Thad Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 I plan on using balsa and know I want to use a through wire. My question is about the lip. Do you include the lip in the through wire or just the belly and tail? If not will D2T hold the bill in good enough? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 No need, as long as the hooks are all connected to the thro' wire. Don't want to lose that 25Lb bass. If enough force is applied to the lip to dislodge it, the thro' wire will not save the lure. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thad Posted August 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Thanks, didn't think you included the lip but wanted to make sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoopa Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Also depends on what kind of balsa it is. Ive had soft balsa and the lips would easily pull of them. I have hard balsa now and still have yet to have a problem with it. Goodluck, Jacob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 @ Thad Not quite sure , what you mean about including the lip ? If you have a shallow running minnow bait with a smaller lip pointing somewhat downward , you don't include the wire harness , as the line tie is located at the nose or chin of the blank , thus no tension of a fighting fish applied onto the lip . On such lure models the lip is just slotted at it's base(the part inside the lure body) to fit over the internal harness , when glued in . But if you have a deep diving lure with a bigger , somewhat forward pointing lip , you need to locate the tow eye onto the lip for proper function of that lure , .......so I would call that "to include" the lip into the harness !? In this case the lip is connected to the harness and you need to glue them in together . For a better bond of the lip to the blank drill some small holes into the lips base and/or file some grooves into its base edge , .......this is for the glue to find better grip on the plane of the lip . If you are still uncertain on such big deep diving lips , you might additionally secure them by small wire pins , glued in as well and leading crosswise through lip and lure body . good luck , diemai:yay: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Also, it is easier to drill the glue holes before you cut the lip out. Personally, I rough up the glue surface with coarse drum sander in my dremel. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thad Posted August 30, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Thanks guys. It just seems like it is going to be hard to get the through wire the right length so that the bill fits snugly every time. Guess it will make more sense when I actually start doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 @ Thad If your lure blanks are going to be of repeatative equal length , you could try making yourself a jig for bending the harnesses , .......just a piece of wood with some nails in it with their heads snipped off , ............these are to make the initial "U"-bends of the single eyes of the harness(don't know , whether you intend to wrap the eyes close or leave them open) . Otherwise..... it works quite well to bend the harness one by one after a lure blank or it's 1 :1 scale sketch . good luck , diemai:yay: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 (edited) I use soft balsa for shallow baits with the line tie on the body's nose and I split the baits in half to install the thru-wire. The lip is not part of the thru wire so can't be pulled out because it's not under strain. The kind of balsa is important. Soft balsa requires lots of reinforcement. Splitting the bait helps because you get an internal epoxy backbone when you glue it back together. On hard balsa, which can be as dense as 18 lbs/cu ft, thru wiring is less important. If you plan a balsa bait with the line tie as part of the lip, I strongly suggest you use the hardest balsa you an buy and make the lip slot as deep as possible. And never never never slap that bait on the water to clean weeks off it! Edited August 30, 2009 by BobP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
