Pickadoll Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 Hello! Have somebody here tried to use a shrinking tube as stencil? I imagine that it would work almost as good as a vacuum formed stencil!? I have a lure model in resin that has highly detailed carvings and I need a stencil that is shaped like the lure to save time from A LOT of masking and to get a good end result but I don't have money enough to build a vacuum former right now so Shrinking tube was the only thing I could think of. Or does someone here got any better ideas? I have thought of Jig skinz but I think they are a bit to thin. /Pickadoll baits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fshng2 Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 (edited) Never tried shrink tubing. How about using Grafix - Frisket Film, it's good for flat and rounded surfaces. It comes in sheets 9" x 12" (12ea $13.00 @Amazon). It has a- Low-Tac adhesive on the back & can be repositioned. Hope this helps. Edited March 28, 2017 by fshng2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenlures Posted March 28, 2017 Report Share Posted March 28, 2017 If you don't mind the cost, then go to ebay and look up shrink tubing in the electrical sites and look for clear tubing, I have used it and its a little thicker but it shrinks all around the lure. Right to the profile of the lure. I took my lure and made what I wanted to cut out and placed it on the lure , you can either draw or paste then put the tube over the lure and shrink it then cut out what you want then cut the bottom of the tube and you have your stencil. You will have to get the right size of tube and play with it. Once you have what you want then its easy to slip on the next lure. Hope it works for you, you do want the sleeve to slip on with a little play then shrink. I do this on Musky lures I can't say about bass lures. Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 Some scrape wood/plywood, few screws and a drill, and you can make a vacuum box. As far as stencil I've heard of milk cartons being used and the person praised how well they worked. Just stiff enough to cut easily. This is a very low cost I would think and you will get very close to what you really want. I want to try the milk carton myself but just haven't got around to it yet. Good luck, Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinHanses Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 10 hours ago, DaleSW said: Some scrape wood/plywood, few screws and a drill, and you can make a vacuum box. As far as stencil I've heard of milk cartons being used and the person praised how well they worked. Just stiff enough to cut easily. This is a very low cost I would think and you will get very close to what you really want. I want to try the milk carton myself but just haven't got around to it yet. Good luck, Dale Shoot, one popcorn tin, a drill bit, and the top to a gatorade bottle is how I built mine, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW Lures Posted March 29, 2017 Report Share Posted March 29, 2017 The way I described is how I made mine. I made it long ago and still does well today. I hook it up to a shop vac and off I go. The only thing I had to do is to find out how many holes I needed per sq. inch for the bit size I used. Dale Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishCandy Posted December 24, 2017 Report Share Posted December 24, 2017 Been a few months, but maybe this will help. You know those clear plastic things you can get at the office supply store, to put your school report it? If they're the right kind of plastic, you could use a heat gun to soften it and make a stencil. Put the bait in a bed of Sculpy up to the mold line, lay the plastic on top, and gently heat it so it slumps over the bait. Flip the bait and repeat for the other side... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodieb8 Posted December 24, 2017 Report Share Posted December 24, 2017 we use very thin lexan sheet. a little heat it forms well..mock up a blank bait and go at it..washing them is easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinHanses Posted December 24, 2017 Report Share Posted December 24, 2017 5 hours ago, FishCandy said: Been a few months, but maybe this will help. You know those clear plastic things you can get at the office supply store, to put your school report it? If they're the right kind of plastic, you could use a heat gun to soften it and make a stencil. Put the bait in a bed of Sculpy up to the mold line, lay the plastic on top, and gently heat it so it slumps over the bait. Flip the bait and repeat for the other side... PETG Thermoform .02 thickness.http://a.co/eCCA6VU 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishCandy Posted December 25, 2017 Report Share Posted December 25, 2017 Thanks, KevinHanses. I may need that link in future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinHanses Posted December 25, 2017 Report Share Posted December 25, 2017 24 minutes ago, FishCandy said: Thanks, KevinHanses. I may need that link in future. No problem. I've used a few different kinds and thicknesses in the past few years, and this stuff has worked the best for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Ron Posted December 25, 2017 Report Share Posted December 25, 2017 Buyheatshrink.com I've tried it a couple times. Put a piece on, shrink, and cut with and exacto or scissors and your good. My only issue and it's a me thing, is I can not ever get the opposite sides to match in my cutting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishCandy Posted December 25, 2017 Report Share Posted December 25, 2017 Super Ron, even if you use the clear heat shrink? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinHanses Posted December 25, 2017 Report Share Posted December 25, 2017 10 hours ago, Super Ron said: Buyheatshrink.com I've tried it a couple times. Put a piece on, shrink, and cut with and exacto or scissors and your good. My only issue and it's a me thing, is I can not ever get the opposite sides to match in my cutting. I'll take an extra blank, and draw my pattern on it (after making a stencil for both sides). Try to get it as close as possible, then ill lay the stencil over the bait, and trace the lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaBehr Posted December 25, 2017 Report Share Posted December 25, 2017 Is the shrink tubing stencil less likely to scratch than the plastic sheet? That would be a BIG plus for me!! The only way I can get the two sides the same is using an Insane Custom stencil and paint the design onto my curved stencil. You can wipe off mistakes until you get it perfect and then cut the stencil. http://www.insanecustomstencils.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Ron Posted December 25, 2017 Report Share Posted December 25, 2017 Clear heatshrink is what I've used. Not that I've messed with it a bunch but no it doesn' tend to scratch. It' effective. Just not something I've played around with a ton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lith74 Posted January 8, 2018 Report Share Posted January 8, 2018 I am kind of new to this, but I have made my stencils from this stuff at Hobby Lobby, its the cheapest readily available stuff carried in store around me. https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Stencils-Craft-Paints/Stenciling/12"-x-18"-Stencil-Blanks/p/27038 I built my vacuum mold from a coffee can, drilled holes in the top and drilled a hole for the vacuum attachment. I found that this stuff works the best. If the lure has eyeballs or fins, you can get this stuff to shrink down to get good detail. I have found that with thinner stencil plastic and some of the plastic from some toys that the plastic folds down some and the starts shrinking, but not around the lure. I actually melted 2 sets of lures experimenting trying to get it shrink down more. With the stuff from Hobby Lobby you can still cut it pretty easily, for some of the bluegill designs where the lines are small and close together I used a stencil cutter, the cleaned them up with an exacto style knife. I am going to try the milk jug though, my kids drink a lot of milk. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Young Posted January 14, 2018 Report Share Posted January 14, 2018 I will post a link to the vaccuu form device and methods I use. The sheets are available in office supply stores and are dirt cheap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McLuvin175 Posted January 16, 2018 Report Share Posted January 16, 2018 (edited) These guys make some cool shrink skins, although not stencils as you mentioned https://www.jigskinz.com/ I suppose you could use shrink film to make a stencil but it would seem difficult to get even shrinkage and maintaining alignment. Seems like a more rigid vacuum form you could use over and over is a better route. I ran across this guy in Australia. He 3D prints two part stencils that custom snap around the lure. Makes for some good looking baits. http://www.lurecolourstudio.com/ I could watch these all day.... Edited January 16, 2018 by McLuvin175 grammer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted January 16, 2018 Report Share Posted January 16, 2018 1 hour ago, McLuvin175 said: These guys make some cool shrink skins, although not stencils as you mentioned https://www.jigskinz.com/ I suppose you could use shrink film to make a stencil but it would seem difficult to get even shrinkage and maintaining alignment. Seems like a more rigid vacuum form you could use over and over is a better route. I ran across this guy in Australia. He 3D prints two part stencils that custom snap around the lure. Makes for some good looking baits. http://www.lurecolourstudio.com/ I could watch these all day.... Me, too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishCandy Posted January 16, 2018 Report Share Posted January 16, 2018 Now that you mention it-Sketchup is a free drawing program that can put out .dxl files for 3-D printing. Might be possible to use it to draw a stencil, and send it to a 3-D service to get printed... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ravenlures Posted January 17, 2018 Report Share Posted January 17, 2018 Since I want to drift off a little and ask if anyone ever tried to make their own blister for display package. Wayne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Young Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 I have tried with partial success. IMHO you would need a true vacuu-form machine that preheats the plastic sheets. Or possibly preheat the sheets on a frame in your oven. Also you would need to create a positive slightly bigger than your lure. Also since the sheet would have to stretch the full depth of your lure (instead of just 1/2 needed for stencils), you would have to have a strong vacuum and a good seal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Young Posted January 20, 2018 Report Share Posted January 20, 2018 Getting both sides to match can be done - even by those who do not have a great eye. There are always points of reference on a lure blank. They will be transfered to the stencil you make - like where the lat line meets the gill plate and the rear end of the blank. So here is what I do. I create my clam-shell stencil and cut the stencil on one side. Then I tape some tissue paper to the hinged part. Next I put the paper between a lure blank and the cut part, close the clam-shell, and paint the paper with dark detail paint. Next mark two reference points on the paper. Then remove the blank, push the paper to the other side, reinsert the blank, and line up those reference points, and back-light it. You can now use a sharpie to duplicate that pattern on the other side. What can I say, those who lack the talent to do things by "eye" have to compensate with other talents. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
