RyanFishing Posted October 22, 2015 Report Share Posted October 22, 2015 Hello, this is my first post on Tackle Underground and I was told to come here for some information I have a year long project for school and have chosen to make fishing lures out of wood. This is completely new to me and I want to learn as much as I can. So basically I'm asking for any advice any of you guys have on things like airbrushes, paints, compressors, woods, tools, shapes, accessories, epoxies, and anything else that goes into making a wooden fishing lure. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Hi Ryan and welcome to TU. What school subject(s) are you planning on satisfying with this project? Either the school going to pay for the equipment, you have a rich Father who likes fishing or maybe it is better to build your project without spending a small fortune. There is a little bit of everything in here; art, woodwork, design, mathematics, science, sociology, mental illness... Tell us more about your plan and we can start to help you. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/forum/48-hardbait-how-to/ Ryan, a good place to start are the member submitted tutorials, cited above. There's a ton of stuff here on TU about the details of making crankbaits. I suggest you read some of the tutorials, then use the search function here on the hardbaits forum to get more detailed information. There are years of discussions and thousands of topics. Another good source of info is YouTube, where you can find a number of great tutorials on how guys build their baits. As you read along, just remember there is no one way to do anything in crankbait building. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Further to BobP's post, you could not do better than to view all of Paul Adam's videos. Paul is also a member of TU. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gone2long Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 To get started check out youtube notably the handmade fisherman he has some great videos and goes through the whole process and makes it simplified, there are many others out there just search around on YT video really speeds up the understanding and the learning curve. Keep us posted on how your making out always like to see someone in school take these challenges on. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barr5150 Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Check out "Toxic Tackle" on youtube. He has 8 or 10 videos on making a balsa crankbait. It's not the process I use but it will work and all the products he uses are easy to get. What I thought was cool was he shows you how to do all the steps with simple hand tools you probably already have. My suggestion would be to build a few plugs his way and see if you like doing it or if it's something you want to continue doing. You can always upgrade your tools as you go along. Don't be concerned with buying everything up front. I've seen some pretty sweet paint jobs with just rattle can and craft paint. Once you get a game plan and have a couple plugs in ruff shape post back to let us know where your at. Most of the members on here will be able to help with ballast weighting and lip size/angle. Good luck man! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanFishing Posted October 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Thank you everyone! I really appreciate it! To further explain the project it's called Capstone. It's with my English class but every senior has to do it as their Senior Project. It is a product and a paper and it's supposed to do something new to you. My product I want to be a group of hopefully 3-5 well made, aesthetically pleasing wooden baits. And school won't fund this but my parents are willing to pay for what I need for it. I'm looking at airbrushes at Hobby Lobby to be able to get the 40% off coupons and save a little. My parents are prepared to buy an airbrush and compressor though which I think will be the most expensive purchase? I'll definitely look up the YouTube videos though. I'll probably try to start with topwater baits also because I've heard they're the easiest? I'll definitely keep you posted on how I'm doing and will be asking a lot of questions! Thanks for the support! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Tools are usualy collected over time.. While they make the job easier, some arent necessary when starting out If you have an artistic touch, there are some of guys that can shape a block of balsa or basswood into a flawless body with only a $10 carving knife and sand paper If not (like me), a $40 dremel rotary tool can just about do it all Heres one thing i screwed up when i first started... When buying material to make lips for your crank baits, make SURE it is lexan (or polycarbonate) and NOT acrylic sheet.... Too the untrained eye, they both look the same Welcome to the lure building world!... You will find hours of enjoyment, minutes of frustration and days of glory! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanFishing Posted October 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 I just got home and carved this out of balsa wood. I tried for a walk the dog type of topwater. How's it look? Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 Very good start! At this point pay attention to the symmetry of the profile. The balance of the design needs to be close, to do what your looking for. If the symmetry is true your bait will track true. Later in time you can experiment to change this thought. Pay attention to what will state after my post. There are very experience people here and know much more then I about design of carving or making of baits. But what I stated I do know, others will fine tune your knowledge. After the carving, testing is next. Please keep us inform us as you move forward. You will see what I mean in a short time. Explain design V-Man! ) Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted October 23, 2015 Report Share Posted October 23, 2015 One more thing project (mark) a x plane and y plane through top, bottom and both sides you will see what I mean. It could be the picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 To add to Dale's post.. A visual center line on your cut out will help keep both sides symmetrical when carving, this line will run down the back and belly... If you start with a squared/flat sided cut out, this is easy Speaking of Vman, i learned this from him..... 1) Ill make 2 stacks of popsicle sticks laying flat on my bench parallel to each other, ill lay a fine tip sharpie across the sticks 2) With my cut out laying flat side down, ill adjust the stacks until the sharpie is close to the center level of the back... 3) Simply spin the cut out around the sharpie.... Now you have a strait line all the way around the cut out.... But this line is NOT the center 4) Flip the cut out over and repeat... Now you have 2 lines the exact same distance from each edge of the cut out... The small space between these lines will be the exact center of your bait 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 @ RyanFishing Step-by-step working processes are also schown in two YouTube Videos put out by a south German friend of mine , for part two he had asked me to write subtitles in English , but since to spoken comments occur , it's also easy to follow without any knowledge of a foreign language . But these lures are not made of timber , but of PVC hardfoam , thus no sealing process required , ...the material has about the same buoancy like Balsa wood , ...also same tool gear involved like someone would use for softer timbers . With my IE I'm unable to put in straight linkss by just copy and paste , so you'd need to go to YouTube's search function and type in words : Making Crankbaits Part 1 Making Crankbaits Part 2 Or in German : Wobbler bauen Teil 1 Wobbler bauen Teil 2 YouTube Name of the channel owner is "deranglerundmehr" . Sorry for inconvinience ,....good luck and lots of success with your project , ......greetings from northern Germany , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted October 24, 2015 Report Share Posted October 24, 2015 Here ya go Deimai Wobbler bauen Teil 1 Making Crankbaits Part 1: Wobbler bauen Teil 2 Making Crankbaits Part 2: Good videos!... I didnt see anything about sealer in part 1... Im guessing propionate?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 @JRammit Thanks a bunch for linking those videos ! There is no sealer required at all , since the material being used is not timber , but some kinda plastic hardfoam,.......one guy used to sell this stuff on a German angling forum , ...once he stated , that it was left over remainders of refridgerator insulation material . Propionate sealer would even surely damage it because of the containing acetone harms almost everything artificial ! Because of being plastic , the material does not soak up water , ....but prior to foiling I might apply an epoxy coat , as this material is a bit porous ,.....just for better adhesion of that aluminium tape shown . Also I would apply epoxy OVER the foiling prior to painting as well , since paints do not adhere that well on the sheer aluminium tape , ....also serves to even out little wrinkles in the foiling . I would not trust screw eyes in this material , so one would have to go thru-wired only , but being about as buoyant as light balsa wood , it makes up for fine small and mediuim sized lures , ..........only drawback are the occassional inclusions of bigger airbubbles(up to 2 millimetres in dia.), that might break through the lure's surface , ......if one is concerned about these , one would have to go another working step of applying filler and sanding over again prior to painting . All in all the material is quite similar to the PVC decking mentioned in quite a few threads here on TU . Thanks a lot again , my friend , ....best greetings from northern Germany , Dieter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 Oops... You did say that in your origional post Have to say, his plastic sure looked like wood!... The PVC i use is pure white in color, unmistakable for wood.. Ive heard PVC will hold screw eyes fine (irrelevant to me since mine have no hardware) and also is close to balsa in buoyancy....... But the kids project is a wooden lure, so ill leave the PVC out.... Sealer will be required then... Ive grown fond of epoxy, but your thread (Diemai) about lost lures returning home in good shape after years of dwelling under water is a strong proponent for the use of propionate!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 (edited) So how are you doing young scholar? One thing to learn as you do this project, is another part of bait making. You need to think about and take a look at this here in search. It is about what hydrodynamic condition do to a crankbait. You may want to design baits on a regular basis some day. If nothing else it is a good fact to learn. Remember that aerodynamics are somewhat similar, this may help with a thought reference. At the top of this page there is a box, at the right where you can quarry this. This was wrote about here at TU and I now think about this when making every design I have made so far. I have only had one failure (I tweak it to make it work) out of 10 designs. The lip was the issue, I didn't do the creating of it properly. I feel like me being near where you are at in making baits, that this could help you, it did me. I'm working a craw right now in its natural swimming position, totally different from a normal fish type bait. Weighting will be fun. A very young boy gave me a hug and asked me to make one for him. I couldn't refuse. Dale Edited October 25, 2015 by DaleSW 