Chuck Young

It takes patience and a gentle touch. If you try to "get the lead out" while using any type of pencil sharpener, you probably will succeed.

Here is a link to a wood density chart I compiled earlier.

Actually I reversed that. It is weight divided by the volume. So if a small piece of lead has the same weight as a large piece of balsa, the lead is higher in density.

I am thinking of the kind that has the crank and the rotating wheel inside with many blades carved out of the rotating drum. They use to put two drums on the crank. Now they only use one. I was thinking you could motorize (not too fast) just the drum and use a slot feed for strips of material. I have never tried it. But I think the size of the shavings would be a good size for melting. It is at the most the start of an idea. But sharpeners are a pretty cheap starting place.

Or if you buy balsa in blocks you can simply measure the volume of the block and divide it by the weight of the block. Balsa is usually sold in full dimension blocks. Most hardware stores have a scale or you can bring a postal scale. You can also order it in certain densities. If you use a thru wire, set in a slot in the bottom of the lure, you can slide the lead around in the slot. Once you epoxy it in and backfill with epoxy - saw dust (or micro-balloons) - you strengthen the core as well as the skin of the balsa. It will never snap in half. But that may just be me. I'm so tight I have to lubricate to pass gas.

Hughsey brings out a great point. Balsa varies greatly in density. Other light woods (hence highly reactive as Anglin mentioned) are Pawlonia wood, and Bass wood. They are slightly more dense, but you will still have to add weight. They also are more consistent in density and grain than balsa. I have a basswood tree in my front yard. A little judicious pruning gives me a lot of lure material. Another way of thru wiring a wood bait is to cut a slot lengthwise through the bottom center of your block while it is still in the square. You can do that on a table saw using a ripping fence. Get it close to the center of the blank. If it comes out a little off center, turn the blank around and do another pass.

Something with a pencil sharpener blade?

I sent my Badger brush in for a PTFE needle seal. They ask for $12 to cover shipping. They ended up totally rebuilding it. I got a new needle , bearing, head, nozzle, and trigger assy. While I was at it I requested a few extra parts - extra cup, needle, and main head seals. With all the extra stuff they did, it only cost about $10 more.

Use a pressure regulator / separator (or filter) just after the compressor. Controlling pressure is vital. For some jobs I use 35 psi. For others I use well under 10 psi (it may not even register on the gauge). Out of the brushes you listed, I would go with the Iwata. I personally use a Badger 150 bottom feed (with optional compromise cup). I paid $90 for my brush, compressor and set of opaque paints. Got it from Craigslist. The little bottles are great for often used colors or for specially mixed colors. Just don't put too much in there at a time. Thinned paint will break down eventually. As for factory support, no one stands behind their product like the folks at Badger.

Thanks for the response. You guys are the best.

Never become obsessed with a lure under the age of 16?

Obsession can lead to great things.

Is there any chance of getting the obvious search function fixed? We lecture people all the time to use the search feature before posting a question. Who is going to know to look under the activity tab? It is a little frustrating. It is also the sort of thing that my mind will not remember for long.

If you can't zoom in on the picture and see the features of the lure - look elsewhere. Painting your own lures - and later developing your own designs - is very rewarding. When you put that clear-coat on and watch the colors pop - nothing beats it. That is until you or your customer catches a lunker with it .

We have several reputable suppliers who advertise and comment on this forum. Blanks are usually around $2 (sometimes a little more) for a top shelf blank. In my opinion, these perform as well or better than the origionals. These suppliers have done their homework. They have found the manufacturers who have good quality control. Then they dictate the design and quality of the molds and plastic used. They also supply a multitude of rattle options and holographic finishes. Predator Bass Baits and Dinger Custom Baits have good quality stuff in shapes and actions that you should recognize. If you want some cheap stuff to practice on, just about anything will do. Lure Parts Online - the people who own this site - supply lure bodies - some by the origional manufacturers. Chinese suppliers like W lure are cheap (sometimes less than $1 and provide free shipping, but it takes up to a month to get your stuff. Some of their blanks are really good. But you have to be really careful and test each one before you sell. Most of the stuff you see on Amazon and E bay are "buyer beware". Some are seconds. Some are thirds. Some are worse. I bought some that only had 1/2 the required weight in them and seams that leak like a sieve. All they did was lie on their side on top of the water. To me, now that I have developed some skills as a painter, I want to make sure that when I create something - it is going to fish with the same quality as the paint job. You have to decide. Hope this helps. Chuck

If moving a belly weight forward on the lure increases the action, will moving it rearward slightly decrease it enough to solve the problem?

It doesn't show too much, but there is a thin line of chartreuse along the entire length of the bottom. And there is just a touch of Flo sunburst on the belly/throat. I could certainly do one with a holo finish. That would look AWESOME! Picture to come soon. Always up for a challenge. Could even do a ghost holo.

Cool pics. Thanks for sharing. These look like prototype baits to me.

I posted some new pics to the gallery. I would love to get some comments. Is this a citrus shad?