BrownPigs Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 I am looking for some info on making eyes. I want to make some big eyes for some of my swimbaits and make them in a bunch of different colors. Has anyone made custom eyes say anywhere from 6 mm to 12mm eyes? What material do I use? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnart Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 I use a two part epoxie that I use in taxidermy. Put two parts together into a puddy consistancy. Then put it on the bait and mash it down into a small circle, or eye. Experiemet with the amounts of epoxy to determine how big your eyes, once its dry I paint it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnart Posted April 9, 2012 Report Share Posted April 9, 2012 I use a two part epoxie that I use in taxidermy. Put two parts together into a puddy consistancy. Then put it on the bait and mash it down into a small circle, or eye. Experiemet with the amounts of epoxy to determine how big your eyes, once its dry I paint it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoonpluggergino Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 Check out solarfall video on making fish eyes, he uses 5 minute clear epoxy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Moreau Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 there is a youtube video where a guy shows you exactly how to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mayberry_Customs Posted April 10, 2012 Report Share Posted April 10, 2012 If you go to the how2 tutorials section-->Hardbait how to-->click the thread "my painting tutorial videos"-->post #12. That is where the video by Solarfall for making fish eyes is located. Pretty cool stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrownPigs Posted April 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2012 If you go to the how2 tutorials section-->Hardbait how to-->click the thread "my painting tutorial videos"-->post #12. That is where the video by Solarfall for making fish eyes is located. Pretty cool stuff. Thanks, that helps alot. One more question. When you do large eyes like that they will still be mostly flattened. Anyone know how to makes eyes that big but basically have them be half a sphere. Looking to get a really buggy look. Almost like if I was to cut a marble in half kind of thickness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROWINGADUBAY Posted April 13, 2012 Report Share Posted April 13, 2012 Thanks, that helps alot. One more question. When you do large eyes like that they will still be mostly flattened. Anyone know how to makes eyes that big but basically have them be half a sphere. Looking to get a really buggy look. Almost like if I was to cut a marble in half kind of thickness. I would take a small plastic box fill it with the 100% silicone and water mix and push some marbles into it let it set up for a half hour and you would have your mold to make your eyes you could then use bondo or epoxy or casting resin to make them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffond Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 I would take a small plastic box fill it with the 100% silicone and water mix and push some marbles into it let it set up for a half hour and you would have your mold to make your eyes you could then use bondo or epoxy or casting resin to make them. wouldn't you need a releasing agent of some sort for the epoxy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassguy Posted April 15, 2012 Report Share Posted April 15, 2012 (edited) wouldn't you need a releasing agent of some sort for the epoxy? Not likely, the bondo or epoxy won't stick to the silicone once it's cured. Edited April 15, 2012 by bassguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cuttem Jack Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 Here is what I do. I use e-tex that is left over and pour it into my empty contact lens containers. I wear disposable contacts and keep them all. I usually make 6-10 at a time. Here is what they look like when I put them on lures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 Here is what I do. I use e-tex that is left over and pour it into my empty contact lens containers. I wear disposable contacts and keep them all. I usually make 6-10 at a time. Here is what they look like when I put them on lures. Aren't you afraid the bait will see so well it can avoid the predators? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saltshaker Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 Aren't you afraid the bait will see so well it can avoid the predators? I knew somebody was jumpin' on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted April 16, 2012 Report Share Posted April 16, 2012 (edited) I knew somebody was jumpin' on that. It was just too easy. Hahaha Actually, I was thinking that was a really original idea for making eyes. I wonder what the eyes would look like if you put the old contacts back in, and poured right over them. Edited April 16, 2012 by mark poulson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Well here is what I have just tried. I needed some super glue accelerater, so I stopped at hobbytown and got some. Took it to work, and it works really good. Anyways, I took a piece of label stuff that is like a sticker. Clored it red, and used a big hole punch to cut it out. Colored the pupil. Dropped about 10 drops of CA glue and hit it with accelerater. It actually looks pretty good. And it stayed round, as opposed to flattening out. Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nedyarb Posted April 18, 2012 Report Share Posted April 18, 2012 Just to see how big they are I put one on a 1.5" bait I am making! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted April 23, 2012 Report Share Posted April 23, 2012 (edited) Been trying to make eyes for a few years now. Make them with epoxy, very tedious but getting close now. And some "Barramundi" or "Walleye eyes": Pete Edited April 23, 2012 by hazmail Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetickhound Posted May 7, 2012 Report Share Posted May 7, 2012 Amazing work Haz.... What wood are you making those gems out of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 We have gone full circle mate, I have just come from the 'Aussie wheel' post, sorry I did not answer your post--the wood is 'Kauri Pine' from New Zealand , also Australia (Queensland). Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetickhound Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 I have been using balsa and thru wiring mine. The action on these baits is amazing!! What I really like is that with the length (I'm making mine 3-1/2" long) there's a lot of room to play with ballast to get exactly what you want out of the lure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 20, 2012 Report Share Posted June 20, 2012 Pete, You are the first person I've seen who uses a convex bill, where the edges are lower than the middle. How does that bill shape affect the lure's action? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaSynapse Posted June 21, 2012 Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 Pete, You are the first person I've seen who uses a convex bill, where the edges are lower than the middle. How does that bill shape affect the lure's action? Well that's a hell of a good question! I'm not a great writer usually, but like Mark, I'm really curious about this lip shape! Also Pete, I think you are a great painter, I wonder if, by any chance, you may have a website or an internet gallery where we could see your works? Thanks by advance, and keep crafting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetickhound Posted June 21, 2012 Report Share Posted June 21, 2012 Go to the hardbait how to and look for the polycarbonate lip forming thread. I think it's on the second page. There is another thread titled compound bending or something line that but it isn't as detailed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hazmail Posted June 22, 2012 Report Share Posted June 22, 2012 Pete, You are the first person I've seen who uses a convex bill, where the edges are lower than the middle. How does that bill shape affect the lure's action? Hi Mark-- the concave is a wide, slow action and goes to 7-8' (slow troll)- The concave is a tight/ fast action and goes to about15' (slow troll) ---before forming the original flat lip would be somewhere in between--I like it because you can use the same lip for different actions/depths, just turn it upside down. LaSnapse--thanks for the compliament, it is appreciated.--- If you click on 'Hazmail' and then click 'gallery', there are a lot of pictures there, mostly older ones. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
