New To Lure Design. A Few Questions

[token12]

I'm new to lure design.  I just started this summer.  I do have a few questions.  First off I am designing a hard jointed swim bait using bass wood. 

 

 1. Would it be best to seal the lure blank first or cut the swim cuts first then seal?

 

 2. Can tung oil finish be used to seal the wood?  If not, then what would be the best sealer to use that I could pick up at a local hardware store?

 

3.  What can I use to connect the swim bait sections?  I've read that dowel pins can be used, what size and where can I find them? 

 

  Thanks.

[Anglinarcher]

I suggest that the first thing you do is to get on the search feature and type in key words.  With some time, not only will you get some great ideas, but we will start to talk the same "language" or in other words use the same words to mean the same thing we do.

 

I am confused by what you mean by "cut the swim cuts".  Still, I find that one should do all their cutting first then seal.  You can do it in steps, but any exposed unsealed wood will need to be sealed.

 

I have not used tung oil so I cannot help you with that.  There are a lot of things used, to include superglue brushed on it to simple sanding sealer, so you just might need to try it.  My question is will paints or final clear coats stick to the tung oil?

 

Connecting swimbait sections is a big topic right now.  Some are looking into flexible cloth, some use eyelets connected to each other, some use cotter pins on one side and a metal pin on the other (I cut my metal pins from wire).  I don't know what you are referring to with dowel pins, so I cannot help you.

 

Welcome to the web site and we look forward to helping you, and to getting help from you in the future. 

[token12]

Hey thanks for the reply and useful info.  I should have been a little more clear.  I was leaning more towards cutting the swimbait sections.  What gauge wire do you use for your metal pins?

[Anglinarcher]

No problem, I am sure you know what you are talking about, it is ......... let me tell you a story.

I took College Calculus many many years ago, but there were three levels and I only took two. I received an A for those classes and I knew my math, but I had not taken a class in 10 years. I went back to college to get my Engineering degree so I had to complete that third level of Calculus. In one of the first classes I was called on to answer a couple of questions. The class laughed at my answers, not because the results were wrong, but because the terms I used were completely foreign to them. I stopped asking and answering questions in the class, even when the professor called on me. I took the highest grade for the class, but felt unwilling to get laughed at again because my terms were from a "different generation".

I understand how we have different ways of referring to things, and how hard it can be to communicate. On this forum we have different nationalities, different backgrounds, different generations, and yet in time we all find a way to communicate. That is one of the reasons this Forum is so great. After you ask a few questions, we will start to understand what you mean and you will soon be leading us with new ideas.

Now, to answer your question, I cut my wire pins from Stainless Steel wire, the kind you can buy for making in-line spinners. I find that unless you are fishing for Ocean Fish, .035" is more then strong enough with my design. I find that .051" diameter is strong enough for most Ocean Fish. Now obviously different designs may require different diameters, but this should get you where you need to start.

Now, go have some fun and make some lures.

Edited July 14, 2014 by Anglinarcher

[BobP]

I've used Tung oil to finish furniture - it takes a long long time to dry out and become hard.  I often undercoat wood baits with the same Devcon Two Ton epoxy that I use to topcoat them.  Other slow cure "30 minute epoxies" will work just as well.  You want slow cure so you can brush it on and the epoxy will have a chance to level out nicely before it hardens.  5 minute epoxy hardens way too fast.  After the epoxy hardens, give it a light sanding to remove the glaze and promote paint adhesion.  One note on eoxy - as it hardens, it will tend to draw away from any sharp edge.  It will look OK but will wear off very quickly.

 

There are many ways to connect bait segments.  The easiest, fastest way to me is to use .035 stainless wire and twist it into inter-locking screw eyes.  You can recess them into the segments slightly to custom fit the joints.  Two pair of them are sufficient for a bass bait.  I like to paint and topcoat the bait segments and then install the joint hardware, otherwise the bait will flop around and be hard to handle while applying finish.

[bassguy]

I've only built a couple of swimbaits and used SS screw eyes and 3/32" SS bearing stock for the pins. Relatively inexpensive for the stock. I would give you a

link to the vendor but I'm unable to locate it at this time.

 

Jerry