Wooden Lure Building Tools?

[Vodkaman]

In my opinion, in order of preference:

1 - belt sander, they are usually belt/disk combo.

2 - drill press. Accurate drilling, also flap wheel operation.

3 - band saw. I prefer a metal cutting blade. Rough body shape and lip slot cutting.

Dave

[gliders]

Hi Lizzie, nice story. You can't go wrong with a combination belt/disc sander, ( 6inch disk 4 inch belt) , a small bandsaw and a small bench/pillar drill. As I'm from Scotland, I can't recommend models, hopefully someone from U.S can help with that....glider

[gliders]

Snap !

[Vodkaman]

Great minds

Liz - next time it would be best to start a new thread. This is not a reprimand, just advice on best practice for the site.

I agree, great story. BUT, get back to school young man

Dave

[Chonch12]

On 10/3/2016 at 9:08 AM, mark poulson said:

A bandsaw, a drill press, and a belt sander, for stationary power tools.  Cut your profile with the bandsaw, rough sand the profile with the belt sander, add a centerline all around the profile, and then use the bandsaw again to cut your lip slot, and the drill press to drill your belly hook hanger hole.

Sanding blocks with different grits, starting at 80 to rough shape down to 120 for shape tuning.  For PVC, poplar and pine, I do some rounding over on the belt sander, but for balsa I do all rounding over by hand.

120 to 180 grit sheet sandpaper for final smoothing, 400 grit wet or dry for smoothing your sealer.  

Exacto knives or carving knives for details.

A cordless drill to install your hardware.

Water intrusion is deadly for wooden baits.

Once you have them final sanded, seal your wooden baits before you add the lips and hardware with runny super glue, including the lip slot and hardware holes.  Then use the 400 grit to knock off any grain that is locked by the super glue.    

Once the lip and hardware are installed, seal again with epoxy and wet sand before you paint.

Use a good top coat to finish your baits, because it is the only protection you paint jobs will have if you use water based paints.

I hope this helps.

Have fun!

This is such a great breakdown with just enough detail. I too just got into making my own wooden baits. Not sure where you are located but look at Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist. I was able to get a Belt sander (only needed the pads) for $25 and a bandsaw (with a new blade) for $50. Of course you need to inspect what you are getting but it can save you a ton of money. 

 

[Big Epp]

These aren't fancy by any means, but I used minimal tools for them.  Top lure was done on a lathe and cut off with a coping saw. Middle lure was cut with a band-saw from a template, then finished off with a knife and sandpaper.  Bottom lure was cut out with a band-saw from a template.  I used a hand drill to drill for the hook hangers and weights, a drill bit and multi-tool to make and install the twist eyes.  All three were finished with spray paint and then dipped in a gym floor finish.

My favorite tool so far for making surface baits is the lathe.  It's easy to get symmetrical baits with it, and you can make all sorts of styles or baits.

Edited October 10, 2019 by Big Epp
names of the pictures didn't show up as intended.

[mark poulson]

On 10/10/2019 at 1:47 PM, Big Epp said:

These aren't fancy by any means, but I used minimal tools for them.  Top lure was done on a lathe and cut off with a coping saw. Middle lure was cut with a band-saw from a template, then finished off with a knife and sandpaper.  Bottom lure was cut out with a band-saw from a template.  I used a hand drill to drill for the hook hangers and weights, a drill bit and multi-tool to make and install the twist eyes.  All three were finished with spray paint and then dipped in a gym floor finish.

My favorite tool so far for making surface baits is the lathe.  It's easy to get symmetrical baits with it, and you can make all sorts of styles or baits.

Nice!

[cyrus799]

Saw: A saw will be needed to cut the basic shape of your lure from the chosen wood. A fine-toothed saw is preferable for precision.

Sandpaper: Various grits of sandpaper will help you smooth and refine the shape of your lure after cutting.

Wood Carving Tools: Carving tools, such as chisels and gouges, are essential for shaping the details of your lure, including the body, fins, and other features.

Drill and Bits: A drill will be used to create holes for hardware like hooks, split rings, and diving lips. Different drill bits will be necessary for various-sized holes.

These wooden lure-making tools and supplies can be purchased at neighborhood hardware stores. Alternatively, complete DIY fishing lure kits are available from certain online retailers such as Amazon.

 

Edited December 26, 2023 by cyrus799

[Anxious Baits]

Not sure if posted but I go through nail files more than anything else. The kind women use on their nails. One set is 80 grit on both sides. One set is 120 one side/240 other side. I like using these over sand paper because the foam in between the grits gives it more structure, kinda like using a block, but with enough pressure curves to the bait. Kind of hard to explain but steal some from your girlfriend/wife and try it. 
I start with the 80 grit till I like the profile then hit it with a couple passes of the 120 before ending with the 240. Works really good on lathe baits too. Usually get a couple/few baits per file before throwing away. 

[Kinkaid Muskie]

When I first started making muskie baits I was fortunate to already own a table saw and I find that a very valuable tool. I buy northern white cedar, western red cedar, cherry and oak in large boards and then run them through the table saw to get the varying thicknesses I need. I use it to cut perpendicular bill slots for crankbaits of varying angles while the wood is still square. One further application is cutting sheet Lexan into strips for bills.

 

Edited January 7 by Kinkaid Muskie
Choosing smaller file