diemai Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Hi , folks , Just wanna introduce my latest lure experiment in here : Few days ago a workmate supplied some more artificial wine bottle corks to me , I've asked him to collect these , as they might come in handy for tackle ,-and luremaking somehow . About the same time I took notice of some aluminium tubing again , that I had thrown into my material junkpile down the basement about two years ago , after a storm had knocked down this set of tubular bells from my balkony , ...snapped the connecting cords and I did not feel like mending it but put the single tubes down the basement . Anyway , ....I had the idea to try making simple crankbaits from that tubing , ......using the wine bottle corks for buoyancy . Won't hurt to loose these simple and crudely made baits in snaggy waters , ...and they're not that hard to build , if I once would get the hang on it . The first prototype in the video does not work too well , on faster paces it would get to spin . As you would notice , the lip of the bait looks different in the video than in the earlier pictures below , ....had to reduce it's size and alter it's angle too in order to get something like a swimming action out of it at all ! Just now I've altered the design a bit and made another bait(the one with blue foil applied) , hoping that in my oncoming bath tub test tomorrow this second one might perform better . At least it is a bit more buoyant than the first one , but still I haven't bothered about any ballast , as I want to try keeping these lures as simple as possible . To gain a better buoyancy I might as well stuff the tubing with PVC hardfoam instead of the corks , but this material is too precious to me , as I do not have a reliable source for it over here . So possibly I wanna stick to the corks , ......but probably I won't get around assembling ballast weights into another prototype , if this second one should not work well , too . No problem about placing leadshot into these lures , just place these into a pouch cut into the cork , .....these sit very snugly , no glue required for this design ! greetz , diemai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 What about using the expanding foam that comes in spray cans? That would be a simple way of adding ballast to the tubing. Just a thought. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 I always look forward to your vids. very slow, wide action, more than I would have thought. Great idea for a lure. I just did some calcs on an ally tube. Lots of scope for ballast if hollow inside or Ben's foam idea. But I do realize that your object is to reduce construction and cost to a minimum. But I think the roll is going to be a hard one to beat without the ballast. I am thinking strip of lead, CA glue, inserted with forceps, squirt of foam and plug each end. Looking forward to next stage. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Been doing some more thinking about your lure Dieter. You said you had thought about drilling holes in the top. If you did this you could transfer that weight to the inside of the tubing at the bottom. If you used the expanding foam spray the added weight could temporarily be glued in with a couple drops of super glue and then the lure could be filled with the expanding foam. The expanding foam would escape out any openings and could then be trimmed flush. This should hold the weight in the desired location and should also act as a keel weight. Just thinking out loud here. I have nowhere near the experience as you, Dave and a lot of others here. Keep us informed as to your progress. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted January 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Thanks for your interest and input , mates ! Ben , .....I have thought about such foam as well , but I guess that it's gonna be quite a messy affair ! And actually I want to keep these lures as simple as possible , they are just too ugly to put a lot of effort into their production . If the next step that I've mentioned in this #2 video(squeezing the tube to an oval cross-section) would not work out as well , I guess I'd bite my lips and still use some of my precious PVC hardfoam to stuff the tubing ,..... probably it might even be enough to replace just ONE cork with PVC ? Dave , you're darn right about going without ballast would be rather impossible ,...I see to it now ! Actually on the first prototype I had cut a narrow strip of 1,0mm roofing lead sheet , cut two slots into it for the two hookhanger "omega clips" to pass through as well , thus fixing it , ............but the lure sank like a brick with that one , so I did not assemble that strip . As I said during the #2 bathtub test , ....guess , I'm at the limit with this design keeping the tube round , still going to try the oval cross-section , but it looks like I need to go more buoyant with the stuffing of the tube ! Thanks again , ....greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I agree with your statement that the longer tube gives you more ballast possibilities. I am wondering how light those plastic corks are. I guess they are hollow sectioned. The foam that Ben is talking about is 4Lb density and does not require mixing, very cheap too. Another alternative in keeping with your cheap and cheerful design spec, is to glue lead strip on the outside of the tube. Not a pretty solution, but that is the point. This will gain added buoyancy stability with a few extra millimeters depth and easy to trim and adjust the ballast. The oval shape, as you stated, will lose volume and buoyancy and more work in shaping the corks to fit. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rofish Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Diemai, why do you have to consider PVC material which is valuable to you, instead of styrofoam, (the white packing material) which I'm pretty sure you will find in your basement, thrown away somewhere, and if not, you would surely find it next corner to your house, or anywhere the closest garbage container is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatfingers Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Very innovative design. Have you considered trying a larger lip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Excellent videos. I like the simple design. