SW Lures

Thanks about Trastar Woodie. Lol, I know I'm working with free clear but that 1.0 needle scares the pogebees out of me. I got some painting to do this weekend, then I'm going to try this three part clear....ugh. He said they will look great but at $100 a qt. Not that great!!! Woodie they use it at 78 grams 4:1:1 units for cars, bikes, tanks etc. I asked him can I break it down to around 8:2:2 grams? He said he never tried. Is that possible? I know Transtar is a two part, but can it be broke down that small? He can get me it at a real nice price! Good to have friends. I'll make him some baits when he wants them, a real nice barter. Dale

I have a friend that does some baits (saltwater) and also car paint, high quality car painting. He also paint rods after another guy makes them. Him and I was chatting about clear coating and he gave me several different clear coats, high dollar. He also is looking at a good price for Transtar. These are solvent base and I remember that this may not work with water base paint. Am I right? Also he leant me a 1.0 gravity feed gun for clears. He said this will allow me to use glitters when I want to. He told me to use the air pressure to control the amount and the fine tuning of the brush. Any opinions? Dale

I have a friend that does some baits (saltwater) and also car paint, high quality car painting. He also paint rods after another guy makes them. Him and I was chatting about clear coating and he gave me several different clear coats, high dollar. He also is looking at a good price for Transtar. These are solvent base and I remember that this may not work with water base paint. Am I right? Also he leant me a 1.0 gravity feed gun for clears. He said this will allow me to use glitters when I want to. He told me to use the air pressure to control the amount and the fine tuning of the brush. Any opinions? Dale

I don't think of a primer as a sealer. I use auto air for my primer. I seal the wood first, then sand and prime with different color primers for different color shades. I am curious what others may say. Dale

I made a duplicator and it works just as good as a factory type. To get detail work after the general out line is done, this takes time in the refitting of bits. I can do a general cut out and then do the rest pretty quick by hand. I just enjoy doing this by hand; shaping, sanding and details. I can get each really close to the last. Also on a 7-8 hour day I can get out about a dozen 2-3" baits, one piece (shaped w/details only). Another enjoyment is to see fish caught on them, maybe not always by me. 20-30 would take me about 24 hours to have them ready for painting. I know labor intensive. If I was doing this for a profit I could do this amount in my duplicator in about half the time. I believe that I have learnt more about making lures by doing it by hand. In time I will go back to the duplicator with much more knowledge. The time maybe much less then I think. Then there is molding, this is a more costly but it is a quicker way to do baits in my opinion. I'm not sure about that against a duplicator. Dale

As Bob states if every part of your bait is correct then the eye can be used to correct "side walking". Different size hooks can change the tuning of a bait, this includes for the good or the bad. Lead Dots can do this also. Filing the leading edge of the lip can do this. My point is you can do a lot of corrections to help with tuning. But first learn to make your bait correctly, this may take some trial and errors. Make your tow eye where a grass won't pull it side ways. Like its been stated many times, anything can change the performance of your lure. Good luck, Dale

Welcome Esco! Dale

, Thanks for the videos.

It's a website that I don't want to give the name out right at this time. But you sell hard baits there. EBay is no different as far as making profits. This is just a FYI on knowing to sell under the tax laws. No profit over all no problems or start a legitimate business.

People I'm all for a person making a few bucks for baits but in the US we have a agency that don't want you to forget them. My problem is I don't won't to see anybody get in trouble with this agency. This goes for eBay or anything else. I am not into the business thing at this level, but if you make a profit you most pay taxes on the profit. Then there is the State's. I'm just saying make sure you dot your i's and cross you t's, selling on line. I was going to get into it, but my hobby is not a business and I'm not ready yet to go that far. I could be wrong but I don't think so. If I am tell me. Good luck to the new site, Dale

Iwata are nice brushes, I have a few myself. However when buying one in particular I had a nightmare when I found the needle bent from the dealer. The nozzle was damaged and trying to get the brush returned was a genuine migraine headache. Will I keep them oh yeah, but I looking at a high end Paasche with all needles and nozzle sizes available. But when I got the new needle and nozzle I must have got very luck. The brush is doing very well. But be very careful... to the ones that hasn't never really looked at the nozzle. When Bob says "small", it is just that, very small and delicate. Put something under you while working on the brush. I got very close to losing mine. Lesson learnt for me. To me everything wears down in time. I worked with SS tubing some years ago and it thin down in the wall with just gas flowing through it. I guess the question is, is it performing as it did? This will be hard to tell because of the length of time. Just my opinion, Dale

