Looking for the right wood!

[Charles]

Good afternoon,

I manufacture Prop Baits for Pea#### Bass fishing. I currently use a wood native to South America called Alpamate and sometimes a South American Ceder. The wood is light weight yet holds a screw well. I am starting a division in the US and I am looking for equivalent caractaristics in wood. Any advice would certainly be apreciated.

Thanks,

Charles

[BobP]

Cedar is also used here in the U.S. by several crankbait manufacturers. If you want a bouyant wood, paulownia is an option. It is tough and, at 18 lbs/cu ft, is intermediate in bouyancy between balsa and basswood.

[woodieb8]

depending where in the u.s. or canada cedars are a good choice for a lively action lure. mahogany honduras is another excellent but pricey choice. pea####s would dstroy a lesser grain wood as pines. we use red cedar for musky cranks, as long as its sealed and a good hard clear coat they have a better fish life then clear acrylics or clear lacquers. hope this helps you out. definately glad to see more north american products being built

[Mallard]

I am not familiar with Alpamate, but I use Alaskan Yellow Cedar for some saltwater prop baits. They stand up well to snook, trout, lady fish and the occasional small tarpon. I've sold a few to guys using them for Pea####s in south FL and never had a problem. Most are wire-thru, but AYC does hold screw eyes well.

The bait in my avatar is made from AYC.

[RiverMan]

poplar

[Charles]

Gentlmen Thank you for your suggestions,

I have ordered some Basswood to try, but I am a little worried about its screw holding ability. I use SS .092 screw eyes pretty long, and 2 coats of 2 part epoxy for a protective coating.

I have been advised to try white cedar aswell but have yet to find a supplier. My quantities are over a thousand per month, so I have to use something afforable and readily available.

I will look for some poplar to try aswell.

Again thanks for the advise,

[Mallard]

I would love to find an affordable and ready supply of white cedar also.

And this is just my personal opinion, but I think bass word is good for carving but it does not compare with AYC when it comes to durability. It is heavier though.

[rjbass]

Charles,

All of the woods mentioned would be great for those bass, but I would really be skeptical about basswood. I am going only from my experience building Musky lures and it does not hold up like cedar, poplar or similar woods. It also is like an expanding sponge and when any and I mean any water gets to the wood from a puncture, it will expand and split the top coat. Cedar and poplar I know won't do that.

Rod

[Lure--Prof]

I'll go along with Riverman's suggestion, poplar; I think this might meet you needs pretty well.

Dean

[out2llunge]

If you guys are looking for White Cedar you might want to check with lumber suppliers in Eastern Ontario and Quebec. Now I bet your saying "yah I'm going to import that from Canada". Well you may not have to. You could e-mail them and ask which American companies to they sell to. Don't know if it will help or not, but could be worth a shot.

I know of a place (about 1/2 hour form here) that deals primarily with cedar, not 100% sure that it's white cedar, but likely wood be. Here's there addy if anyone is interested.

http://www.woodviewproducts.com/lumber.htm

I don't know how large an operation these guys are, but there are some large mills in Ontario and Quebec that might solve your problems.

[RobRaven]

Would Aspen be any good since its a close relative to Poplar?

[stripercrazy]

alaskin yellow ceder, we use it for saltwater baits its heaver than white and more durable, popular is a dryer wood and harder to seal...ayc is the one everyone loves here in rhody...if the lure's body's are the same the ayc will out cast the white and red ceders, will hold up better to fish too...we buy 1.5x1.5 inch ballisters from ceder fence and deck stores .90 cents a foot....ayc is what I would use:)