69_GS_400

Thanks for all the replies and help. I was thinking about trying a wider bill. I may just leave this one alone. I'm already starting on a smaller version. I hope to make this one in the 4" range and maybe get a little more jointed side to side action. It will prob take me another month to get then next one on the water. Just out of curiosity can a bagley balsa b body shape be made on a wood lathe?

I did follow some of what you did when you made yours Mark. The bill was cut at About 80 degrees. I took another trial run at the pond with no leader and it did move a lot better. Now my bait is much bigger then yours. It's about a 6" bait. And when o did the jointed section I made it about a 1/3 of the entire body. So I cut off 1/3 for the rear and the rest was the front of the bait. I intend to make another but down sizing into a 4" bait. I hope to get a more erratic wobble like the rapala j9 floater jointed lures but on top of the water

Here it is. The bill does look crooked to me. Again this is the 1st bait I've ever made or painted.

I wish I could post a picture of the bait.

I finished my rat wake bait. It turned out pretty good. I did a test run at a local pond and noticed at a slow retrieve sometime the bait would not wobble back and forth. For the most part it did but sometimes would stop wobbling. When I sped up the reel retrieve the bait would not wobble at all and would pull to the side. I did put a hanger ring on the line tie and also was using a leader. Not sure if this would contribute to the issue. Also I kind of eye balled the bill cut and size. Maybe it's not big enough or cut at the right angle? (The plastic portion of the bill). Also could it be the positioning of my line tie?

Thanks guys. I just got back from our local ace hardware store. They did have 30 min devcon clear epoxy. Just touched up the lure and waiting for it to dry. Then I'm going to apply the epoxy.

What kind of epoxy do you recommend? Any certain brand?

Could I use Testors one coat lacquer clear coat over createx paint? It's a spray can? I do not have an airbrush gun yet so I'm looking for something that I can top coat the bait with out a gun. I already boat the rAttle can of this lacquer clear so I was hoping it would work. Unless there is something else that could be suggested that would work better. In another thread someone suggested devcon but I assumed I would need a gun to spray it Thank Mike

Ok guys progress is slowly being made. I asked around for what type of sealer I should use before painting and it was suggested shellac wood sealer that's in a spray can should do the trick so that's what I picked up. My question is how to apply it? Light coats? If multiple coats should there be a drying time? Also I want to glue in the bill so should I do this before or after sealing the wood before paint? And I was going to fill the eyes in with resin? Again do this before sealing the bait or after?

I also was going to resin the eyes so should that be done before or after sealing the bait?

I got the spray can you recommended. Now I use this for the initial wood sealer before paint correct? Also should I glue the bill in 1st then seal or glue the bill in after I seal it?

I do not have an air brush gun and did some searching around on what I could buy to dip my wood bait in to seal it. Meaning the 1st coat of what ever seals the wood on the bait. Ive read and watch various threads and videos of different ways to seal a wood bait. Some very conflicting after reading people were having troubles with paint or top coat lifting. I have read people using rattle can primer, polyurethane mixed with mineral spirits, and just dipping the baits into a house hold can primer. What is the best to use and easiest considering I do not have a gun? If the best results are from using something that can only be sprayed from an air brush gun could someone recommend an affordable air brush gun brand or model and what type of initial sealer, paint, and top coat to use? Thanks Mike

Alright fellas. Thank you for all the great advice. The rat is really coming along. I have the slot cut and and I made the bill. The plastic lexan bill is not as perfect as I woud like it. I may try making another. My next step is to seal the lure. I read that spar urethane mixed with mineral spirts is a great sealer. So I need to pick some up and dip and seal it. I do not have an air brush gun but I was considering buying one. I have a large compressor and hoped to run the gun off that. Unless I could hand paint it? There is a local hobby store here that sells the gun and paints but not sure if there is special paints for lures? To sum up my questions I'm I on the right track for sealing the lure with spar urethane/mineral spirts Can you paint it with the hobby store paint and run a gun off a larger compressor? What type of glue should I use to glue the bill in? Is there a special type of clear coat to use? I guess being that this is the first bait I've ever made im not sure how much $ I would like to invest in equipment.. If the bait works out I would like to make another.. I really would like to make some replicas of the rapala shallow srf7.

Ok guys I pretty much have this thing put together. I don't know if this is a no no but I was a bit impatient and could not find stainless steel eye screws so I used solid brass. The last part to the bait is Cutting the bill Slot and the bill it self. This is the first bait ive ever made so forgive my ignorance. All I have accessible is a hand saw and a vice. Could anyone please instruct me how to cut the bill slot on the bait properly at the right angle? If I understood your build Mark you cut yours at 75 degrees? My bait is wood. should I lay the bait flat an eye ball 75 degrees or is there a more accurate way of drawing the cut line . I also still trying to figure out how big of a bill I should make. Not to concerned with screwing the plastic bill up by trial and error but I DO NOT want to cut the bait wrong. Ive got like 10 hours into it. Thanks Mike

Can anyone suggest where to buy the hinge and eye screws?

Thanks Mark for the insight. I checked out your link. I hope mine turns out as nice as yours!!

Guys im looking for some advice on how to finish up my rat wake bait Ive made. So fat the bait is just about shaped and sanded. Its not the prettiest but as long as I can get it to swim right I will be satisfied. So the bait is still in one piece and was hoping to get some suggestions on the following. Where and how to cut the bait to make it symmetrical? What do I use to make the body parts connect? Where and what type of screw eye hooks should I use for the line tie and the hooks? How to cut the slot for the bill and what degree angle should the cut be? What type of material should I use for the bill? I would love for this bait to be able to move on top water at a slow retrieve but with a faster retrieve to dive to a shallow depth. The bait is about 5.5in long. I basically tried to make my own version of the Woodrow rat. Picture attached is what im trying to replicate Thanks Mike