blazt* Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 Heh Heh, just had to do a slight continuation of the old "Duplicating Plastic Cranks...Out of Wood?" thread because I have a Rapala DT and other wooden baits I'd like to copy. Splitting a plastic bait down the seam (left behind by the molding process) and tracing or photographing the profile is easy enough, but I'm not sure how to approach these wooden baits. What I want to do is split the bait lengthwise down the center, trace out the side profile, the split again down the side at the centerline to produce four quarters. This way both side and top profiles can be photo'd or traced, my choice, because stabilizing and centering a bait with rounded sides for a photo proved to be so tedious I gave up on it. Anyhow...is there a preffered method for splitting a wooden crank into quarters without removing so much material (as I'm afraid a saw would do) that the dimensions actually get a little smaller? I don't have any power tools to speak of. Probably need a redneck method here. I could sand down half the side of the bait until it reached the center, but that would eliminate the possibility of getting four quarters. Any ideas appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firechief Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 I am a redneck and here is what we rednecks do. First I have to remember that exact duplication for me is out of the question so that relieves me of that stress. I then take the selected bait and do the following. Lay it out as level as I can and make a copy on my printer. Is this difficult ? well it can be but yet with a little patience. I then take the copy and cut it out, lay it on my material and trace it out. Not exactly perfection. I use different tools like a caliper to get the shape as close a possible. Round bait are more difficult. I use a profile tool for checking the sides and curves. I have learned that maintaining a the center line is crucial with anything I do. I have also outlined the bait onto the wood in a free hand manner. This method leaves me enough wood to sand without cutting it too close. It has been easier for me to take of the material than to put it back on so I need a greater margine of error. If the bait is not exact... I say so what. Its my bait. Last bit here, dont ever give up. If Knumb-nut like me can do this so can you. And no I do not have lots of power tools...yet. Just improvise, adapt, adjust and overcome. There is a great tutorial here showing how to cut out a bait. Check it out !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 27, 2012 Report Share Posted January 27, 2012 If your dead set on cutting a DT into pieces try using a single edged razor blade. You need to draw centerlines at the four points where you plan on doing your cuts. This will keep you from wandering off to one side or the other. If I remember correctly the Rapala's are made of balsa and should be fairly easy to cut. At least the old ones were. Not sure about the newer baits. I use the photo method and don't have any of the problems your describing. It's not like they have to be within a few thousandths of being perfectly square with the camera. Just be sure that the camera is placed at the same height as the bait when taking a picture. If it's not on the same level you can get slightly distorted pictures. Another thing I like about doing it this way is that if you lose, or wear out, a stencil there will be a backup image stored on your computer. You can also resize the image if you want to make a smaller, or larger, bait with the same profile. But to each his own. Just find a way of making stencils that your comfortable with and go at it. good luck, Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lincoya Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Ben, You'll have trouble splitting a DT in half with a razor. There is a molded plastic piece in the belly that extends from the bottom of the lip to the belly hook hanger. Inside of that plastic is a lead block that provides ballast to get the bait down and also provides the rattle. I have pictures of the inside of a DT-16 somewhere but I can't find them at the moment. Back to the original problem: There is no need to destroy a bait just to duplicate it. There are patterns everywhere on the web in the form of advertising pictures. If you can't find pictures online, just take pictures of the top and side with you digital camera or phone camera and upload them to your computer. Then resize them to the size that you want and print them off. Gene Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Now that you mention that Gene I remember seeing pictures of the plastic piece your talking about in the new Rapalas. Sorry for the confusion. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 Gene is right on. DTs are not a complete balsa lure. As a matter of fact they are doing about the same thing that Coley was doing 12 yrs. ago. (Coley was ahead of his time.) Follow Genes advice and you will do well. If you want to strip a DT and see how it is done just drop the bait in some acetone for about 20 min and then wipe the sticker off. (Not much paint on them either.) I am not saying that they are not good baits. Just that they are not what everyone thinks they are. Skeeter 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 28, 2012 Report Share Posted January 28, 2012 (edited) I am a redneck and here is what we rednecks do. First I have to remember that exact duplication for me is out of the question so that relieves me of that stress. I then take the selected bait and do the following. Lay it out as level as I can and make a copy on my printer. Is this difficult ? well it can be but yet with a little patience. I then take the copy and cut it out, lay it on my material and trace it out. Not exactly perfection. I use different tools like a caliper to get the shape as close a possible. Round bait are more difficult. I use a profile tool for checking the sides and curves. I have learned that maintaining a the center line is crucial with anything I do. I have also outlined the bait onto the wood in a free hand manner. This method leaves me enough wood to sand without cutting it too close. It has been easier for me to take of the material