3 & 4 inch tube molds

[10pounder]

I am looking for a quality 3inch and 4 inch tube mold and also a tail splitter. Any help would really be appreciated. Thanks.

10pounder

[tubinator]

I thick the consensus is that it is easier to dip tubes. I use 1/4" round aluminum rods. As far as the tail cutter goes, I just made my own using a 1/4" threaded bolt, some washers, nuts, and some blades I picked up from the sewing section at w-mart. The blades were around $16 /5. I made my cutter with 15 blades so I could cut some extra fat tubes.Here's a pict.

[bojon]

Similar to mine.Good Idea.Do the blades rotate smoothly,and are you able to keep proper adjustment to the blades(no wobble)?

[tubinator]

Works pretty good for me. I use my thumb and index finger to tighten or loosen the right side nut, which helps to keep the strands from breaking when I am removing the tube. Also, easier to spray some wd40 on the blades to keep them from rusting and getting dull. I don't know how well it would work for mass production though.

[bojon]

Sounds like it would work for me.My fishing partner would like the idea of the WD 40.He sprays his lure with it almost every cast.I'm a bit bothered with it because of my Astma,but I think what you are doing is great.I have never had to change blades,but I have had to change two differt shafts,because the blades wore down into the metal shaft,and no adjustment could be made to stop the wobble.The blades are really tough.

What surface are you using to cut on?I use a Fiskar self healing matt,and it seems to protect the blades.

Making tubes is a blast,RIGHT!?

[BassnRandy]

I have Dels mold. You have to heat it up a bit to get a good pour but the tubes are nice. I made the same cutter but spaced my blades a bit more to give thicker tails. They seem to hold up better and I don't lose any while cutting them.

[tubinator]

Bojon, I'm using an old silicone mold to do the cutting on, it's real soft and it doesn't seem to be getting cut up. I'm a jewelry manufacturer down here in New Mexico, so old-out of production molds are all over the shop. They make good doorstops, feet for misc. equipment, and whatever else I can think of to use them for.What lakes do you fish in CO.?Do you fish Navajo?

[bojon]

I fish Pueblo,and Lathrop Park,and a few gravel pits,plus the Arkansas river. Pueblo is my home town,so it is really around here I fish.I'm getting old enough were fishing on a long trip is a problem.But there is enough good fishing here to keep me busy.I lived right next door to Guntersville lake,and the Tennesse river system.When I worked for 22 years in northern Alabama.Talk about good fishing.But I had to move back home for my health.Life is a tradeoff.

[tubinator]

I've passed through Pueblo many times on my way to relatives who lived in Canon City. Nice place, although its a little to far from the mountains for my liking. Anyway the reason I asked was because I was curious about the type of lake that you fished, and how your tubes held up. I fish a tube about 90% of the time, and I go thru alot of tubes in a season. I like tubes that are heavily salted, soft and thick walled, but I want a tube that will hold up better to all the rocks. I have thought about adding an extra dip on the nose of the bait which was in a hard plastic, I thought that this might make the tube more durable. My first order of plastic should be here in the next day or two, along with hardener and softener (lc plastic) I did not order any 500 though just the two others. I read you use the 500? Do you use jigheads? If so, do the jigheads pull through the rubber after dragging for a while. What are your thoughts on this?

[bojon]

I would highly recommend LC #500 for your dipping plastic.Any softer formula will be a lot of trouble,and not worth the effort.If you use a heavy concetration of salt,they will get so soft,that they tear up very easily.I have never had a nose wear through,but they get tore up by fish.A good size Walleye will tear up a heavy salt laden tube in seconds.The heavy salted tubes seem to be more attractive to the fish,but they are very soft even when using the #500.About one tube,one fish.I use a egghead shaped jig head that is inside.I recommend the slightly thicker tails,like BASS N RANDY mentioned,not because of being tougher,but because it seems to glide thru the water better.It is just as easy to make the tails thin,for me,I prefer the thicker.When I say thin I don't mean depth,but wide.DOW has outlawed scents and salt being added to artificel baits so be careful on FLY and LURE only waters.Try a 2 1/2 inch light colored tube in the Arkansas river above Canon.Trout like tubes also.

[tubinator]

Here is a picture of a typical problem I have with tubes that I had purchased in the past and a pict. of the jighead that I use. Don't know what type of plastic was used.

[bojon]

I would be willing to bet that the plastic,is too soft and the same with salt.You are making a tube that is destined to fail.I never used the weedless heads in my tubes,I usually fish rock rubble,and I do lose a lot of rigs.Cut back on your salt,and start using a harder plastic.And your problems will go away.I use tubes that are loaded with a lot of salt but my jig heads are smooth,with no wire.The salt loaded ones are usually from the end of a batch.VERY,VERY FRAGILE.