SW Lures

This is a little late but I'll put it out here anyways. I sent a order out a few months ago with them that long. I even cut some off a few to keep them no more then three inches behind the hook. Don't like short strikes. I got a few from bass pro until my order came in. I got the remainder from jannsnet. I had trouble for awhile myself. I myself don't like using man made materials for some baits, but work in others. It has a tendency to lay out straight out unlike hair. Hope this helps, Dale

I used acetone as I stated in the last post. I checked the bait and the paint came off, but the bait body has soften. So I will lean towards blasting now. This will not stop me from trying other things. I'm going to work with the thinners some, when I get a chance. The thinners seem to work slower and not as aggressive. By the way denatured alcohol did not do anything. I guess I'm going to build a booth to keep the baking soda and powder in a confined space. Who knows this may lead into something that will help in another area. I'm going to put another in the thinner. As Hazmail said in the beginning this was for wood working. Dale

I brought blasting up earlier but I haven't done it before other then using it in putting on powder paint. The second bait that I was testing did not get the paint off by last night so I left it in the jar. This morning.....nothing? It looks like it just broke it down a little. So I put acetone in now and let it set. I'm keeping an eye on it. This one is a Bagley bait. It's paint and coating seems to more intact. I believe this bait will tell me everything I need to know about the process. I'm willing to look at any way of doing a particular task in anything. Then I will find what works the best for me. Since I'm limited in time to put towards making baits, something like chemicals to remove paint from old baits would help. As long as no harm is done (Environment or me) all is good. Dale

Sorry it took a few but here’s the recent one. You can see that he used a lip that is I believe to be a type of lexan or plexiglass. Pretty thin and bent back parralell to the X Line. I believe he made it in the late 60’s. You can see where he put it back together or not. It’s not pretty to some but it works. You know, the more I think about it he may have ran the thru wire down the back and came up thru the body with the hanger. Hence the cut down the back that is showing. X Ray time. LOL Any ways they say he caught fish on it just before getting sick. I appreciate his work and his love for fishing. Yep Braided they are hard to come by. I heard about a spinner that I am going to try to get soon. Dale

I did this one with thinner/mineral spirits. It broke down what was left of the coating from over time. It also broke down the paint, well maybe I remove by finger nail. This took about 4 hrs. I want to give another a try that I know the paint will not scratch off. It’s cooking now. No matter what I will remove it over night. Yep Jonister, I didn’t catch the post that Hazmail did before I did the same thing and slightly nuke it. Not a total melt down but enough. The next one shows the paint off of the bait. Don’t use a mason jar the lip is a pain. So by tomorrow some time I will know for sure. Ben’s right about the chrome. Some Tuff Stuff, any that is true metal is just not going to be remove by this process. The rest is fair game, I believe. This bait seems to be extrude from a light green material. The old lip has turned a reddish color but that’s all good. I think I’m going to do a Yellow/Ring Perch scheme on it. I already have a nice base color for it. I just need to dust it with a shade of green that makes it pop out. Hazmail looks like you have a good one here. Yep I got on the computer for these pic.’s. Cheers Hazmail, Dale

I am cutting out some at this time with a helper. I bought a stencil burner. This tool is worth its weight in gold for this. I'm getting some lessons on how to do them much easier. My helper (a young artist) told me about the burner. It burns instead of putting pressure with a knife, you just basically draw over the area you are cutting out. If you use the knife pull it to you. You will have more control. I thought that my cutting stencils days were over until I got the burner. NOW my suggestion is to get the blank stencil from the one who sells the bait then cut the design that you want. If you are still interested in making them you are well on your way to forming the stencils, because you have read about it. Like anything else, doing it will make you better. I hate to throw out names of suppliers on TU because I enjoy chatting with them all and don't want hard feelings. Hope this helps, enjoy this fun hobby. Dale

It wouldn't be your fishing skills right?? Mark you need to put a spy in his workshop (mini camera if need be)!! Or get a fish pot and fish all week before a y'all's tournament. Keep the fish in a aquarium. Or just figure your going to get your butt handed to you on a regular bases. Get bandaids ahead of time, Dale ps; We're are waiting for a river to down. Floating Smallmouth Tourney, and I'm sure I'm going to get the same treatment from someone so I'm prepared. One of them is a doctor so all's good!

