token12 Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Hey TU, For the swim bait makers or anyone who uses closed screw eyes, what size or length closed screw eyes would you guys recommend using for a 5in resin swim bait? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim2199 Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Good question. I have wondered this myself. I have used .5, .75, and 1.25 inch screw eyes. Segment length and overall weight of the hardware is a consideration. Naturally having more of the screw I'm bedded in the bait should provide more anchoring strength, but at the cost of adding weight. I too would like to hear some feedback on what length of scree eye is needed. I would think resin and hardwoods would hold a lot stronger than balsa or pvc. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted May 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 (edited) This is my second revisit to the swim bait. The first one was a complete bust. Currently proud the way the one i'm working on has come out. I'll post a pic in case anyone asks to help give an idea of size and segment length. The current size of the screw eyes i have are .75 in, but I know now I need a much longer shaft. Edit: Not really familiar on how to add images here..i'm guessing I need an external link from a image hosting site? Edited May 1, 2015 by token12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted May 1, 2015 Report Share Posted May 1, 2015 Edit: Not really familiar on how to add images here..i'm guessing I need an external link from a image hosting site? Can't help you with the length of screw eyes, but to post pictures here's what you do. Go ahead and type your reply. Once you've finished your reply click on the "More Reply Options" in the bottom right hand corner of the reply box. This will open a window where you can browse through the pictures on your computer. Just select, and then attach, the picture to your reply. Then click "Post" and your done. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted May 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2015 Wow..completely over looked the more reply options. LOL! Thanks Ben. But here is a pic of the swim bait. I'm sure someone is bound to have knowledge on this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncustered Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 I'm sure you could Google wood screw tensile development to come up with a standard. In wood, I use the longest up to 1" I can get by with based on lure design. When I'm using a dowelled screw for the rear hook on balsa lures I stick with 3/4 to reduce added weight on the back end of the lure to minimize impact on action.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Very nice. Do you have any video of the swim, would love to see. For all my lures I twist my own. This allows me full control over the design, especially small hinged lures like this one, were space is at a premium. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted May 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Very nice. Do you have any video of the swim, would love to see. For all my lures I twist my own. This allows me full control over the design, especially small hinged lures like this one, were space is at a premium. Dave I currently don't have any video footage. But, I am going out to the lake tomorrow. I'll be sure to get some video footage. I can tell you this though, it does have a wobble to it as it is swimming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 Great, I look forward to seeing the action. I am particularly interested because I have a similar project on the go with Bob L Londe at the moment. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted May 3, 2015 Report Share Posted May 3, 2015 On some of the screws they are not threaded all the way to the eye. Some are made to reach farther not just hold more. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 (edited) Hey guys. I've got a short video of my swim bait swimming. Its nothing fancy but I think it gets the job done. Edited May 5, 2015 by token12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 Good vid, easily clear enough and enough detail to see what is going on - I like it. Plenty of action in that lure, very encouraging - good job and thanks. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 Dave-You're welcome! And thank you. I'm glad to give you encouragement. I'm still working on weight placement. I'm trying to achieve just a straight solid swimming action without the wobble. I was using a 7:1 ratio reel. I normally use a 5:4:1 ratio reel while using swim baits. Once final is over I'll be focused more on this project. Luckily my final is tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 Yes, there is still work to do on the design. The lure is nose heavy and there is roll, but it swims as it is and will catch. The rest is fine tuning and will take several more prototypes and a lot of experimentation, if you wish to take it further. My aim with my swimbait is; zero roll, the head holds steady with no movement and the hinged sections carry all the movement. This would not be realistic for your three piece, but mine is a 5 piece. This steady head idea, is achievable, I know because I have done it before, but I don't fully understand how I did it, so I am expecting a lot of testing. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imagine_studios Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 That thing looks great in the water! