JBlaze Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 I have been reading a lot the past couple of years about Stencil making. I finally decided to give it a try. Just want to give a big thank you to all who have touched on this subject and to show a few pictures of how I made mine, in hopes that it may help someone else. I started with two V-8 juice cans. One of them is used for making the vacuum former and one of them is used to supply me with a second lid (or third if needed) for making the second side of the stencil. I used a heat gun and a shop vac to form the stencils. On my second lid, I got a little sloppy and cut the hole a little to large and it is pulling my stencil material down into the gap around the crankbait. I will have to redo this one and be a little more careful with the cutting. I also still need to learn how to learn how to make my patterns exactly the same on both sides of the stencils. Any suggestions appreciated. John http://s253.photobucket.com/user/JBlaze1952/library/Making%20A%20Stencil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 11, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 For some reason, My pics posted in reverse order on Photo Bucket, and I don't know how to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted April 11, 2013 Report Share Posted April 11, 2013 Hey John, To make templates for both sides I sacrificed a crankbait by cutting it in half and then cutting away the diving lip which just gets in the way in my opinion. The little bit you lose where you cut the bait in half isn't going to hurt your stencil either. The vacuum former I built has small holes drilled in a piece of plywood to provide the suction needed to pull your stencil material down. The lure half is placed over the hole pattern and the warmed stencil material is then layed over the lure half. Getting your stencil material warmed up enough makes it much easier to form properly. I built a frame that holds the stencil material and it is placed in the oven until the material starts to sag in the middle. If it starts to cool too quickly I then use a heat gun and the back side of a butter knife to finish the forming. hope this helps, Ben 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Ben, You da Man! Today was my day off so I did with my third lid as you did with the plywood. I also sacrificed a crank blank. Worked like a charm. Seems like I always do things the hard way. Your way is much simpler and easier. I still used the heat gun, only took about 15 seconds to form each half. Thanks for sharing your method. Hopefully these two pics will post showing the changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Glad it worked for you John. Your idea with the can is really much simpler and more efficient than what I did. My suction box ended up being big enough to vacuum form about 30 stencils at once when all that was really needed was room enough for a couple at a time. I ended up putting tape over the majority of the holes so I wouldn't lose suction. Live and learn. Glad I could help. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Good job JB and Ben. Stensil making doesn't get any easier than this Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 12, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Thanks Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joetheplumber Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Good job on the stencils. I have the same set that you do and it is very tricky to get both sides perfect. Haven't found a good method for making it exact yet. I've been doing some stencils by just cutting them out of my green masking tape and it seems a little easier for some patterns to get it just right....fins and shad spots mostly and also some "different" patterns. I've got one almost finshed that all the stencils were made using masking tape. I'll put the pic in the gallery and show you what I talking about......Don't laugh at the bait when I post it, It's not finshed and I'm trying to paint outside of my skill level...........Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 Thanks Dave. All I really did though was just pass on info learned here at TU. That's what is so great about this site. Helping each other to come up with new ideas and improve on older ones. Ben 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwfflipper Posted April 12, 2013 Report Share Posted April 12, 2013 go to www.vacummformerplans.blogspot.com this how i made mine. Jeff RiverValleyCrankbaits Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 13, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2013 Good job on the stencils. I have the same set that you do and it is very tricky to get both sides perfect. Haven't found a good method for making it exact yet. I've been doing some stencils by just cutting them out of my green masking tape and it seems a little easier for some patterns to get it just right....fins and shad spots mostly and also some "different" patterns. I've got one almost finshed that all the stencils were made using masking tape. I'll put the pic in the gallery and show you what I talking about......Don't laugh at the bait when I post it, It's not finshed and I'm trying to paint outside of my skill level...........Joe Thanks Joe, I promise not to laugh. anything I can learn from someone else's hard earned experiences is very much appreciated. (outside your skill level?)you should see mine, I have no skill. That is another reason I am wanting to do stencils. Looking forward to seeing what you post. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 One more thing, the stuff that I used for stencil material was some clear packaging material that came from something that my wife had bought. It is pretty thick .016 and I wasn't sure that it would form but it did so rather nicely. I will be checking out all clear packaging from now on. These stencils seem to be very durable and should last a long time. My next step is to figure out how to cut identical patterns on each side. If I was splitting a production made bait, and copying it that would not be a problem but my patterns will be my own so I have another learning curve to master. I drew a craw pattern on the side of a crank last night then slipped a stencil over it and cut it out with a heated stencil cutter. After getting it cut I slipped a piece of translucent grocery bag under the cut side of the stencil and and outlined the pattern with a fine point sharpie. next, I moved the piece of grocery bag with outline to the other side of the crank and under the stencil. I could see the outline thru the translucent bag and I trace that onto the other side of the stencil and cut it out with the hot stencil cutter. It was much better than my other attempts but still not 100% identical. As I have said previously, I always do things the hard way. What am I missing? John John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Can't say what your missing on this one John. I did pretty much did the same thing you did when marking out the grocery bag and moving it to the other side to mark the stencil. It may not be 100% perfect each time, but I figured a bass could only clearly see one side at a time from a position in which he would have any depth perception so I didn't worry about it too much. But then I'm not making baits for sale and the small flaws don't bother me too much and the fish don't seem to care. The only way I can think of to get your stencils to be exact mirror images of each other would be to have them made by someone who makes stencils for a living using machines where they can just program the info into the machine and let a laser cut it. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 14, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Nor do I, I don't have time for that. Maybe I will have to settle for "the much better" and you are right about the bass not seeing both sides and I really do believe the fish don't care. I remember Bandit had a lure called a mistake which had a different color on each side, it was very popular. I suppose, I see the artists works in the galleries and want mine to be as nice looking as theirs. It is just me wanting them to turn out perfect. Thanks Ben, that really makes me feel better about it. I have racked my brain for the last couple of nights trying to figure how to make both sides identical. I think I will quit worrying about it. I could not afford someones setup fees, time and expenses of making one with a laser. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsgorilla Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 Have u tried doing your design on the computer? You can print out a couple copies, use one to copy on each side of your stencil. As long as u have a steady hand cutting or drawing and cutting, each side will be exactly identical. I am sure there is simple, probably free software out there where u could take a picture of one of your unpainted baits, upload it and use it to put your design on. That way it will fit perfectly when u print it out and u can tinker with your design without wasting stencils and lure blanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kajay920 Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 I think bsgorilla is onto it. Using a computer program or even freehand. Draw your stencil on both sides of the transparent stencil material while it is still flat then take each side to the former. It would be just a matter of using a reference point, like the nose or tail, on each side. Vacuum left, vacuum right, cut each side, and viola, matching stencils! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted April 14, 2013 Report Share Posted April 14, 2013 That could be a very doable option bsgorilla. You'd have to take into account the slightly larger size when going from a flat drawing to a curved section on a lure. This could all be done on the computer though. It might take a few tries to get it properly sized, but you'd only be wasting a few sheets of paper and a little ink. Much less work than making multiple stencils trying to get it right. Great idea. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 bsgorilla and kajay, both those ideas sound plausible. I could freehand it on paper scan it into the computer do a mirror image of it. Trace each one onto the stencil material. Using two reference points, place flat stencil material on bait, form and cut. I am not making lite of your suggestions, I hope you know that. I appreciate all input from everyone. It sounds too easy, one thing that comes to mind is....if and or will the stencil deform the image differently on each side as it is heated and stretched over the blank lure and vacuumed. If it does then this would defeat the purpose because they would not be identical. I will have to give this one a try. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kajay920 Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 bsgorilla and kajay, both those ideas sound plausible. I could freehand it on paper scan it into the computer do a mirror image of it. Trace each one onto the stencil material. Using two reference points, place flat stencil material on bait, form and cut. I am not making lite of your suggestions, I hope you know that. I appreciate all input from everyone. It sounds too easy, one thing that comes to mind is....if and or will the stencil deform the image differently on each side as it is heated and stretched over the blank lure and vacuumed. If it does then this would defeat the purpose because they would not be identical. I will have to give this one a try. let us know how it works. I ordered my airbrush this weekend and plan to make some stencils this way. I'm real curious about the heat deforming the pattern. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 I'm thinking you could draw your cut lines with a sharpie while the material is still flat and then go ahead and form your stencil. Then, after the stencil is formed, you could do the cutting. That way the heat would not be trying to deform the stencil where the cuts have been made. If that's what you were thinking anyway. Might not be understanding exactly what you have in mind. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 Ben, you are understanding perfectly. I would not do the cutting until the stencil is formed. I am going to try this in the next few days, Will post the results after I get it done. I thought as we get older, that we would have more free/liesure time. I am finding it to be just the opposite. I am really looking forward to retirement. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted April 15, 2013 Report Share Posted April 15, 2013 What thickness of material do y'all suggest? I tried vacuum forming a couple of stencils but failed. I think my material was too thick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBlaze Posted April 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 (edited) Kris, what I used was some clear packaging plastic I measured it with a micrometer and it is .016 thick. It formed very well. Today, I used the top lid and bottom from the clear plastic packaging of a dozen donuts from the deli bakery department. It was thinner and a little more brittle but it formed well. You can also buy stencil material at Hobby Lobby. Hope this helps. John Edited April 16, 2013 by JBlaze Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsgorilla Posted April 16, 2013 Report Share Posted April 16, 2013 Agreed Ben. I actually meant to do all the cutting post vacuum forming. I am still using cut strips of milk jug for my stencils as I haven't mastered forming identical baits to be able to use vacuum forming. I paint one side then invert the curve of the stencil and paint the other side (thus having identical sides). I have different stencils for different looks, bait sizes and body parts. I have gill stencils, fin stencils, perch stripe stencils, frog spot stencils, etc. I'd actually recommend doing body feature stencils instead of one stencil with all features. Doing it all on one stencil is really hard. You can cut it perfect until the last feature and ruin it and have to start allll over again (grrrr). Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A-Mac Posted April 21, 2013 Report Share Posted April 21, 2013 Just a tip. When you form your stencil over a lure half, it's easy to get carried away to make it a perfect fitting shell. In my opinion, leave the shell so that it doesn't hug the lure quite so tight. 2 reasons for this: 1) Even with resin lures, each bait is not 100% the same size. In addition, each layer of paint adds to the mass of the lure. A tight fitting stencil may not fit every lure you intend it too. 2) A tight fitting stencil WILL SCRATCH OR RUB PREVIOUS LAYERS OF PAINT FROM THE LURE! If you have to pry the lure off, its too tight! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