Well Pete, your advice turned out to be a good one. I have one in with a thinner in it. With the one that has the paint peeling off. I'll be watching it during the weekend. Yep I have always said that if the lure catches fish your golden. But at some point Salty I just like something to look close to decent. Lord knows my painting skills needs all the help it can get. I strive and try to make my baits look good, but it's a uphill battle. Have a good one, Dale

My reply is the same as Nathan, BobP and Ben. I used water base when I first started painting. That won't it for me, I felt like the coating was breaking down. I started using D2T. I haven't used that product and it is unfair to say not to. That is because I used a one part, you are suggesting a two part. It could be the best thing going. You could get a small amount and find out. Knowing that it may not be the right product. If you do use it let us know the final outcome. Never know? Good luck, Dale

Very nice work Offshore. Did any have chip outs? If so what did you do to smooth it out? @ Hazmail; I've seen something like that looong ago. I forgot all about it until you brought it up. Heck it's been so long ago I maybe getting it mixed up with something else I've seen.It's a grand idea. Like you stated, if you have the time. I haven't had the need to do it tho. I'm going to take one with texture and see what happens. Mason Jars here I come, Dale

Quite a few use MCU here and a certain brand. I use to use D2T then another product, this product does not leave a shiny coat. I then went to MCU to get the look people want (thanks Ben). I not familiar about PUD but I will read up on it. I have never seen any thing that I can remember. MCU does need acetone for clean up. I am going to order a dedicated brush for the MCU, I'm not sure what size I should get or quality. I don't know if .05 is to much. I have not work with MCU enough to really give a opinion but this could be a very interesting thread. Reading and watching, Dale ps, LOL.... I knew what it is, just by another name. Will give opinion later. Got to go.

Your absolutely right Travis. We have whatever we need and can afford to pay or willing to. These people used what they had at the time. I look anywhere I go for these that may have them. I don't normally go to yard sales, flea markets but now I will go if I have a chance. I'm like a radar looking around for these lures. LOL I run into modern lure makers then I do the folk lures. I don't say anything about making them myself but I ask about the folk lures. Asking do they know where some maybe. You are right about hard to find. You can find antique manufactured baits a lot easier. I forgot to get a picture of the bait, but I should post it tomorrow. I have people who goes to places that may have them. I just think about a person figuring out how to make a bait with just bailing wire, wood, buckshot and glue maybe (or make the glue) Come away with a bait that catches a fish. I have respect for them. Maybe their prize fishing bait, Very COOL... Dale

Welcome to TU Mtneer. We all have different ways of painting. Each way that is used is mostly a great way to paint. Don't let Mark fool you, he has been painting for a long time. This is my suggestion....remember it's my opinion. If you are painting plastic blanks, I suggest to lightly ruff it up just a little (400 grit). I use auto air sealer (black and white). I'm not trying to throw you a curve here, but I use Wicked paints. There is a reason why, but Createx is a good paint. For painting it depends on what scheme I'm painting. I agree with Mark, for someone new start at the belly and work your way up. DON'T go heavy on the paint, go thin with more layers. Heat set between layers with a cheap hair dryer or go higher with a heat gun. I do bucktail jigs etc. That's why I have a heat gun, I can do everything with one tool. The eyes should go on last after painting. This is what I can give you. There we'll be others that are extremely good at this and will give more advice. I would like you to remember, read and take in all you can. Take what you think will work for you. Here's the best one that I can give you, at the top of this page there is a search box on the right. It has a lot of archived information. Some threads has some age to them but has great info. Good luck to ya, Dale

I was just curious if there are others that does this hobby. I have got interested in finding what I call folk art lures. Not necessarily old but made by hand. No manufacturers lure, production lures. Not the beer can types but hand carved and innovative. I found one that was a two piece crank bait that was glued together with a through wire and hand painted with exterior home paints. You can see the seam plainly, it's some what box shaped. The grand thing is that I know who the owner was. It's a friend's grandfather. My friend was throwing it away after time has past from his grandfather's death. The other baits were gone, so I got this one from him. The grandfather caught fish with this bait and it has hooked me. I'm now looking for these types of lures. So my question does anybody else has this bug? Dale

