Recommendations for a wire bender

[MarshManiaC]

I have been making a few inline spinners and buying .35 stainless wire with one looped end. My problem lies in looping the other end. I currently use a couple of pairs of needle-nose pliers but cannot get it to look truly professional.

Any recommendations for a part or machine that I can use to loop and twist the end with a swivel?

I've seen a few in the Stamina catalogue.....

[Celticav]

Boggs would suit your needs if you wanna go all out or you could try a quick twist tool if you don't Jim

[Big Splash]

A good pair of round nosed forming pliers (with practice) will make a bend you can't tell from the other, machine made end.

[Wire bender]

A few years ago I too though about buying one of the machines I kept reading about. But since I mostly bend smaller wire (26) and get along very well with the hand tool made by the Worth Company I decided to save my money. If I ever decide to bend larger wire I'll have to switch as the hands can only take so much. Phil

[Art Brush]

I wrote a photo tutorial on tying a loop for a .035 wire a few months ago for my fellow tackle cronies. I've been meaning to get a wire bender or wrapper but haven't decided on which kind to get. The link shows how I tie a .035 with small needlenosed pliers. Hope it helps.

http://artbrushlabs.com/lures/files/wire_loop_tut1.htm

Tight lines,

Shawn

[Celticav]

Very cool Artbrush, your a man of many talents! Good work, JIM

[Coley]

Very good tutorial Art.

Coley

[musky_man]

Marsh Mmaniac,

I have been tying for years and I just use a home vice. I do not get a perfectly round eyelet, but trust me when I say the fish do not care and the lures work fine. Mine look more like the olden days -- like the old skinner baits. I like it that way because it is kind of nostalgic.

Here are some pics of some 11 inchers I made a client. The type of eyelet I make can be seen where the large blade at the front is attached.

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/021723.jpg

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/021758.jpg

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/021759.jpg

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/img/021760.jpg

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/watermark.php?file=500/898100_3478.jpg

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/watermark.php?file=500/898100_3477.jpg

http://www.myfishingpictures.com/watermark.php?file=500/898100_3466.jpg

Hope that helps.

[MarshManiaC]

Great pics!

I have been trying to make the loops by using a ss bolt in my vice with some decent results.

I ordered one of them little machine thingys but apparently Stamina is out of them (again).

[Party Crasher]

I'm with BigSplash. Get a round nose pliers and practice a little and within 15 minutes you will be making loops as good as the machines. And the pliers will bend anything up to .060 if you want. The tackle making suppliers sell them. Or, my favorite one I got at Sears. It's a Craftsman that cost about $12. It has a very comfortable grip.

[OLe Coyote]

HI; Hage's has a wire former for about $100.00 been using it for a few years now works great. I buy staraight wire sections in 4" 5" and 6" and form what I need, much quicker than buying bulk rolled wire and you can do about 6 dozen lure an hour bending both ends if needed. I would gladly post a picture but I do not know how? Hope this helps!

[mitcheal]

For years I have cut the heads off different sized (diameter) nails and placed them in my vice as a mandrel then using a Vice-Grip to hold each end of a 5" to 15" inch piece of stainless steel wire, .021 up to .080 diameter, in which I have bent a small "L" (easier to hold on to). Using the nail as a mandrel, bend the wire into a loop by simply crossing your arms and then twisting. Release one tool, then reach over the other hand and bring it around again at 90 degrees to finish the loop. Do it quickly and the wire heats and anneals itself into a very professional looking loop. Continue wrapping the wire if you want to make screws for your crankbaits. If you don't have a vice, try using cup hangers or any round, "L" shaped type hanger which has threads on one end and screw then into your workbench or some other heavy wooden object and start bending. It takes a bit of practice but this is the quickest way I know to put loops or eyes into wire. My expensive wire bender is covered with dust, too slow.

Mitcheal

[Lure--Prof]

I do it the same way Mitcheal does.

Dean

[leafmatter]

the small hand tool from worth is well worth the money, it just takes a bit to get used to, I formed up 500 spinner shafts today, I cant seem to understand why you guys say that a pair of pliers is just as good, it takes about a minute to fully make an inline spinner with the worth tool, and the wraps are perfect once you get used to it.

[mitcheal]

I also own a Worth tool and have made hundreds of spinner shafts with it also (weight forward spinners are standby lures here on Lake Erie). However it is difficult to use with some of the heavier gauge stainless wire (.035 and up), especially if you are making spinner baits for big pike and musky. It is also time consuming in that you also have to prebend the wire to get a good looking loop with most wirebending tools. All I do with the vise-grips is grab each end of the wire, put it over the mandrel and wrap. No prebends or threading wire and not much waste either. I've gotten to the point where I work off the roll of wire so have eliminated pre-cutting. For those with arthritis in the hands and fingers, this is either the best way or a complete bust, depending on the severity of the disease, as it does require a certain degree of hand strength.

I hope this helps explain my madness. Have a great holiday and catch lots of big fish in the coming new year.

Mitcheal

[finlander]

Years ago while working at the airport I watched mechanics twist wire with a special pliers that spun when you pulled on a knob(?) t the end. Kinda looked like a vise grip. It was thin wire though. Don't know if they are still available or if they would work on the heavy stuff.