Few Spinnerbait Questions

[chester_fb]

Hey guys

Just got a few quick questions regarding spinnerbaits

I'm using a do it mold, just wondering what the best way to remove the bit of excess lead tht comes out the top of the spout while pouring? I have just been using pliers and wriggling it off but this normally ends up with a messy finish.

When attatching the swivel and blade to the end of the spinnerbait shaft what do you guys use to bend the wire over? I know you can use round tip pliers but is it possible to use a wire bender to get a better finish?

Also where is a good place to buy bulk skirts from? I have seen that spinnerbaitskirts.com have very cheap skirts, just wondering if there is similar sites that I can purchase cheap skirts from?

Thanks guys

[cadman]

#1 I use gate shears to cut the sprue and then I file the remainder smooth.

#2 You can use long nose pliers as well. It is much faster to use some sort of plier versus a wire bender for the end loop. If you use a wire bender, you still have to use some sort of plier to close the loop tight, so might as well use the plier and skip the additional step.

#3 You can go to fishingskirts.com for a wider selection. I personally like to use round skirt material for spinnerbaits like silicote skirt material or starflash skirts. To me they seem to work better on a spinnerbait.. JMO

[snooterfish]

#1...Gate Shears

#2 i purchased a pair of Jeweler Pliers from Hobby Lobby and they work great for me.....

http://shop.hobbylobby.com/store/item.aspx?ItemId=163922

#3 fishingskirts.com

[RayburnGuy]

I use pliers like the ones in the photo below to form the loops on spinnerbait wires.

Ben

Edited August 9, 2012 by RayburnGuy

[smalljaw]

The easies way to deal with the sprue mark is to use a small file, a few strokes and it is smooth. For the swivel loop, round nose pliers work the best and is the easiest and fastest way to do it. I tried the nesting round nose pliers and I didn't like them as I could not make a neat and consistant loop with them but the pliers that have both jaws completely round work great. To make your loop just practice, once you make a loop that you like the size and the bend you simply add a piece of tape the the part of the jaws that you used to make the bend, then every loop will be consistant. Once you do a lot of them you won't need the tape, it took me around a hundred or so baits but now I can do it with my eyes closed and so will you.

[RayburnGuy]

You should probably listen to these guys Chester. I only play around with stuff for myself while guys like Smalljaw build thousands of lures.

Ben

[chester_fb]

Thanks for the advice guys much appreciated, all take all this on board

cheers

Chester

[smalljaw]

Thanks for the advice guys much appreciated, all take all this on board

cheers

Chester

Thanks for the advice guys much appreciated, all take all this on board

cheers

Chester

Let us know how you make out Chester.

[chester_fb]

Thanks small jaw

I have one more question, what do you use to glue the eyes on? And do you use a sealer or lacquer after you paint them?

Cheers

[Musky Glenn]

Most eyes are sticky back and will stay on until you can apply a clear coat over them which actually does the holding. I haven't had any trouble doing them this way. Honestly, for my own spinner baits, I prefer to dab paint to make my own eyes. If I could keep the pure lead shinning, I wouldn't use any paint on the head of my own personal spinner baits. Musky Glenn

[smalljaw]

Thanks small jaw

I have one more question, what do you use to glue the eyes on? And do you use a sealer or lacquer after you paint them?

Cheers

Chester, I use Devcon 2 ton epoxy and after putting on the eyes I coat the entire head with it. If you do this it really gives the color of your bait depth and seals the eye so they don't fall out. If you want to just put on a quick sealer then you can use the Sally Hansens hard as nails clear nail polish. The reason for the Devcon is it is the only epoxy I ever used that didn't turn yellow after a week or so, but you need to remember if you get it get the 30 minute, the packaging is different now but if you read the package it will say the set up time is 30 minutes. It also take about 12 hours to cure but I don't use anything for 24 hours after just to make sure and if I'm making something for someone else I give it 48 hours.

[cadman]

Honestly, for my own spinner baits, I prefer to dab paint to make my own eyes. If I could keep the pure lead shinning, I wouldn't use any paint on the head of my own personal spinner baits. Musky Glenn

Musky Glen,

Here is an answer to your shiny dilemma and it does work. Once you pour and clean your shiny spinnerbait heads, immediately clear coat them with D2T. They will stay shiny until the epoxy is compromised. I have had a jig going on a year and still the D2T has stayed on. If you would like some pics PM me your e-mail and I can show you how they look.

