SW Lures

LOL, you bet. I thought it might be a show and tell type thing. Still dang nice work. Take care, Dale

Oh so that where Mark got the idea. See Mark it was not epiphany! I have not yet had a chance to use the ones I did in copper, it's got to enhance the sound. I'm bogged down working on a design. Placing a metal at the end of the chamber does give it a different sound. The circuit board has to do the same, just in a different tone. Your idea is proven but that tells me that mine has good potential. In time I'm going to give yours a try. Thanks, Dale

Haz I have to assume that silver leaf is similar to gold leaf. Silver that is thinned out to a feathery thickness. I have did some consignment work on furniture in past with gold leaf. If so that's a high economic bait. While speaking of baits, I really like your work. I am going to search again and try to find a answer to my next question. How do you form around the contour of baits. Probably on YouTube. I really look that bait over, well the best that I can. Very nice detail. Thanks, Dale

I don't have a lot to do so I started searching in the archives and found some innovative people with foil and painting them. One has a very interesting sight names, right Hazmail. This have gave me a reason for ordering some candy color paints and searching for cigarette packing or whatever. Dale

Travis, Very nice work! Dale

@ Aulrich I'm very interested in foil as a cover over baits. I have been thinking of some brands being much thinner then other brands. As I thought about using foil I was wondering which would be the best, the thinner or more what my better half likes in the kitchen (heavier/thicker). I was thinking that when you burnish the thinner foil it may tear. This is one of my future projects. I have done a lot of painting but never tried this. Just never wanted to until lately. Please keep me/us informed. Thanks, Dale Edit; I'm like you, I believe that this technique can give you some extra....or maybe not.

I liked Ben's post because I use this to find my ballast weight. Then I determine the location and the amount at each location. It's no more then a bucket (small one) with a downward spout and a cup. I use a quality digital scale. I wish I had a beam in metric increments, but I haven't found a deal yet. The quality beams are pretty pricey. I had to edit this because I do this ballast test on the prototype only. The rest of the baits of a certain design has been the same every time to this point. There are calculator spreadsheets out there to find this answer but I have found the Archimedes Buoyancy and Density Test to be the best for me. Funny that a idea of a person thousands of years ago is still worthwhile today. Dale

Mine that has chips is like that Rebel, third down from the top. What's real funny is that it's a Rebel to. Hmmm, manufacture painting issue....nah can't blame 20+ years of use. Dale

When I started I put lips on some baits that was way to long and wide. You can use saws to do heavy cutting, I use a belt sander to do moderate work, then a file to touch up. The sander I use lighter grit on thinner material and turn down the rpm. As far as buying the board I will guarantee that Mark's supplier is a pretty good place. Take care, Dale

Once you know the ballast and location, game is on. You can now tweak the ballast to what you want, sink, float, suspending in my opinion is smoke it's there then not. I just get the bait to float or sink slowly. Like what has been proven to me, water temperatures can change this also. If you have it where you want the bait. You will start understanding what can be done. The more you do this the more you will understand about what you can do and ballast needed. Unlike some of these folks here on TU, I'm not there yet, but I'm getting there fast. Your getting there, people are giving you some very good ideas. Dale

This is a interesting topic to me because I'm thinking about repainting some I got. I just haven't got around to it yet. I haven't never repainted any either. Some are so old and has no paint damage other then dullness from being in the weather. I just may revamp hooks or not and set them out as a display. My question is, what would happen at the area that is chipped out, if you just paint over the bait? If you layer out so much to cover the chip out, the paint would be very thick. Sanding would help this but could damage the texture. I believe I have read something about doing this by chemicals. I do agree that you can create texture in the scales. I put layers on and just before totally dry I pull the mesh off and lightly tap them down very gently. This leaves a raised look and texture. Then heat set. You may have a answer for my question Chuck, so I'll be following. Have a great day, Dale

WOW, I have a 8" Musky bait that I'm working on that tips over 80 grs of poplar, ss hangers and lead. Thats about 2.95-3oz, that is a heavy one for the size. Although I am using 1/0 triple strong hooks and rings. Dale

I went back and looked at the baits again. Very nice design also. You also can buy lead dots or make them yourself. You can stick them to the bait and then just pull them off. Remember tho, ballast inside the bait is different then one stuck to the belly. Dale

