Fuzzy-Wuzzy Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 Hey everyone. I'm just starting making swimbaits. I've made 3 so far and working on 2 more. I have made all of them a one solid piece, meaning i don't split it in half to add my weights or screw eyes. What are the pros and cons in doing it this way. I see mainly everyone splitting their baits in half. I've attached some pics of the three baits i've made. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted March 26, 2012 Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 is that fake fure on that one or is it actual buck tail I just ask since I have been debating on using fake fur since there are no shops around here to get materials for tying flys or buck tails but there is the craft shop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzy-Wuzzy Posted March 26, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2012 It is Rabbit Fur strips. Works Great. I think you can order it from Basspro's fly shop online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sumguyx103 Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 im just gettin into tryin to make my own swimbaits... wat kind of wood is that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fuzzy-Wuzzy Posted March 27, 2012 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 Its actually not wood. Its PVC Trim board. You can get it at Lowe's, long 8 foot for like 20 bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 People split their baits in half in order to install thruwire hardware anchoring systems, for strength. With PVC, there's no need. I use sst screw eyes for my line ties, hinges, and hook hangers in my PVC baits, and I've never had a failure. On smaller cranks, I sometimes glue in swivels with super glue for belly hook hangers, and they hold fine. I've tried to remove them, and the wire breaks before the swivel comes out. So there's no need to go through the extra work to split a PVC lure to add a thruwire system. Your lures look fine just as they are. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sumguyx103 Posted March 27, 2012 Report Share Posted March 27, 2012 can you paint directly over the pvc material or do u have to prime and stuff first? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 can you paint directly over the pvc material or do u have to prime and stuff first? Good question as I would like to know the answer as well... I haven't gotten around to using PVC YET! but I was just looking at it today at home depot when I bought some new chunks of wooden dowel for some musky jerk baits since I need more more more ;-) I'm still trying to figure out how I can work with PVC with limited tools..., Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassguy Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 You should put a base coat like primer. Rustoleum (sp) 2X primer works for me. After the primer has dried, it sands really nice to even out the heavy spots and it fills the sanding lines left on the bait. I use 220 wet and dry sandpaper for the primer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 28, 2012 Report Share Posted March 28, 2012 (edited) I don't build for sale, so this is from a hobbiest builder's point of view. Primer to fill and even the surface works. I also use the same Rustoleum, and wet sand with 400 grit to smooth out the surface, if I want a really smooth painting surface to start with. But I've found I can spray Createx opaque white directly onto the PVC as a fill coat, or several fill coats, unless I have a really rough surface. In that case, a rubbing of Bondo, and wet sanding that, works, too. I stopped using the primer because it adds to my building time, and the lures are smooth as glass anyway by the time I've added my multiple layered paint scheme and three dip coats of urethane. I don't sweat any irregularities in the surface because I know most of it will disappear with the paint and top coat, and what's left will add a little extra "hydraulic signature" to the bait as it moves through the water. Just remember I build them to fish them, not to sell them. Edited March 28, 2012 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbum85 Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 mark can you comment further on the dipping in urethane? Is this to provide the topcoat and if so what urethane do you use or reccomend, I have few resources and I tried d2t and it was a pain in the butt. Thanks for any help Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 29, 2012 Report Share Posted March 29, 2012 I use Target Coatings urethanes. They have no storage issues, and I dip them over the jar my glass storage jar, so the excess runs back into the jar, until it slows to an occasional drip. Then I hang them. http://www.targetcoatings.com/products/coatings/em9000-super-clear-interior-polyurethane.html The two I use are SC9000, and interior urethane that actually holds up fine for lures, and EM9300, their exterior urethane that I use for salt water lures, and to enhance my crackle finishes. The SC9000 is Super Clear, and does not dim or dull my paint schemes, including metallics. The EM9300 is not quite as clear, but I'm not as concerned with that for salt water lures, or my crackle finish crawdad cranks, and it is bulletproof. The instructions say you can recoat after 2 hours. I dip my lures, hang them over a piece of newspaper, wipe off the drip that accumulates on the bottom several times in the first 15 minutes with a piece of paper towel, and then hit them with my hair dryer on low after another 15 minutes, once the surface film is set. One more hair dryer session at the 45 minute mark, and I can dip again after an hour. I haven't had any problems with the interior SC9000 top coat failure unless I've let a lure lie on wet carpet for a couple of days, or soak in a tub of water. The finish has softened and clouded when that happened, but letting them rehang to dry restores the finish to clear and hard. I am still fishing lures I made four years ago with PVC top coated with the SC9000, and they are holding up just fine. For a hobbiest like me, it's ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbum85 Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 thats a great peice of info thanks a ton. do you use this with the swimbaits as well, does it not foul up your joints real bad? thanks again Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbum85 Posted March 30, 2012 Report Share Posted March 30, 2012 also what size container would you suggest, i saw the 5 gal and almost peed myself and then I noticed the other prices. Thanks again Steven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted March 31, 2012 Report Share Posted March 31, 2012 Steven, I buy it by the quart, which lasts me several years. As I said, I'm a hobby builder now, so I only make and paint when the winds of inspiration break. When I made and sold swimbaits, I went through a quart much more quickly. I use the screw eye and pin type of hinges on my swimbaits, so I remove the pin, dip each section individually, and then reassemble after it's all dry and cured for a day. It's important to monitor the sections for the first 15 minutes so you can blot off any buildup or drips before they skin over. It may seem like you're taking all the finish away, but remember the reason it needs to be blotted in the first place is because the wet finish is concentrating in that area to begin with. So there will be plenty of top coat, especially if you dip three times like I do. If I want to repaint a small store bought swimbait, I still dip the whole bait, hang it, and blot as much as I can. The urethane isn't that thick, and the store bought baits are already sealed, so coverage is for protecting the paint on the faces, not waterproofing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassbum85 Posted March 31, 2012 Report Share Posted March 31, 2012 awesome thanks mark, I too plan on using the pin and eye hinges. thank you again and mine as well are for a hobby standpoint and not a production either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