[flippinfool]

As long as you get complete coverage this will work.http://www.csipaint.com/products/uv-fishing-lure-paint/uv-blast-powder-paint.asp

[Musky Glenn]

Thanks Cadman, I use d2t all the time and just never thought of applying it to the fresh lead. I will give that a try. That nice silver head is a good match for a live minnow shine. Who would have thunk it would have been that simple, but I never tried it. That is what makes this site so wonderful. You just never know when someone will shine a light on a problem. Thanks again Cadman. Musky Glenn

[archeryrob]

I made a bunch of spinnerbaits and I just for diagonal cutters chop off the sprue. I use the open end toward the lure as it makes les of a mess. I use a small needle nose pliar to form the swivle loop. It rolls around real nice, add the swivle and pinch it closed. I use the Jewelers round pliers for making hard bait loops and if I bend my own R shaped wire.

I use red or silver testors and dap a bit in the eye hole and later add a black pupil. I have yet to have any eyes come off yet. They are in a depression and protected really well. Powder paint comes off first from the lead deforming from being casted onto rocks.

Edited August 12, 2012 by archeryrob

[willowblade]

1. The best way to remove excess lead that is on a jighead or spinnerbait is by cutting it off with gate cutters. This will give you a fairly close cut on the lead, and will leave you with a good looking bait or jighead. If the spot where you removed the excess lead is still rough you can clean it up with a file, and make the surface clean and even.

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/lead-melters-tools/781898000043.aspx

1. Round bend pliers are a handy tool for making the loop in the end of the wire for spinnerbaits. A wire bender would not be the most handy tool for making this loop in a spinnerbait.

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/wire-forming-tools/706569360059.aspx

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/wire-forming-tools/041530200003.aspx

1. Jann’s Netcraft has a great selection of pre made silicone skirts, as well as skirt material that you can make your own skirts. You can come up with some different color combinations to match the hatch on your home body of water. You can get everything you need to make not only skirts, but the whole spinnerbait from start to finish at Jann’s Netcraft.

Also, be sure to watch the video on the link below for a quick how-to on making your own skirts.

http://www.jannsnetcraft.com/skirts-material/

[subsailor618]

I actually learned the trick of using the round nose jewerly pliers from SWMBO when she was making things.

[chester_fb]

Hey guys,

Thanks again for all the help, since you have all been so helpful I have a few more questions

Before Pouring your baits, do you melt your lead into ingots?

I am having a bit of trouble when pouring, I am using a Lee lead melting pot, and the spout constantly gets clogged up I have to stick a bit of wire up there after almost every bait to free it up and even then it isnt a very good pour.

Also when i'm pouring my baits often come out with some wire showing in between the hook and the body of the spinnerbait, any tips to avoid this?

Thanks guys

Chester

Edited August 24, 2012 by chester_fb

[smalljaw]

Hey guys,

Thanks again for all the help, since you have all been so helpful I have a few more questions

Before Pouring your baits, do you melt your lead into ingots?

I am having a bit of trouble when pouring, I am using a Lee lead melting pot, and the spout constantly gets clogged up I have to stick a bit of wire up there after almost every bait to free it up and even then it isnt a very good pour.

Also when i'm pouring my baits often come out with some wire showing in between the hook and the body of the spinnerbait, any tips to avoid this?

Thanks guys

Chester

Chester, I will melt bulk lead into ingots which is usually wheel weights but I only use them to make jigs, my spinnerbaits have been made with 1lb wheel weight lead and 7lbs of plumbers lead which is soft so it pours well. You don't have to make ingots but it is nice to melt the lead, flux it and scoop of the slag and then you have ingots that are pretty clean to start with. As for the wire showing, that isn't good and it sounds like it is in the collar area and that means you aren't getting a complete pour and from the sound of it I think your pot isn't going fast enough. The easy fix for this is to use a ladle, the ladle worked so good for me when I tried it that I now pour all my spinnerbaits with it and only use the bottom pour for jigs and if a jig mold is giving me problems I'll often pour with a ladle and it works. I'm sure others can help since that can be caused by a lot of things.