silverdoctor Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 I've searched the site in some detail and have not come across jigs for holding baits while installing lips. Currently making flat sided balsa baits; mostly with line ties in the bill. I saw the note on laser to check straightness. Would anyone be willing to share clues or ideas on how to accomplish other than by eye ball. Thanks, ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 I eyeball against a tiled floor. I align the body to a line (tiles), then move the lure closer/further from my eye and view the edge of the lip against the tiles and I am able to judge the symmetry. Graph paper on your desk/table works equally well. This method was not easy to describe. If anyone understands my ramblings and explain it clearer, be my guest. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 (edited) I think installing the lip is the least sure-fire step in building a crankbait. I haven't heard of any great method if you're a hobbiest building a variety of baits. I use the laser level method on long lips and it works well if the bait body is symmetrical and the hardware is well centered. It's a big help if you can mark a small center dot on the tip of the lip. I use a CAD program for lip templates and that makes it easier to get an accurate line tie placement and a tip center mark. For short lips, I still eyeball it. Yeah, staring at the darned baits from different angles, deciding if the lip is really straight or maybe just a hair off to one side. I use D2T to install lips instead of 5 min epoxy. It gives me 10 minutes to futz around with them before it's too late! If you have a "perfect" crankbait with lip installed, you can probably make a jig mold in Bondo pretty easily that will work for a particular model crankbait. Mix it, lay some Saran wrap on top and press the bait into the mold upside down to get an impression of the back and the lip. Edited August 5, 2009 by BobP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverdoctor Posted August 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Guys; thank you for your perspectives! Side to side alignment seems to be my biggest weakness in the process. Bob, CAD program? wow! I use D2T as well for the same reason. I am also putting holes in the micarta per your previous note (2 years ago) for strength adders. I was thinking about a cradle on 2D baits from soft wood like pine. Maybe the same shape as the lower half of the bait with a nose piece at the same angle as the lip. Maybe with graduations on this piece (as suggested by Vodkaman). Would this work for alignment? Once aligned, the bait could be removed to let the glue harden. This may be the same thing that Balsa Butcher was describing in an earlier thread. The only hitch, i can think of, is the baits would have to be very close to identical. Bob, your contributions to your TU bretheren continue to be outstanding. Y'all rite very well too. I notice someone is selling a video on painting baits. There are several guys on this site that could team up on same or book. ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted August 5, 2009 Report Share Posted August 5, 2009 Ken, CAD is not necessarily a high-end deal. I use a freeware program called PowerDraw. Very basic but it draws lines, curves and circles to scale on a mm grid. Why CAD? When you print out the lip shape on a standard inkjet printer, it's the same size you drew in the program, so you can easily make a lip template from it. There are other freeware/shareware CAD programs, this is just one I found when I looked. There is a minor learning curve for using the PowerDraw drawing tools but it only takes minutes, not days, to get started. I was not satisfied with my accuracy in hand drawing lip templates and this helped a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 6, 2009 Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 Pete (Hazmail) posted a solution a while back: http://www.tackleunderground.com/forum/hard-baits/10349-another-lip-aligner.html Pete is famous for his genious jigs and thinking out of his box. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverdoctor Posted August 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 Dave (Vodkaman): Thank you very much! Pete's (Hazmail's) ideas are awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silverdoctor Posted August 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 6, 2009 BobP: I will try one of these programs. When I took drafting my main tools were a 2H pencil, a T square and 2 "triangles." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
