bluetickhound

The best thing I've found is the Coleman mosquito net headgear thing (look in camping supplies).... I bought one at Wal (of China) Mart for like 1.99 and it is the perfect size for the 1.5 / 2.5 size cranks I usually make....

Ha! I have to clear my bench of reloading supplies to make baits and vice versa.... I work in my garage and space is at a premium... However, with all the yahoos buying up the primers, powder and bullets, reloading ammo hasn't been something I've been doing a lot of lately anyway!! Fortunately supply seems to be catching up so I can get back to business sooner rather than later....

I'll be loading up with the next check also.... Thanks for the review and heads up Frank! If you havent already done so, maybe a youtube video on the subject would be in order! Between you and Solarfall I have learned a ton of useful and practical info that has saved me a ton of aggravation and $$$$.

Try changing the hook sizes on the floater (try heavier, obviously...) and the sinker (duh.... lighter hook) to see if that will make 'em do what you want 'em to...

The weight difference between a sinker, suspender and a floater is verrrrrry tiny.... I applaud you for your aggressive approach!! I thought I was getting into the deep end by starting out with hand carving balsa baits but you went straight to suspending baits!!

True enough... I'm not a golfer but I have 20+ handicapper friends that think nothing of spending 3 grand for a set of sticks.... I tell 'em "phil Mickleson could tie a flat rock to the end of a crooked stick and still beat you by ten strokes.... Good equipment is great to have, no doubt but any tool is only as good as the talent holding it... An adequate airbrush in the hands of a master will produce magnificent results while the very finest AB in the world in the hands of a hamfist is practically worthless... The "best" airbrush is the one you have practiced (countless hours in my case) with and can get the results you desire from... In my shop it's an Iwata.

Highland hardware in Atlanta has a boatload of CA glues.... http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/search.aspx?find=CA&category=231

To answer the OP's question... When I do buy another AB it will most certainly be an H-S. i got turned on to them by none other than the incomparable Solarfall....

Thank goodness I haven't dropped my Iwata yet but that was one of those "Dang!!! Why didn't I think of that??" facepalm moments.... I'll be getting a piece of scrap carpet on the way home tonight. Thanks Mark!!

Off topic I know, but my older brother had a 1970 Monte Carlo SS 454 in high school.... Sweet ride and he kicks himself for ever selling it!!

I have a two burner hotplate I use for small quantities and a presto pot for larger runs.... I plan on getting at least one or two other presto pots.. Which, of course REALLY means I'll wind up with about four or five presto pots!!

At least 15. For some molds I'll hold pressure up to 30 seconds.

I recently got the BT 302 frog and really like the baits (great action and no rolling unless you totally burn it in...) but I have a problem.... It's a side inject mold and the upside eye (in this case it's the left eye) always has a bubble void in it. Every. Single. Time. Whether I inject slowly, quickly, hotter plastic or cooler makes no difference.... I know it's because the way the mold is configured there is an air pocket that gets trapped as the mold fills up. My question is this: how can I reposition the mold securely so that I can inject it without winding up with a popeye frog? I'm not sure I want to clamp it in a vise at an angle as I don't want to damage the mold nor do I want to try to inject horizontally (no crude jokes please!!!) as I don't see how I could keep the sprue filled as the plastic cools....

I think MonteSS had it right.... Last night I heated my plastic up verrrrrrrrry slowly... It took like 35-40 minutes to grt it ready to pour but the baits are very much improved over the last go around... I had been putting plastic in the pot, heating up in increments but still getting ready in around 15- 20 minutes or so

Seriously though... Welcome to TU. You are going to love this place!

Welcome aboard and remember... You can make a small fortune in luremaking!!! (Provided you start out with a large fortune.....)

I use a presto pot also... I have found a few of my old store boughts that do have the plastic-y smell I'm talking about but they are also essentially hand pour type baits.... I did finally connect on a two pounder on one of my flukes yesterday so I know that they actually WILL catch fish...

Possibly... I heat to 350 to insure consistency and then ramp down to around 320-325 before I add color, glitter and then pour.

Having been at this for a little over a month or so, I still have plastics that stink to high heaven even though they are fully cured. I have the garlic, anise, shad, coffee.... You get the picture... cover ups but is there anything out there that will kill the plastisol odor in unscented baits? I have used plastisol from a few different sources and they all smell awful.... I notice that my old store bought plastics don't seem to have the same odor so there has to be a method or product out there that can moderate this oroblem for me. In my smaller worms it hasn't really been a problem but now that I'm doing larger baits I feel like I'm missing bites because of the odor... I actually saw a fish take one of my flukes and immediately blow it out....

Thanks dude.... I just reaction bit my phone and flopped around on the floor.... Boss thinks I may have "issues".....

I can't offer any advice but I gotta say.... If you are a nOOb, I can't wait to see what kind of work you'll turn out when you get the hang of this!! I'm thoroughly impressed with your molds and craftsmanship....

All that being said... As far as paint goes, a water based paint like Createx or Polytranspar has been my go to... I use Iwata aurbrushes and top coat with either Dick Nite S81 (or DN as you'll see it here), Devcon 2Ton (D2T) or my personal favorite, Amazing Clear Cast (ACC)... ACC is available at Hobby Lobby in the section where casting resins and modeling clay are. Here's a link to get the Polytranspar lineup for water based paints.... http://www.mckenziesp.com/Water-Base-Paints-C3409.aspx

Createx is great and I use a lot if it but I'm also partial to the Poiytranspar lineup.... http://www.mckenziesp.com/Water-Base-Paints-C3409.aspx

Its kinda like asking how to cook spaghetti and meatballs. 1) spaghetti 2) sauce 3) meatballs. It sounds simple enough but the variations on that simple theme are endless. Just the topcoat issue alone has produced so many different threads it would boggle the mind to try to sort 'em out. My advice to you is pretty much the same I recieved when I first came on board here... Use the search function, experiment on your own and find the system that gives YOU the best results.... It would be impossible (and prohibitively expensive!!!) to try everything you'll see here but once you see what all is available you'll surely find some paint systems, airbrushes and topcoats that appeal to you. The bottom line in this: no one can tell you which system is right for you. Only you can find that out. There are any number of products that will get you to where you want to be but luremaking is a highly individual undertaking. Just flip through the hard bait gallery if you don't believe me.... Many different styles and just about all of them are fantastically executed.... Good luck and be sure to post pictures in that gallery when you get to that point. Once you get rolling it will all come together for you and you'll find that your questions will become more specific... Tgat's when the fun REALLY begins!!!

Blue threadlock is designed to break free with hand tools. The red is way tougher... You usually have to have a torch of some sort to loosen that stuff...