uncustered Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Hey talented ones!!! Gonna start making the whole enchilada. Starting with balsa, looking to make a thin 4-5' diver (loosely based on the WEC Mutt). When I go to the crank bait parts stores they show the circuit board lips with dimensions like 7/8 x 3/4. What do these dimensions represent? How do you determine the width of the narrow end? THANKS!!!!! Custer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F&R Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Custer, 7/8 x 3/4 means they are 7/8 long and 3/4 wide at the front of the lip. Dimensions area almost always given as Length first x Width second in the US. It's too bad they don't also include the dimension at the narrow end for these lips. Here are all three dimensions of lips I have purchased from Lure Parts On Line. Circuit board and Lexan lips have close to same the same dimensions within 1/32. Lure Parts: Square Bills: 7/8 x 3/4 x 7/16, 1 x 1 x 3/4 Round Bills: 1 11/16 x 11/16 x 11/32, 1 1/4 x 7/8 x 3/8, 1 7/16 x 3/4 x 7/16 Hope this helps. F&R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncustered Posted January 22, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 Exact answer I needed. I'm really glad I found this site. Y'all cut my learning curve to a little bend....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 22, 2015 Report Share Posted January 22, 2015 If you want a particular lip shape and size, you often won't find a commercial version that exactly matches your need. Not to worry. Just buy a sheet of 1/16" thick polycarbonate (aka Lexan) and cut any shape/size lip you want from it. I draw up a lip design with a free CAD program I found online (Powerdraw). When you print the design on an ink jet printer, the program automatically prints the lip shape to the right dimensions, which is a big plus. Doing it on a computer also guarantees the lip will be symmetrical, which is essential. But you can draw lips by hand and simply cut them out with scissors for a template too. Then use your template to trace the outline of the lip onto your Lexan sheet and cut it out with metal snips, leaving a mm or so outside the line to be sanded down with a Dremel sanding cylinder to final shape. Shine up the edges of the lip with a Dremel felt polishing cylinder. Voila, you have your lip. It takes about 10 minutes to cut and polish a lip with this method - which is a reasonable amount of time and effort if you're a hobby builder. There are various sources for polycarbonate sheet. I buy mine online from mcmaster.com but your local home center or glass shop may also carry it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeeter Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 Bob is right. You are better off cutting your own lips. One of the reasons is that the line tie is not always situated where it needs to be. Depending on the lure, the line tie placement greatly affects the action. Moving the line tie forward or backward 1/16 of an inch can mean the difference between good or a great lure. Skeeter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncustered Posted January 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 I'm making baits with circuit board lips. Where are you getting the blank circuit board? Thanks!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 23, 2015 Report Share Posted January 23, 2015 (edited) Well, the deal with circuit board revolves around the color. It comes in a wide array of colors and if you want the white/slightly green shade that you see on commercial baits, it's often hard to find online. Mcmaster.com carries circuit board under the generic name "garolite". Alternative names are micarta, G10, G11, FR4, etc which are tech specs for various formulations of garolite. The Mcmaster-Carr G10 has been what I think is a rather ugly dirty yellow color. Their G11 is a little more expensive but is an attractive light green color that matches well with most lake water. You won't know the color until/unless you ask for specifics or they are provided in the online description. I buy the 1/32" thick stuff. I shape circuit board the same way as Lexan and it's even easier to cut and sand. No need to burnish the edges after sanding to final shape. Edited January 23, 2015 by BobP 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 24, 2015 Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Well, the deal with circuit board revolves around the color. It comes in a wide array of colors and if you want the white/slightly green shade that you see on commercial baits, it's often hard to find online. Mcmaster.com carries circuit board under the generic name "garolite". Alternative names are micarta, G10, G11, FR4, etc which are tech specs for various formulations of garolite. The Mcmaster-Carr G10 has been what I think is a rather ugly dirty yellow color. Their G11 is a little more expensive but is an attractive light green color that matches well with most lake water. You won't know the color until/unless you ask for specifics or they are provided in the online description. I buy the 1/32" thick stuff. I shape circuit board the same way as Lexan and it's even easier to cut and sand. No need to burnish the edges after sanding to final shape. Bob, Is circuit board more brittle than Lexan? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncustered Posted January 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 24, 2015 Well, got my wood shaped, lip selected and waiting to get started tomorrow!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted January 25, 2015 Report Share Posted January 25, 2015 Mark, circuit board is very different from Lexan. It is much more rigid and I use circuit board that is half the thickness of the Lexan I would otherwise use. The thinner lip gives you a little quicker dive and its rigidity imparts what I feel is a slightly sharper thump to the bait. But the big practical difference for many guys is the way circuit board rebounds off cover, especially rocks, with a sharper rebound and different vibration that many think produces more bites. That is really what made it popular among tournament anglers. I've never broken a circuit board lip, nor have I broken a Lexan lip, so can't really comment on brittleness. Either material will eventually be worn down from grinding over rocks. Since circuit board is usually thinner, it probably gets ground down faster than Lexan. At equal thicknesses, I don't think they would be much different and the particular type of circuit board would also be a factor since different types have very different physical properties. I use G-10 circuit board which is a fiberglass cloth substrate with a thermoplastic covering. It is usually the least expensive circuit board type. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 26, 2015 Report Share Posted January 26, 2015 Thanks Bob. That makes sense. After breaking numerous bills on my Rapala cranks, I'm used to changing out broken bills, but I like to avoid it when I can. Why do I always think of Barbara Hershey whenever there is a lips thread? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Why do I always think of Barbara Hershey whenever there is a lips thread? I wouldn't touch that question with a ten foot pole. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Ben, I am a bad person. My only comfort is that I know I won't be alone in the big hot seat down below. Hahaha Do you think they'll let us fish down there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted January 27, 2015 Report Share Posted January 27, 2015 Mark, Your not bad. You might smell that way after a fishing trip though. Not sure about "down there". Water might be a little hard to find. If we did find some water we'd probably have to top coat our baits with Nomex so they wouldn't melt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoonpluggergino Posted January 28, 2015 Report Share Posted January 28, 2015 Really good info, I am going to try some of the circuit board for my smaller muskie twitch baits Thank You Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrogAddict Posted April 3, 2015 Report Share Posted April 3, 2015 Bob, Thank you for the info. I just ordered from McMaster. My step daughter bought me a guitar pick punch for Christmas that basically takes a used gift card or credit card and punches out a guitar pick. I've used it to make some wake bait lips but I need something a bit tougher so hopefully the garolite will work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