I like your ability to Richard. I put a drop or two on a board then I take a toothpick and dab super glue on mine. Lol I just don't have the control anymore. I leave a small area where I can pick up the eye with an Exacto knife and put it into place. A little pressure and life is good. Sometimes you must adapt. Dale

If 56 gr is everything except for clear coat, hooks, rings and the lip. It depends on your hook size(s), to me you seem close. For me a set of #6 hooks, rings lip weighs about 2-3 gr. I hope you got it. I hope your keeping notes to. Dale

You may use this for the scale pattern already, but I use loofah (bathing accessory). I look in the stores for certain sizes to match the bait size. You can get it everywhere. For this technique I'm going to get art leaf in gold, silver and copper. I believe the copper is going to be a constant with me, because it will help me with more natural color schemes. See Hazmail, I have been doing my homework on gold leaf, not being construed with real gold leaf. You know I may get some real gold and do one when I get this down. That would be a nice conversation piece. LOL Have a great day, Dale

Oh yeah, I would just bring it in slowly letting it go to about 3-4'. It did good. But as always you get another lure and the older baits get put back in the box or left in and older box in my case. I cleaned the old boxes out recently and set them back out to give it a try when I can. Good luck, Dale

As always Travis and Ben thank you. I didn't think that it would give someone that much trouble. Yes Travis the baits are wooden and about 8.75" long. I have several helping hands but these won't hold this bait. So I was thinking about making some sort of a jig. I don't have to worry about that now. I have a few hangers from suits that are long gone, LOL won't fit! Innovative Ben, I like your thinking. I will put a base on them, but easy to move around on a table. I really thought the gel would be a good idea. If you two say no then it's notta. I miss another terminology, I stated two joints, it should be two hinges in a joint. Honestly I think I over engineered using two hinges. But a good size musky can put some pressure/stress in that area. Thanks, Dale

Although this is and old thread, I had a glitch once before and brought one back to by accident. I thought it was a new thread. I'm painting some swimsuits soon. That's a innovative way to hold the bait straight. However I'm leaning towards painting inside the joints. This is what I'm going to try. I'm going to pull them straight, similar to what has been mentioned. Then I'm going to try vasoline on the joints. After I'm complete, I'm just going to clean it up and I hope all will be well. Yeah I know a little more work, but as I have found out over the years "It's all in the details". My baits has two joints in them. If they had one joint I would use the rubber band technique. Dale

LOL, go get um Ben. People never think about what other needs it can be use for.....they just assume. Innovative, Dale

No Jonister, mine is I know. It's one that I have had for a long time. Did well for many years. Yes Chuck, it's been used most of that time. If chip out is a problem, one or more of the members have posted about using blasting baking soda and removing paints. I can't tell you how they do it, because I haven't never done it myself. I have a hobby blaster now for powder coating if I need it. I should have stated it much earlier in this thread. That would eliminate most of the speculations. Searching should get you there. That's the way to do it right I would believe or ask in a new thread. Dale

Wait......get it on line!!! Your safe? Dale

As its been said before JR. Anything can be used in doing this craft/hobby. Smile and be proud as you sneak thru the line. Sorry but I'm LMAO imaging you nervously easing along thru the cashier area. This just hit me to be funny, Dale

@ Pete, I've done some things with baits and have them at the office as a conversation piece. I won't fish with them. A few are a little crazy, painted plastics as of now. So I thought you may have done something like that. I have a paint scheme for the 4th, but it won't be ready. A young gent that I have met, has a great talent in art. I pay him to make stencils for me. He doesn't like what he has created so, I haven't got them from him yet. My fault really I met and asked him to late. The Pro that came out of him and I meeting, I got a young artist that cares about his work. Yep I pay him well for his time, he's good and I want to encourage him. I'm not good at cutting stencils. Eyes shot, hands are not steady as they use to be. Crap just age I guess. Dale