don't get a drip on the end that can be pinched off with a paper towel. I find that mine set from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on how many other things I am doing at the time. It does not appear that it will drip too thin.

So far, this has been so nice for me. I have had no problems today, and this is a first for me and this site.

OK, good luck on finding paints that will work on soft plastics. I suggest Alumidust or something like them, then use a heat gun to just set the color into the lure. Check out the following YouTube video, starting about minute 6:

Done!

I got my batch of Solarez and my nail dryer a while back. Last week I finally got time to do some. I found that the smell is enjoyable, which means my wife hated it. OK, my window is now open when I use it and the fan is on. I dipped some, and let them drip until it stopped. The results are perfect for me. I brushed some, then let them drip until I got back to them. Perfect! I applied thin coats; it worked on all colors for me. I appled thick coats; it left a haze. I found that the lures really cleared up if you hit them for 15 seconds, then rest them for a couple of minutes, then did it for 15 seconds, let it rest for a minute, then go with 30 seconds on and off until cure complete. Personally, I am pleased with this stuff. Like BobP said, this stuff is available from other suppliers as well, in different formulations. I have another company test theirs out now. Only time will tell, but this stuff is very promising.

Switch to Alumilite White, using Microballons, and a screw eye will hold without question. You can also use Alumifoam, the same density as white cedar when formed, that will also hold any screw eye. I test some and it held 75 pounds. Dave is correct on his comments as well. If you have a master you can mold from, you can make your mold using a good RTV, then slip your lip in before you pour your resin. I do this a lot and I get excellent results. If you are still proto typing, then as Dave put it, "you would have to be supremely confident in your lip location."

Dave, I suspect you are pretty close to correct. I think the atlastone video shows a functioning design because turbulance has faster and slower sections. I think the faster currents in the turbulent flow are what is making the lure work. A lot of assumptions come into play, how tall is the water column, how wide is the water column, is it all flowing the same velocity, etc. Lhur Jensen, a company in the US, use to demonstrate their lures by using a cylinder tank and a motor driving a wire frame. The lures were attached to the wire frame and they moved in a circular path. Perhaps this is the direction to go. One thing is for sure, I am not done with this subject. atlasstone has got something that works for his lure, but may not work for Vodkaman's swimbaits, or mine. Neverthtless, this has got all of us thinking.

I have posted on this, and I still love the design, but ....... My calculations say that the flow rate is rather slow. Still, Atlassone's video shows the lure working well, with the exception noted by atlasstone on the other design, turbulence. I suspect that the design is working because of the turbulence, not in spite of it. If the water was flowing laminar, the flow rate may have be only about a quarter of a mile an hour. JBlaze, if you put a sock over the outlet of the pump it will reduce a lot of the turbulence, but not eliminate it. If you then run the water through a stack of straws (YouTube has a lot of videos on creating laminar flow) you can create an almost perfectly laminar flow. Your concept may work well enough, so if you have the time and funds, it is worth a try. I am not trying to be a buzzkill on the subject. I still like the concept and I will be working on this when I can. It appears that I may be moving soon so this is going to kill a lot of my projects for some time. Still, for those that know the math, check my out. For all, I still think that Atlasstone is on the right track!

http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/index.php?/topic/25401-solarez-uv-top-coat/

Not yet, but soon. Before I got my Solarez, I had contacted another company and asked them specifically about this application. I told them that I was a hobby lure maker, not a big guy, so I did not expect them to go out of their way. Nevertheless, they must see potential themselves. They have asked for samples of my lures and they will test several of their UV cure and let me know if they meet the list of requirements I gave them, as well as the UV frequency and strength that performed best. I will be sending the lures off Tuesday. They want completed, ready to clear coat, lures. I will have my airbrush up and producing tomorrow. I don't want to name names yet, just in case they cannot find a suitable product at this time, but if it works, I will let you guys know. In the mean time, I am not seeing any down side to the Solarez.

All of the above. You can buy gold paint in so many different brands, but in the end, if you don't clear coat them, they will not shine like real gold.

Yes, I use it a lot. I like super soft baits most of the time, so I mix about 1 part softner for every 4 parts regular. Like any soft plastic, it benefits from the heat stabilizer when you re-melt/re-cycle. Like any of the Plastisols, shake before use. Not that I am a hobbiest, not a production guy, so I can't tell you how it works in production injection machines.

I cannot even think about anyone bothering to pay anyone to go after you, for just one or two local shops. Now, if you start to sell in Cabelas or Bass Pro, or ....... maybe they will bother you. Will the cost for anyone to pay legal fees to send you a warning letter be worth their effort?

I have a suggestion for you. I suggest you watch the last third of this vido. The applicable parts of this are from minute 6:23 through 8:03. Good luck and good painting.

Amount and size and location varry so much from one class of bait, one shape of bait, and when made of wood one bait to another, that I sure could not give you any formula. I think I know what weights you are using, and they are a good start, but I don't use them. Most of the time I will drill a hole and use #9 lead shot. It takes a larger hole then if you used the solid weights you mention, but it allows more flexibility. One other thing I have done is to make a mold out of Silicone mold putty. Yes, you can pour lead into that mold and get quite a few before it goes bad. I take different sizes of wood dowles and push them into the mold putty to get the depth and width I want. I hope this helps some. I am sure there are others here that have great ideas on this as well.

54, I don't normally disagree with posters, but I would like you to check out the lures in the following link. http://www.river2seausa.com/46-vibration They are not square, some are rounded, etc. I have used these and they "vibrate" quite well. Did I not understand what you said? If so, can you straighten me out? Thanks, AA