mark poulson Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 I just posted (4) pics in the gallery of some cranks I made Friday afternoon, and fished yesterday. I'm posting for three reasons. First, I'm thrilled with my success, which I think I owe in large part to beginner's luck, and the fact that shallow cranks are easy to build. Second, I wanted to show how easy the AZEK-type PVC decking is to use to make lures. I made the two cranks, start to finish, on Friday afternoon, dipped them twice that night, and fished them the next day. Talk about instant gratification. Third, I wanted to address the hobbiests out there, like me, not the pros who make lures to sell. The urethane coating I use, SC9000, is an "interior" urethane, and not bullet proof. But it holds up great for cranks, and other lures, and goes on fast and easy. While I only did two dip coats on these, if I had been willing to stay up another hour, I could have done three dips. Even so, I banged into stuff with the less than 12 hour old dipped lures, and they held up fine. They do cure out harder over time, but they were plenty hard yesterday. Dick Nite has come up with the same type urethane, and I'm playing around with it, to see if it will be as fast and easy to use. If so, I'll switch. But, for now, the SC9000 works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuskyGary Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 Just looked at your baits. Super job!! I have looked at the Azek boards at Lowe's, but never tried it. Im going to have to now! Ive also thought about using Aztek to rebuild my boat floor. I could use the scraps to make baits out of. Ive been afraid of melting the Aztek from cutting to fast. How is the Azek for sanding ? Can you use a router on Aztek? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 I don't know if you can route AZEK, but I don't see why not. Slow, steady feed with a sharp cutter should work fine. It machines like wood, but without the grain. You need sharp tool, or it will melt slightly. I do a lot of sanding with an oscillating belt sander, and I make sure not to use too much pressure, or the PVC melts and grabs. I use a band saw to cut profiles and lip slots, a coarse 50 grit belt to rough shape, and an 80 grit belt to refine the shape. I finish shape with an 4" Makita vibrater sander with 80 and 120 grit, and finish sand by hand with 150 grit. In the past, I've use rasps and files, and I still use a file to make flats for stick on eyes, but the power tools make it go so much faster I have switched to them. I bet AZEK would work for a boat deck. I have just never tried it for anything except lure making. The County of Ventura rebuild the docks at Lake Piru with a cheaper composition decking, and it's already swelling, after less than a year. I have had no such problems with AZEK. If I were you, I'd buy a small piece and test soak it, to make sure they haven't changed the formula, or something dumb like that. I know the last batch I bought had a coarser mix than the first stuff they sold. Probably cheaper to produce like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent R Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 Great job Mark...................................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly1 Posted March 20, 2011 Report Share Posted March 20, 2011 Nice Mark, Iv bean using the tuffboard (celled PVC) for most of my carved baits. Im still in the air about durability but so far Iv had now slipping in the line tie or the hook hangers so far so good. The one I posted for the HF airbrush thread is a tuffboard bait. I love using it just carve, foil, paint and top coat then its off to the races Still a great job Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) Nice Mark, Iv bean using the tuffboard (celled PVC) for most of my carved baits. Im still in the air about durability but so far Iv had now slipping in the line tie or the hook hangers so far so good. The one I posted for the HF airbrush thread is a tuffboard bait. I love using it just carve, foil, paint and top coat then its off to the races Still a great job I have been 'decking' out my little van with this stuff for the past 2 months, great stuff, water proof, wind proof, mildew proof, sun proof??? :huh:nothing is sun proof here!!! --- BUT watch the dust. Pete Edited March 22, 2011 by hazmail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 (edited) I have been 'decking' out my little van with this stuff for the past 2 months, great stuff, water proof, wind proof, mildew proof, sun proof??? :huh:nothing is sun proof here!!! --- BUT watch the dust. Pete You're not kidding, the dust is really irritating. I use a dust mask whenever I'm working PVC, including hand sanding. As for the sun, UV eats plastic, eventually. It breaks down the long chain molecules that are the main plastic binding ingrediant, so you wind up with a coarse surface eventually. But the heat/melt surface that AZEK decking comes with should hold up a long time. Just don't leave the sun roof open too long! Edited March 22, 2011 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 I made three RC 2.5 copies yesterday afternoon, and took them up to the local pond for a test swim. They swim great. Because I use Plano dividers for my bills, I was able to tune the bills on two of them to get them to run straight right there at the pond. The third one didn't need anything. I used some white AZEK decking for them, because it is even more buoyant than the brown. The lures wound up weighing 21 grams, with 3 grams of lead between the front hook hanger and the bill. They run down to 5-6', and don't roll at high speeds. They have no rattles, so they will be more like the old balsa baits I used to throw a lot. I post this stuff because I'm just amazed at how easy the PVC decking makes luremaking, and I think it's important to share whatever I've learned. And I need to say thank you to all of you guys here at TU. Everything I know about making lures I learned here. So thank you one and all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted March 22, 2011 Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Those look great Mark. I havent tried Azek but I do use the PVC trim boards form lowes... should be basicaly the same thing I imagine. The dust is killer and gets all over but other than that I love the stuff too. Could be more bouyant but hey cant complain! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 22, 2011 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2011 Matt, I was surprised that the white AZEK is even more buoyant than the brown. Must have something to do with the type of PVC they use when they make it. I understand it's made from waste from the manuf. of other PVC products, and some kind of cellulose fibers. I've never used the trim board, so I don't know how buoyant it is in relation to AZEK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
