imagine_studios

Also, there's a program called GIMP that's a free Photoshop style program, if your only option is to correct the colors in post processing. There's all sorts of how to stuff using GIMP out on YouTube.

Here's a couple things I've tried with some success. They say the flash is good up to about 10 feet, but you're right, if you get too close, it washes everything out badly. One thing I did, was to back up three or four feet and then use the zoom to get in with a tight shot. This seems to allow the flash to dissipate a bit and not saturate the close up so badly. The other thing I tried was to put a piece, or possibly a couple pieces, of tissue paper over the flash in an attempt to take a little of the harshness out of the flash. Of the two possibilities, this worked better than backing away from the piece as it allowed me to stay relatively close and I could still get all the detail I wanted. I was using a point and shoot style camera, so there's not quite as many things to mess with as opposed to an SLR style.

Nicely done!

There you have it! Thanks, I couldn't figure that one out. All the other woods are finished nicely, but the cedar wasn't so good, but that makes perfect sense. Bummer is, when you'd like to use it for a project that's viewable from both sides, you can't have one side looking like it's been mauled by a shredder. I guess I could shave the rufsawn face off on the table saw once I get the boards cut the right size for lures, but I was hoping to not have to mess with it BEFORE getting to work with it. Plus, I've got another project that requires a 10" wide piece of cedar that I wouldn't be able to pass through the table saw or band saw to clean it up. The belt sander would be my only other option and I can tell you now, I'd have that thing all sorts of wavy trying to sand it smooth that way. Jason

Dude, you can't get on here and tell us about a lady lure you've made and then not let us know if it works! I hope it worked out for you, I thought it was pretty clever. Jason

I love it! But you forgot the 5/0 hooks on the prom lure to make sure she doesn't get away.

Since we're talking about wood here, and cedar seems to be a pretty good choice for it's water handling abilities, what's the story with cedar being rough cut on one side when you buy it? I've been to the two big lumber stores in my area and they are both the same, rough cut on one side and smooth on the other 3. There must be a good reason for this, but I just don't know what it is. Anyone know what that's all about?

I won't tell anyone you're clever, your secret is safe with me.

Mark uses the classic, "blame the guy who isn't in the conversation," trick, I love it. It works every time.

That's assuming politicians want all to be right with the world... I agree with Mark that most people aren't looking to hijack anyone into their way of thinking, but trying to save a new guy a bunch of time re inventing the wheel. If Mark, or anyone else, has found a new way to make a wheel that's much easier, I for one am glad to hear about it. I think there's a level of excitement sharing something new with others too, especially if you think that new idea is going to save someone else a bunch of time or money. Personally, I've only worked with wood so far and love it, but I'm kind of glad that some of the wood conversations turn to other things people have found success using, otherwise, I might be stuck using wood forever when there might be other avenues available. I think the tangent topic, which can be frustrating at times when you're looking for something specific, is the way of the forum world too. You start out talking about top coats and somehow it morphs into a discussion about hook sizes. One thought often leads to another and since PVC and wood are very similar as far as their crafting and shaping process, they kind of go hand in hand. ...and, I think we've done it once again... that's the last time I'll say PVC today, I promise.

That is really slick, thanks for sharing!

I figured it was time to return the favor since I found something that worked pretty nicely. You guys have been so helpful I can't even tell you. Jason

Thanks. If anyone else tries it, let us know if you find a better way of doing things.

They were gold thumb tacks. They had silver as well, so I might try a few of those too. Jason

Here's a cheap and easy way to make 3D fish eyes for larger lures (I make Muskie lures, so they work out nicely). I got a box of 300 thumbtacks from the dollar store. I had some Mod Podge Gloss craft decoupage already around the house, but I think I picked up 32 oz of that at the craft store for $12.00 (32oz will last just about forever if this is all you use it for). I had some black vinyl stickers available (the leftover stickers I used to put the # on the side of my boat). I stuck the thumb tacks into a piece of foam. Used a standard paper hole punch to punch out a bunch of holes that turned out to be just about the right size. Since these were vinyl stickers, I only had to peel and stick them to the center of the thumb tacks. I've not tried it yet, but I bet you could do the same thing with black paper and a little glue. I then used a craft paint brush and dipped it into the Mod Podge and dabbed a little on each of the thumb tacks (I ended up using a paint brush made of something resembling hair, the cheap ones you get with the plastic bristles kept wanting to leave bubbles in the Mod Podge). The Mod Podge is white, but it dries crystal clear. I didn't want the finish to crack because I put too much on at a time, so each eye has three coats of Mod Podge with quite a bit of dry time between coatings (I just wait until it turns completely clear, then I know it's dry enough for another coat). The third coat of Mod Podge I put on pretty heavily, it was almost ready to drip off the brush before I touched it to the eye. I swirled the paint brush around a little on this last coat so the Mod Podge was reaching all the edges and bubbled up nicely for that 3D effect using the surface tension of the liquid (make sure all of your tacks are very level in the foam or some of your eyes might be lopsided since the Mod Podge is pretty thin). This final coat took 2 days before it was clear. The Mod Podge is some type of hardening rubber, I believe, so I plan to stick these in my bait and then top coat the entire lure with concrete sealer to give the eyes a bit of a harder finish. I've not tried this last part yet, so I'm not sure if the Mod Podge will react or not. If it does, I'll just put the eyes on after the lure finish coat.

That's a nice find! I love it when I can use something like that, especially when it's old scrap someone doesn't even want, or have a use for. It's amazing how many things you can incorporate once you look at things with lure building in mind.

GST stinks bad if dipped in the house. It seemed like a couple days before the smell was gone.

I'm pretty much a first timer with making lures, but I just heat set my baits with a hair dryer, just until you can see it's not shiny wet, if that makes sense. Then waited 3 days before dipping them in GST (not because I thought I had to wait, but I just couldn't find the time to get it done). My lures are 7, 9 and 11" Muskie lures, so that might make a difference on dry times for the GST, but it took them about 3 days to get really hard after 4 dips in the GST waiting 3 hours in between dips. The lures are made of maple as well, which isn't exactly what you were looking for, but I wouldn't think it would make too much of a difference on dry times as long as everything was sealed up first.

Way cool!

It's all fun and games until the airbrush gets dirty!

Huge knowledge base here. Thanks from me too! Jason

If only we ran the tackle making world...

I'd be interested in seeing some pictures, if you wouldn't mind. Jason

That seems really weird they would do it that way, I'm glad I asked first! I didn't know if the .051 clevis meant it was good for .051 wire, or if that was an actual measurement. You'd think all the clevises would be a couple thousandths larger than the standard wire sizes to account for that. Thanks much smalljaw! Jason

I'm getting ready to make some bucktails and am looking at the various parts needed. If I'm getting .051 wire, it seems like the clevis hole size can't be .051 as well since it would be too tight of a fit to spin freely. Do I need to go up a size on the clevis hole? Thanks Jason