Yep, I use something like them. But I usually fish them rigged in a Carolina style. I'll rig them hook down or up, all depends. I'll also will use a second hook, a stinger if the fish are hitting short, but in the body. Normally I don't have much trouble. I have had such good success I never worried about another way. I'll give it a try tho. I'm always interested in new ways to fish now adays. Thanks all, Dale

It is a nice looking bait for still waters. But I'm going to use it mainly for moving to swift waters. A crank is the deal for this type of fishing. I'm going to try to get the bait to dive to just above the rocks in a normal level of water in these types of rivers. That should get some strikes. Dale

@ Mark, This goes on fine with no bubbles. Leveling is a very small issue if you put a second coat on. Sanding will eliminate that. Drying time is within hours but I leave it over night and a day every time. I have tested it to a point that there is no point and doing anymore. I have a habit of testing everything to extremes. I think of the wood being protected with just this. The clear coat is to protect the paint, but it's a second protection and giving a effect or making it shiny for the ones who like that. Just my way, Dale

Oh.... I'm going to regret this post I believe, but here goes. I use a Minwax wood hardener/sealer. I brush it on, then sand with 220 grit paper. If need be I do this again. Dry's quickly and accepts water base paints well. As advertised it even hardens the wood quiet a bit. I take time around drilled hangers to seal this area properly. I haven't had water intrusion yet. My two bits worth, Dale

Mr. T have you fished the Clinch River and the Morris Lake, Cherokee Lake. My profile is the Cherokee. On the Clinch I caught a 5.6 lb. Smallie, not bad for a small river. Love the area and the people there. Shallow diver is what I'm working on. Maybe 2-6' and spend time getting some really good action. Dale

That may not happen I fear.

I just turn down the pressure how much depends on the effect that I'm looking for. Then I flick the trigger. Thinning the paint changes the effect also as stated above. Last week I was showing my grand how to do the technique. We were using the technique to create splatters, line's from the belly up and what I call spit spots. Shooting the airbrush at angles. I do use a Iwata and distances from the lure makes a difference also to the effect. I like using sponges for another type of effect. A good paint brush gives you another effect. Flicking it or just doing an effect by hand is fun for me. Dale

I started going through Google and YouTube a few days ago looking at different species of salamanders. Found one on YouTube that I guy was feeding them to a bass in a aquarium, I wonder if the bass went belly up after he feed it? I've seen them being sold, never used then myself other then plastic. The thing is, certain species can tolerate one type of poison more than other species. Dale

I didn't state this in my last post, I really take care with the tow eye. I have friends that like to tie straight to the eye. If I feel that I have made a burr on the eye I put a split ring on the eye. Usually they have no issues with that and have asked for them. They say it gives the bait better action. Dale

I understand JR, but to me it's the end result. I fish for trophy fish spend good money to do so. I want the bait to produce for me or a friend that is using one of my baits. There is a great feeling when someone sends pic's or I see and friend catch a fish with one of them.. No doubt tho Eyectcher, you do need to start from the beginning and learn what works and don't. You'll be a better lure maker that way. I'm still working my way through that and most likely I'll be that way for the remainder of my life, while I'm catching fish. The end result is catching fish isn't it? For me it is. The bait must look and perform properly tho. Dale

I agree, especially at the tow eye and the tail hanger for me. I believe these are areas that must be filled and covered to keep water out. This is due to the drilling. Clean up does not take much effort. Dale

Lol, Gone2 Nice job tho.

Salamanders are known as a fishes nightmare during the spawning time. They eat eggs it said, so bring them through a bed and game is on. Also younger salamanders are the most poisonous, as they mature the poison lowers greatly. And yes my soft plastic lures are poisonous to bass, deadly actually. Do release tho! Dale

If you are going to pour a blank, read then read again about the process. I thought I knew what the process was all about until I started searching in the archives and chatting with the members here. I am getting ready to pour some very soon, so that part I can't help you with. Again do research first. That bait looks straight forward. To carve it would be pretty easy. I have one very similar. Outline the bait with a piece of paper in the two dimension. Then lay the paper shapes on the wood and cut the rough shape out, then start carving it down. I use files once I get the work down to a general shape. Differently doable in about an hour or two for the first time. Take your time and use sand paper to bring the detail shape in. Good luck, Dale