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted October 25, 2015 Report Share Posted October 25, 2015 I just got home and carved this out of balsa wood. I tried for a walk the dog type of topwater. How's it look? Any suggestions? Ryan, I have found walking baits to be the most forgiving of all builds. Using your eye to shape them works, as long as you have the ramped chin, the right line tie and hook placement, and the right ballasting. I've found that walking baits need to sit tail down at rest, at anything from a 45 degree angle to almost level. The amount of hang down decreases with bait size for me, since bigger baits are harder to get up and moving if they sit too far down in the water. I put my ballast more toward the rear with smaller baits, like a Sammie, and move it closer to the center of the bait with larger baits, like Punkers. If you have a commercial bait the same basic size to use as a guide, it will help a lot. We all learn from other people, so this isn't cheating. Balsa baits are the most lively, and the most fragile, so be sure and use the search feature here to see how to make them stronger without making them too heavy. Good luck, and keep posting as you continue your build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyanFishing Posted October 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) I haven't made any more progress on my bait because I'm trying to get the hardware I need and other supplies. So what kind of hardware would I need? Like what size hook eyes and what size eyes? What do I use for the ballast weight? What type of lip? Sorry for the questions in just trying to figure out everything I need.Thanks!! Edited October 26, 2015 by RyanFishing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JRammit Posted October 26, 2015 Report Share Posted October 26, 2015 (edited) Questions are OK! Thats what this site is all about! I like to twist my own eyes... I got a spool of 22 gauge soft temper stainless steel wire from Lowes... Ill simply cut a length of wire about 4" long, fold it over til the 2 ends touch, then chuck those 2 ends up in my drill... Next ill hold a piece of wire clothes hanger inside the fold (as a form) and engage the drill to twist... I stop when the twist reaches the hanger.... Then cut to the length i need This style of eye is installed by drilling a hole in the bait and filling with epoxy, the connection is strong!.... Ive tested mine by hanging a 30 lb dumbbell from my bait attatched to a tree Edited October 26, 2015 by JRammit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vodkaman Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 Ryan - Like JR, I always twist my own eyes from soft stainless steel wire. Do a TU search on haywire twist and barrel twist. My preference is for barrel twist, but both are very easy to make. Stainless steel is cheap, easy to bend and does not corrode. When shopping, the wire bends without spring back. Wire thickness, do a search on the subject, plenty has been written. Ballast - lots of options here; ball weights, bullet weights, lead sheet, lead strip, even pouring your own. A trip to the hardware store to see what is available. If using lead, read up on lead safety. Hook and ring sizes - if it looks right then it is. Take a body down to your tackle shop and lay a few different sizes out. Ask other customers which they think looks right. Examine other lures in the shop to compare. Take photos and notes for later reference. Lips - if you are fitting a lip, then you need to find a source of polycarbonate sheet (Lexan). Thickness depends on the lure length, again, if it looks right then it is. My lures are small, so 2mm thickness works for me. Again search, lots written on this subject. After this thread, I suggest that you post individual questions for better, more detailed replies. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diemai Posted October 27, 2015 Report Share Posted October 27, 2015 (edited) @ RyanFishing For basic , written info about luremaking go to www.luremaking.com , ....it is the site of a Canadian component store . On top the entry site they offer some free downloads , so check out the third one , the "Canadian Guide to Luremaking" ,....... some brief , but compact info in there , also about hook sizes on plastic crankbaits , Otherwise there are also quite a few books on the subject available , ...if interested , you may go to YouTube and type in "Luremaking Book Review # 1 " and " Luremaking Book Review # 2 " into the search function bar , ....you would find two older clips of mine talking about a few luremaking-related books , that I own , .....apart of one all in English language , ...some fairly recent issuse amongst , that should still be easily accessible today . Good Luck , Dieter Edited October 27, 2015 by diemai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted October 28, 2015 Report Share Posted October 28, 2015 Questions are OK! Thats what this site is all about! I like to twist my own eyes... I got a spool of 22 gauge soft temper stainless steel wire from Lowes... Ill simply cut a length of wire about 4" long, fold it over til the 2 ends touch, then chuck those 2 ends up in my drill... Next ill hold a piece of wire clothes hanger inside the fold (as a form) and engage the drill to twist... I stop when the twist reaches the hanger.... Then cut to the length i need This style of eye is installed by drilling a hole in the bait and filling with epoxy, the connection is strong!.... Ive tested mine by hanging a 30 lb dumbbell from my bait attatched to a tree I also twist sst wire sometimes, but I make them slightly differently. I bend the wire, put the two tag ends into a vise, and then use a variable speed hand held drill with a bent nail chucked in it to engage the loop in the wire and make the bend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
