Ballast Installation

[Theine]

I've been looking for an old post ballast installation, but am coming up with nothing.  Does anybody recall a post addressing this topic?  Specifically I'm trying to learn the process for filling in the hole left after you add ballast.  Do you just epoxy and then sand until its level with the rest of the bait?  Thanks

[RayburnGuy]

I recall the post your talking about, but can't find it at the moment. The way I install ballast is to drill the hole just deep enough that the ballast is slightly below the level of the bait. Enough epoxy is placed in the ballast hole that when the ballast is installed there is enough epoxy pushed out of the hole that it covers the ballast. If an excessive amount is pushed out it is wiped away with a toothpick and just enough left to cover the ballast and leave a smooth cap that levels out with the bait. If there are any high spots they are sanded off after the epoxy sets up.

 

By having the ballast force out any excess epoxy, and rotating the ballast as it is pushed into the hole, I am assured there is complete coverage all around the ballast thus giving me the strongest bond possible.

 

Ben

[JRammit]

Bondo works great too... Just pack it in the hole, wait 15 minutes and sand it down

[BobP]

I use a slow cure epoxy to install ballast and the hook hangers at the same time. Once it has cured, you can use wood filler to quickly make the hole conform to the surface, even spackling compound since it will be covered by the lure undercoating and the topcoat. I don't like using epoxy to the surface of the lure because it is much harder than the surrounding wood (especially balsa) and that makes sanding the surface difficult. In the end, how and when you do it just depends on your specific build procedures.

[RayburnGuy]

I don't like using epoxy to the surface of the lure because it is much harder than the surrounding wood (especially balsa) and that makes sanding the surface difficult.

 

Have you tried super gluing different grits of sandpaper around tongue depressors Bob? It makes sanding in specific spots much easier.

 

Ben

[Pickadoll]

Wood fillers and other fillers, epoxy, 2 part epoxy putty and work with it with water on your hands. Or you can use wood plugs.

Easiest way is to weight the lures before you router/sand the edges of the lures.

Drill the weight holes. Don't drill deeper than you need so you don't need to glue the weights in place.
Put the weights in the holes. Then use something I wrote before to fill the rest of the holes. 
And then you just use a belt sander or something like that til you get a smooth surface. And then you router/sand the edges round. It is much harder to get a smooth and fine surface if you weight the lure after you rounded the edges.

Hope you understand my English. I am from Sweden .
Hope you liked any of my tips. 
/David Pickadoll lures
 

[JBlaze]

Wood fillers and other fillers, epoxy, 2 part epoxy putty and work with it with water on your hands. Or you can use wood plugs.

Easiest way is to weight the lures before you router/sand the edges of the lures.

Drill the weight holes. Don't drill deeper than you need so you don't need to glue the weights in place.

Put the weights in the holes. Then use something I wrote before to fill the rest of the holes. 

And then you just use a belt sander or something like that til you get a smooth surface. And then you router/sand the edges round. It is much harder to get a smooth and fine surface if you weight the lure after you rounded the edges.

Hope you understand my English. I am from Sweden .

Hope you liked any of my tips. 

/David Pickadoll lures

 

 

Your English is fine. Thanks for the tips and I don't mean to disagree whith you but, I would be afraid to router the edges after placing the lead in the lure for fear the bit might contact the lead weight or hook hanger, which could get dangerous real quick!

John

 

Edited April 18, 2016 by JBlaze

[Pickadoll]

You router before you put the hook hangers there so it is no problem . Just use a test piece of wood to see that you don't route to deep.

[BobP]

Ben, no I haven't tried a sanding stick.  You know how we oldsters get set in our ways!  It just seems easy to sand a little interior wood filler, which is pretty soft stuff and dries quickly.  Another method I sometimes use is to drill the ballast hole slightly large and put a small wad of epoxy putty in the hole.  Push in the ballast weight with a pair of pliers, forcing the excess putty out, then immediately smooth it around the ballast.  Done in five minutes.  This works well if you have over-drilled the holes, or have splintered the wood around the hole, or if the holes ended up off center.  Adjust the belly weight to its correct position and it stays where you put it.  It's worthwhile to become familiar with different types of epoxy and their applications.  Liquid slow cure, liquid fast cure, epoxy paste, and epoxy putty.  Each works best for particular lure building tasks.  

[RayburnGuy]

Your exactly right Bob. We all end up doing what we are comfortable and familiar with. If there was only one way to build a bait it would get pretty boring around here.

 

You might try making a couple sanding sticks though. They're great for lots of other stuff as well. A tongue depressor with 120 grit wrapped around it makes quick work of chipped fingernails.

 

Ben