mark poulson Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 I have bought some unpainted plastic jerkbaits. They have a weight transfer system, but they need additional weighting for how I want them to sit in the water on the pause. I was thinking about putting additional bb's into the weight transfer system to add ballast, and help them cast better, although the one I already tried casts very well. Do you guys know how to patch the plastic if I drill a hole and add some bb's? I keep thinking that the bb's will roll down and get stuck in the epoxy if I just put some on and let it rest on it's back to patch the hole. I've also thought about putting some epoxy on a piece of tape, and then sticking it onto the back, over the hole, but I'm afraid it would drip/run down into the bait. Any suggestions would really be appreciated. Otherwise, I'll go with the suspend dots I used on the first one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Mark I do this with LC BDS crankbaits. they are silent but have a great action so I drill a hole in the top of the head add my BB's amd then fill with Devcon 5 minute epoxy. I mix the epoxy then wait until it starts to set and gets "stringy" ... I apply making sure it makes a good seal above and below the plastic layer.... let it set and then sand it down... color match to the bait and TC. I have done about 5 baits like this and none haev broke or leak as of yet. I am sure there are better ways people on here have found though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 5, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Matt, I was thinking that letting the epoxy, D2T in my case, set up a little before applying it might be the way to go. Glad to hear it works for you. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted April 5, 2011 Report Share Posted April 5, 2011 Matt, I was thinking that letting the epoxy, D2T in my case, set up a little before applying it might be the way to go. Glad to hear it works for you. Thanks. Ya it works fine... Just be sure you wait about 20+ mins with D2T otherwise it will be too runny. I like the 5 min stuff because it flashes so quick and creates a good texture to work with... after a couple minutes you can pull the stir stick out and it is kinda like silly putty consistancy or caramel... thick and hard enough to mold on.... I didnt think about this but I have been using epoxy putty recently to fill holes, make fins and what not... That would probably be way easier to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 You can also patch the hole with a small round piece cut from a soda can, which easily cuts with scissors. Superglue it down, sand the edges to conform to the surface of the bait and it becomes invisible when you paint the bait. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 6, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Matt, The epoxy worked. Thanks. Bob, I thought about using the same can and hole punch setup I use to cover rattles in baits, but I didn't want a hole that big. Do you try to insert the cut out in the hole, or overlay it? Will a beer can do? I don't have any soda cans handy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcleod Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Mark, Another option for you to try is plasti-bond or builder bog. I generally modify all my plastic baits and the plasti-bond makes a good and easy seal. I prefer it to epoxy as I find it sands better. Regards, Angus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Matt, The epoxy worked. Thanks. Bob, I thought about using the same can and hole punch setup I use to cover rattles in baits, but I didn't want a hole that big. Do you try to insert the cut out in the hole, or overlay it? Will a beer can do? I don't have any soda cans handy. If you use a beer can I would worry about the lure being totally unstable and wobbling side to side trying to find its balance point... Heck it may just lay there and do nothing for periods of time! Glad it worked for you Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillbilly1 Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 Back in the day I would swipe some of my dads lead shot to put in spooks. I would drill a 1/8 inch hole in the top the seal it off with a peace of scotch tape then put what ever I had over it to seal it off. It didnt look good from the top but you could cast it a mile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I guess the critical part is the size of the hole, as to what patching works best. I'm usually drilling a 1/4" hole, so the can patch works fine for that. I size the patch so it overlays the hole by 1/16" or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted April 6, 2011 Report Share Posted April 6, 2011 I recently weighted a lot of small crawdads to make them neutral, using 3mm lead shot - I drilled 2 X 3mm (1/8" ) holes on the seam at the bottom and just pressed them in, filed them smooth and then sealed with epoxy -- similar to what you are all saying I know, but if you keep the size down you don't have to drill all the way through the blank casing, where on the seam and around the hangers, the plastic is quite a bit thicker . Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 I ordered 5 more unpainted bodies from Predator Bass. When they get here, I'll try and alter one with my original epoxy method. I want the balls to be able to move in the weight transfer system, not be stationary. I will also try the metal patch. It works for rattles, so I don't see why it wouldn't work for this. If I can't get the additional balls added to the weight transfer addition to work, then I'll just add them to the head, and epoxy them in. But I love the weight transfer idea. It really helps small, light jerkbaits, like the Orbit 80 which weighs 8 grams, to cast really well. Thanks for all the advice. I'll let you know how, or if, I solve the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbass Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 You can also drill a very small hole and use a needle to inject mineral oil to add weight Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.dsaavedra. Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 i would have probably used epoxy putty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 7, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 MrBass, I want to use bb's so I can enhance the casting weight transfer system at the same time. Dave, What kind of epoxy putty are you talking about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.dsaavedra. Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 well i've never really used any so i don't know any brands off the top of my head, but it was the first thing i thought of when i read your situation. i'd probably take a trip to the hardware store and see what looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted April 7, 2011 Report Share Posted April 7, 2011 I use the some from lowes... I think its locktite brand... Its blue on the outside and white in the middle... good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 8, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2011 I'll go looking for it tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 9, 2011 I tried epoxy, not the putty but D2T, and it wouldn't set up right. Weird. Then I looked across my bench, and saw my can of bondo. Flash, a lightbulb went on in my head (25 watt, but better than nothing). I mixed up some bondo with enough catalyst to make it kind of red, so it would set up quick, and covered over the holes, with a flat bladed screw driver as an applicator. Once it set hard, I sanded it smooth, added a drop of crazy glue just to reinforce the bondo and the bond, and then I painted over that. It worked great. I'll see how it holds up Sunday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted April 11, 2011 Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Thats what I was kinda affraid of Mark. 2ton doesnt set like the 5 min stuff... with the 5 min devcon I would just mix it then wait a couple mins until it started getting stringy/putty like.... you only have about 30 seconds once it flashes like this but you can mold it on and it works good. Glad the Bondo worked for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2011 Matt, I fished several of the bondo'd lures hard yesterday, and they were fine. I was afraid the loose bb's might knock the bondo out, or cause a leak, but it didn't happen. That was one reason I put a drop of crazy glue over the bondo once I'd sanded it smooth, because bondo itself isn't that strong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsfisher Posted May 23, 2011 Report Share Posted May 23, 2011 sorry to bring up a slightly old post here, but i just thought of something worth mentioning. U40 rod bond (rod building epoxy glue) might be a good product to use for this purpose. they make it in a 10min as well as the slower curing stuff, but more importantly it has a really thick consistancy without having to wait for it to start curing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