than to put it back on so I need a greater margine of error. If the bait is not exact... I say so what. Its my bait. Last bit here, dont ever give up. If Knumb-nut like me can do this so can you. And no I do not have lots of power tools...yet. Just improvise, adapt, adjust and overcome. There is a great tutorial here showing how to cut out a bait. Check it out !! Chief, I guess I'm a left coast redneck, 'cause that's how I do it, too. "If you think that your neighbor was just adding a room when he ran his motor home into his house, you might be a red neck" Hahaha Edited January 28, 2012 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted January 31, 2012 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Ben, You'll have trouble splitting a DT in half with a razor. There is a molded plastic piece in the belly that extends from the bottom of the lip to the belly hook hanger. Inside of that plastic is a lead block that provides ballast to get the bait down and also provides the rattle. I have pictures of the inside of a DT-16 somewhere but I can't find them at the moment. Back to the original problem: There is no need to destroy a bait just to duplicate it. There are patterns everywhere on the web in the form of advertising pictures. If you can't find pictures online, just take pictures of the top and side with you digital camera or phone camera and upload them to your computer. Then resize them to the size that you want and print them off. Gene Problem is you never see a top profile in run of the mill stock photos, which I would need. I spent a lot of time on working with profile pics before I gave up on it. Mega pain. I mean I'm an experienced am photographer but just found it too hard. Having a printed out photo of a traced outline was so much easier to work from because there was much stronger contrast and it just wasn't so hard on the eyes. My pics always seemed to be off center a bit compared to either a trace (photo'd , then printed) or photos of a split bait laid nicely flat on its side. I think I've seen the DT pics you're talking about - are they like an X- ray? Maybe if took the time to dig out my good camera I might get better results, but If you happen to run across the pic, could you post it? Do you know if the plastic ballast shell thing has a seam going around the center? Do you think splitting a balsa bait would be otherwise not a problem if it weren't for the plastic piece? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 31, 2012 Report Share Posted January 31, 2012 Problem is you never see a top profile in run of the mill stock photos, which I would need. I spent a lot of time on working with profile pics before I gave up on it. Mega pain. I mean I'm an experienced am photographer but just found it too hard. Having a printed out photo of a traced outline was so much easier to work from because there was much stronger contrast and it just wasn't so hard on the eyes. My pics always seemed to be off center a bit compared to either a trace (photo'd , then printed) or photos of a split bait laid nicely flat on its side. I think I've seen the DT pics you're talking about - are they like an X- ray? Maybe if took the time to dig out my good camera I might get better results, but If you happen to run across the pic, could you post it? Do you know if the plastic ballast shell thing has a seam going around the center? Do you think splitting a balsa bait would be otherwise not a problem if it weren't for the plastic piece? It's all about doing what your comfortable with Blazt. I've used the same photo editing software for about 10 years now and it's not much of a chore for me to edit pics like I want them. Another thing I like about editing pictures, whether they be photos of lures or a traced outline, is that I can manipulate the size and shape of a picture to make a template. I recently took a photo of a shad and made it shorter from top to bottom using the deform tool. This gave me a template for a top water walk the dog type lure that works quite well. And they are easily stored on my computer in case a template is lost or worn out. Then all you have to do is hit print and you have the makings of another template. Editing programs are also a must have when doing photo over foil type lures for those of us who don't have the greatest airbrushing skills. But like I've said many times everyone has to find out what works best for them. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted February 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 It's all about doing what your comfortable with Blazt. I've used the same photo editing software for about 10 years now and it's not much of a chore for me to edit pics like I want them. Another thing I like about editing pictures, whether they be photos of lures or a traced outline, is that I can manipulate the size and shape of a picture to make a template. I recently took a photo of a shad and made it shorter from top to bottom using the deform tool. This gave me a template for a top water walk the dog type lure that works quite well. And they are easily stored on my computer in case a template is lost or worn out. Then all you have to do is hit print and you have the makings of another template. Editing programs are also a must have when doing photo over foil type lures for those of us who don't have the greatest airbrushing skills. But like I've said many times everyone has to find out what works best for them. Ben I wish I could do the whole thing as well as you do. I just don't get along with the method. Maybe I'll give it another shot, someday. A long ways off from today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blazt* Posted February 1, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 Isn't the DT a through - wire bait? I mean is it made of 2 halves, glued together? Could they be seperated somehow at the seam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted February 1, 2012 Report Share Posted February 1, 2012 I wish I could do the whole thing as well as you do. I just don't get along with the method. Maybe I'll give it another shot, someday. A long ways off from today. If you decide to give it another try and I can be of any help just holler. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