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Well, you've solved the top coat problem! Your inventive mind never ceases to amaze me! If winter lasts too long, you'll have to get a bigger place to store all the lures you're making. How are you attaching you hook hangers? I made a popper with one of the artificial corks, and was surprised at how difficult it was to get a finished shape with one. For me, it didn't tool well. I would suggest trying the expanding foam in the spray cans, too. The foam I get here expands to three times it's initial volume, is waterproof, sticks well to metal, and is easy to shape once it's set, in about three hours. I think it will be even more buoyant than the artificial corks. Once you've sprayed some foam, you can clean out the spray nozzle and the top of the can with acetone, and it's usable again. We do that so we don't waste a can when we only need a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 You're an "outside the box" thinker; I like that. I haven't made hardbaits for at least 15 years; but a thought jumped into my head as I read your post. This may be a little off topic but have you thought; or has anyone thought; of using bamboo as a body for a lure. It's very hard, waterproof(I think) and it's hollow. www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 You're an "outside the box" thinker; I like that. I haven't made hardbaits for at least 15 years; but a thought jumped into my head as I read your post. This may be a little off topic but have you thought; or has anyone thought; of using bamboo as a body for a lure. Finally, a material that I could probably source locally, LOL. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 Finally, a material that I could probably source locally, LOL. Dave There ya go Dave. Maybe you should buy some shares in the local bamboo farm; lol. www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted February 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Thanks a lot for your kind words and input , fellas , .....much appreciated ! @ rofish Thanks a lot about the styrofoam , ........I did not think of that one at all ! It is not rigid enough , but I may use it to replace the cork at least in the center of the lurebody , leaving cork at either end . @ fatfingers The lips on both lures were made bigger from at first , .....I did reduce their size to prevent the lures from overturning even easier as they are still doing now . The key to proper swimming action just seems to be buoancy , nothing else ! @ nova I am sure , that bamboo might work out as well for such simple lures , .......I've already seen some Japanese homemade cranks that had at least a slightly cupped diving lip of bamboo . @ mark poulson Thanks a lot , Mark , ...... in fact you need to make compromises with those artificial corks , impossible to shape them very accurately , not a material for eye-pleasing lures at all , ...I either cut them with a sharp carpet knife or coarse grind them on my sanding disc at 40 to 80 grit , but one can also use other tools , but never to very good accuracy , that's true ! Small particles or fibres of material evolving at ground away edges you can carefully burn off with a lighter flame to give it at least a little bit of a smooth look . The hook hangers on these metal tube lures are simple so-called "omega clips" , as these are shaped like this letter of the ancient Greek alphabet . They consist of the wire eye sticking out of the belly and the two 1/4" tag ends are bent a bit more than 90° offset away from the eye and now sit snug against the inner wall of the tube , the cork material really locks them quite firmly . The Australians use such "omega clips" quite a lot as line ties on the oversized lips of their lures , ....no thru-wire . You make it sound easy to use that foam stuff , .......well ,if nothing else should work out finally ........... ? @ Vodkaman Dave , these corks are heavier than light colored and soft balsa , ....probably as heavy as the most dense , darker balsa , .......my PVC hardfoam also is a bit lighter in weight . They are also a bit heavier than natural cork . There hardly are pores or airbubbles visible(but they must be there , anyway), the material is quite rigid , but yet does comprime very well , absolutely neccessary to properly seal off wine bottles , anyway ! Thanks again for your interest , .....greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 1, 2011 Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Dieter, Now you've done it! I have been inspired by your lure work to try artificial cork for lures again. So I am planning to make a dozen prototypes. Of course, this will involve buying 12 bottles of wine. And, to insure that they aren't wasted, I won't be able to use the corks for lures until each bottle is empty, so you can see I have my work cut out for me. I would set a time table for actually starting the lure making, but the process of "bottle preparation" seems to actually delay the lure making process. Thanks again for sharing all your wonderful ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted February 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2011 Dieter, Now you've done it! I have been inspired by your lure work to try artificial cork for lures again. So I am planning to make a dozen prototypes. Of course, this will involve buying 12 bottles of wine. And, to insure that they aren't wasted, I won't be able to use the corks for lures until each bottle is empty, so you can see I have my work cut out for me. I would set a time table for actually starting the lure making, but the process of "bottle preparation" seems to actually delay the lure making process. Thanks again for sharing all your wonderful ideas. Mark , I could sent you some corks , .....might probably save you from headaches in the morning now and then ! good luck , my friend , ....greetz , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted February 3, 2011 Report Share Posted February 3, 2011 Dieter, Only a true friend would make such a sacrifice. We call it taking one for the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonny.Barile Posted February 5, 2011 Report Share Posted February 5, 2011 I tried this last year but as a popper. I turned a piece of aluminum tubing down to an extremely thin wall. I stuffed it with styrofoam. I made a tapered tail and a head from sculpey and glued it all up. It did not work well. It floated just under the surface and when tugged had virtually no action. I have not experimented further. Your rendition looks like it has much more merit. That lure you made looks like it is usable. I would definitely continue on with more iterations. You are apparently on the right track. I dont post much these days but I do read your posts. I really enjoy seeing your work. Sonny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted February 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2011 @ Sonny.Barile Thanks a lot for your comments and your experiences , ......I'm now through with those experiments , too . Crankbaits constructed this way seemingly are simply not buoyant enough to perform reliably , .....don't think , that filling in liquid foam would change things for good , ....probably just improve the action a bit , but not to perfection . But I've had the idea to give it a try on a sinking glider jerkbait as well , and that one in my opinion performs best out of all those four prototypes , ..........you may look at it here : Thanks everbody for your interest and input in my experiments , ........another learning curve accomplished , .........at least the glider does work well , ....so I should not complain ! greetz , diemai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
