Super Ron

Guys, don't get off topic here. Cliff Clavin for President

I watch a lot of videos. Not to copy another persons paint schemes or colors but to learn techniques. I can barely draw a stick figure, so to learn techniques from different people is an awesome thing. This video I learned how to do the spots. That way I can one day replicate that technique if I wanted to paint a frog pattern. My favorite to watch for entertainment value however, it Yellow Monday video from Lure Colour Studio Ron

How are those of you who do shipping your completed baits? At the moment, I have been putting hook bonnets on them and when I get a 360 style box filled send it to my son. But I'm shipping them to him. If there was an actual order, are hook bonnets and what ever wrapping I can find sufficient for most people or should I buy plastic clamshell style boxes and from where? Even though it is minimal, I hate to add 25-50 cents a bait for a plastic package that someone is just going to throw away. I'll take any advice. Ron

I use a tooth brush to scrub the blanks with water, Dawn, and a couple squirts of an ammonia free window cleaner.

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I need (ok would like) to have treble hooks with feathers tied on to add a little rear weight to my jerk baits. I have tried to do this at home but really don't have the want to if you guys understand. I figured this is the best place to ask. Would someone be interested in tying 100 #6 trebles? I'm offering to pay but have no idea what that is worth. I would pay for supplies and time. And if it makes a difference the hooks would be VMC outbarbs Thanks Ron

Did you ever find the reason the rubber got gooey? If left in the boat I could get it. I've had jigs and spinnerbaits that have not handle the heat well. Now all my stuff may be in my boat. But jigs and spinnerbaits always get the airconditioned apartment . But if it gets that way because of a chemical reaction between the plastic and rubber then maybe it can be solved

I've seen combing through the internet that some people have added jig skirt/rubber to their plastics. Is this as simple as laying a couple strands flat in the mold, clamping however your mold clamps and then injecting?

I use the Master Force Ultra-Quiet from Menards because I live in an Apt. And it's mostly quiet. They ran it in the store for me to hear and I was sold. But I never thought of the pressure valve which makes a loud hiss. But over the past 3 months, it's been used every day all day long and really has not skipped a beat. Not even any moisture in the filter.

Mark. If you strictly use the ink from Daler Rowney, you don't need to thin it as all. Shake the crap out the bottle but no thinning. If you use any of the colors that have flake to them whether their shimmering line or and other color like the volcano red for instance, then I thin with LIquitex Airbrush medium. To thin, and have it spray out of my brush (eclipse) it has to come out like water or it will clog. Which means some days I have to spray around 5 psi and give uber light mistings from a distance. And when I do, it's one of those initial coats that you can see and hear the brush spraying but there doesn't seem to be a buildup on the lure. If that makes sense. Then from the initial coat it's just super light mistings that I heat set in between. Maybe not the best technique but this one works for me This has a the Daler Rowney shimmering blue as an example.

Here are the two staples in for me: If I want the glitter to add color to the bait then I add the glitter to my first clear coat. And for this I strictly use Martha Stewart crafts. If I want the glitter to add a more reflective sheen then I spray with the Daler Rowney artist ink shimmering colors. You have to really thin this because I don't think the shimmering colors (nor any of there colors that appear to have glitter) are meant to spray. But I found that I can put a light misting spray quickly, heat set and then start building up until I get my desired affect. It takes some getting use to but works for me.

Million Dollar questions Dale. Does a Predator fish strike from shape? Yes a shape that will either fit in it's mouth or down it's crunchers. Do predator fish strike from reflex? Duh Do predator fish strike from color? Here's what I know: I'm on a lake that the day before I was wacking them on a squarebill I painted. The next day nadda. My son text me from the other side of the lake and said put on that chart/purple squarebill you painted and he was wacking them. I did and started pounding them on the same spots. Glad I could answer your questions Dale. Shoot me a PM for my address and you can send me the a check for the million dollars

Have two cats and 1 is always sitting on my stuff. From my tub lids that hold my paint, to notebook, and my paint booth. Every time I epoxy, I have to double check that I'm not leaving in either cat hair or my own.

I've only been painting since last April or so. I paint pretty much every day. So over the past months or so, the biggest things I have learned is to take notes and pictures of each step for the first few months. Today you will think "Wow. I like this one and did good." But then next time you try to recreate it you can't for a couple reasons. Either you didn't take proper notes, o r even better time has gone by and because your painting methods, techniques, routines, etc have improved to the point you can't recreate your bad work. LOl Oh, and don't try to exactly duplicate someone else's paint job. Use them for ideas or techniques. You will find (at least I do) hard to duplicate what you think is a paint job that someone else did in your skill level. Reason is you don't know things like how thick or thin they put a certain color on maybe the order they put certain color combinations on, or even what a certain color is because of mixing or brands. Find things that are yours and fit your style.

For those of you who sell your stuff, what's the market like for custom painted cranks (just the airbrushing of plastic blanks)? Do those of you who do this have to sit in front of your work table all day to keep up with orders? I've seen pages that have said back orders of up to 3 months. My boy wants to start selling the blanks I have been painting along with his stuff. I'm not sure I want to be told, "Hey Dad, I need and order of 6 Genghis Khans in 2.5s by next Thursday". After a serious injury I can not always function like I want and as much as I know he care, he hasn't seen me on my bad days (lives 4 hours away with his own wife and kids), and doesn't really get it. If those of you who just sell them to keep your hobby afloat and sell in your local area can give realistic expectations or what YOU average a month would be a great insight in wrestling with this in my head. Damn Voices.

I wonder if there should just be a Blank Review thread pinned in the hard baits forum. Just post honest reviews on specific blanks AFTER you personally have run them. Things like; I purchased 50 1.5s from company XYZ . Out of the 50 1 had a defect. Painted, epoxy, size split rings and hooks used. Bait ran blah blah blah. Same example. Bought 25 110 jerkbaits from company 123. Split rings and hooks used, suspended nose first, tail first. Rose quickly, sank ETC.

Ok. So I'm not weird. But a couple of you are really messed up.