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 Yes, there is still work to do on the design. The lure is nose heavy and there is roll, but it swims as it is and will catch. The rest is fine tuning and will take several more prototypes and a lot of experimentation, if you wish to take it further. My aim with my swimbait is; zero roll, the head holds steady with no movement and the hinged sections carry all the movement. This would not be realistic for your three piece, but mine is a 5 piece. This steady head idea, is achievable, I know because I have done it before, but I don't fully understand how I did it, so I am expecting a lot of testing. Dave The lure is nose heavy. I have a 3/8oz weight in between the the top and bottom closed screw eye on the head. I added two more 1/8oz weights to the bottom of the head thinking it'd help with roll, but that was a bust (had a feeling); Research and development at it's finest. I am going to take this project further as well as the sub surface jerk/glide bait I have carved and molded. After today, i'll be free from school for the summer and then its game time with this project. That thing looks great in the water! Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted May 5, 2015 Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 That is exactly the kind of thing you have to try out to find what you are looking for. Make notes, if the change made any difference, even if it was worse, document it. Once you have made several changes, examine your notes and you may see a pattern. Once you see a pattern, you are able to predict. You start with adjustments that are fairly easy to make; shifting ballast around, including trying ballast in the other sections, changing the eye position. ALWAYS one change at a time. Never be tempted to take a short cut by making two or more changes, this is how you stay in control of the design. Once you have exhausted these two adjustments and still not found what you are looking for, then it is time to look deeper and it will involve a lot more work too. Other adjustments that will need exploring are; the length of the first section, changing the shape over the nose, between rounded and flat, again, taking notes for every change. Other things that can be tried are; mid nose profile, high nose profile, low nose profile. All these changes require a new body, so you start to see how much work is involved. It is a monster of a project to gather all the answers. To be perfectly honest with you, I need to follow my own advice more. On my last round of swimbait tests, I perhaps didn't learn as much as I could have, if I had kept better notes. DAve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
token12 Posted May 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2015 I do have a 3rd design, the one you guys seen is the second complete redesign from the first one I made last year. The 3rd design is has more of a fish head profile then the profile you guys have seen with this one. I knew going into this project it was going to be a hit right off the bat. Swim baits are a whole another breed to lure to get it right after a bunch of R&D . I'll definitely keep track of how all this goes. Documenting all changes, action and such is a good thing I should do. My girl even mention that I should do that as well. Thanks for the advice. I'll keep you guys posted on how this turns out. T12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earthworm77 Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 regarding your screw length, you want as much thread into the meat of the bait as possible........basically use as long a thread as you can get away with......then epoxy it in so it never pulls out. On a small bait like yours, I would opt for making through wires in the sections that have the eye screws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted June 5, 2015 Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 (edited) For a swimbait that size, I use .072 X 7/8" screw eyes, and they hold in PVC just fine. They should work for resin, too. I've tested that size screw eye, and 30lb. test line will break before the screw eye fails. I predill a pilot hole, run the screw eye in and then back out again, to cut threads into the pilot hole, coat the screw eye with gap filling crazy glue, and then run it back in. The excess glue that accumulates at the base of the screw eye makes a seat that locks the eye, and keeps in from twisting. Lately, I've been using Spro swivels for my line ties, # 8 for cranks (50lb), and #6 or #4 for swimbaits, and they don't fail. Having a swivel on the treble keeps the fish from using the weight of the swimbait to twist the hook out. I put a small piece of spinnerbait wire through the hidden loop of the swivel, from side to side, to insure it can't pull out. I've found several things that work for me with my jointed swimbaits. First, I use a 2/1/1/1 ratio for my four piece baits. The longer first section/head keeps it more stable. Second, I use a V profile for my bodies, tapering up from 1/2"+ at the belly to 7/8" at the shoulders, with flat sides. That removes more of the buoyant material from the belly, making it naturally less likely to roll. I can burn a bait back in, and it won't roll. Last, I keep my ballast as low as possible, and keep it as forward as possible. If I can put the ballast I need in the first section alone, I do, and only add it to the next sections if I can't get enough ballast in the head to get the action/fall rate I want. I never weight the last/tail section. That way, the tail is always more buoyant, and the bait swims level on even a slow retrieve. Edited June 5, 2015 by mark poulson 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