First of all, I like you paint work. I don't know the depth that you are looking for. I have a bait that dives to 25'+. The lip is at 5° down from the X Line. I had trouble with another prototype that the lip was to long, like Nathan stated. All my ballast is forward. The tail actually sets out the water. Great action, very quick and down to depth. Runs tail up to. Where to place the ballast? My best answer is to get a aquarium and place lead in different locations. See what you like. I have a pool to test shallower running baits and I can watch everything action they do. FYI, chemicals don't seem to hurt the clear coat. A bath tub can show some action, but it's limited. I guess like us all you will need to experiment. BUT keep the info about the bait for future baits. Hope this helps, Dale

X2 Ace, it's all in what you want. I have most of mine slowly rising with no pull. These are just slightly head down. Then I have a few deep runners that sets head down at about 45°, but one barely floats the other slowly sinks. These are to draw Rock Fish out of a rock bottom (boulders). For me it is what species I'm after and what depth I need to get the bait to. It's a trial and error when I'm designing. Reverse engineering is easier, but I like trying different designs. So I throw some away tho. Still I enjoy working on them. Take care, Dale

I have had the same issues with a bait I'm making now. However I got mine corrected. It's one or more of what you have stated. Weight/ballast of some amount is a must most of the time. Hooks are part of the equation also. The ballast must keep the bait running true for most baits. There are other techniques to make baits do what you want them to do ("hunting"). Shape of the bait, height and length ratios can or not give you fits with action. I just learnt about this. Mine is made from poplar, it is 8" long but took quite a bit of ballast, it surprised me. Mine has a 40° lip angle, with a "radar" shape and 1.25" from the body. The dive is at 8-9' with a nice calm waggle. I have another that has a wobble (shoulders has a left to right sway) and a slight waggle. The body's are different sizes. I'm telling you all of this to show how any of these characteristics are involved in designing a bait. Like JR it's fun sometimes...grrr. JR is right in this case pictures would help and size references. Dale

I don't remember what I read about some brands but not all epoxys are equal. Mark and Chuck are right, IMO. It may not work well with reducing either. I think someone else asked about this product sometime ago. Maybe I read about it and decide to leave it alone. Also I agree, test the heck out of it first. I used weighing the bait for water intrusion. Anyways, good luck. Dale

I'm not sure Mark but in my thread about Musky baits I described installing a small piece of copper on both ends of the chamber using a leather hole cutter to cut a round piece. Completing the closing with a counter sink plug, glued to it is one of the copper. Or you may have had an epiphany. Either way it enhances the rattle. Dale

My suggestion is to contact the seller of the baits. Rather then naming him in a forum. The seller may not even know about it or can explain and help you get what you are looking for, being new to buying baits. Some plastics create a haze from density/thickness. MO is that a haze or scratches will not discourage a fish. Normally it's a reaction from the action, body shape and color of forage fish. Many here use circuit boards of different colors. However if you are selling them, that could change. Take care, Dale

LOL, I was thinking about you going around a piece of circuit board. I can't quote what someone wrote. But it was stated that anything goes for utilizing tools that can be used in this hobby, Mark that is taking it to the extreme side. It is resourceful tho. Keep on getting up Bro. Dale

I was thinking about you cutting circuit board with "toenail cutters"......hmm? Anyway I have never worked with circuit board yet, I got some tho. So do you think that a real sharpe punch/hole cutter could get you there easier. It would think that it would probably shatter. I'm just throwing this out there. This may bring out a idea that would be easier. Toenail Cutters?, Dale

Lol, you maybe right, who knows. She is getting pretty good at painting. Dale

@Predator Oh yeah.....I would say so. Dale

@ Tendelta I have a grand that is 9 years old. She loves fishing, boating and generally the outdoors. She also enjoys crafts, so I thought that what I do with baits would combine this all into one. She always would come out into the shop and watch but would never ask to try one. So one day I carved out a shape where she could use files to complete it. She did and then painted a abstract scheme similar to a tiger scheme. She is now officially hooked on doing them. When she stays over she will follow me into the shop. I always make time for her to do some work. What's a hoot is she catches fish on that bait. As I'm writing this I'm thinking that I may need to make another work station. If her attention changes as she gets older I can make it a paint station only. But for right now, I believe I enjoy seeing her do work more then she enjoys doing it herself. It's fun to watch her imagination and work. If they like it, teach and help them. MO Dale

Thanks, I'm going to go and see it at a shop this weekend so I can order it online. They use them for Rock Bass in the spring, does very well to. Dale