test tube tubes

[mjs]

After reading a post about tube molds I thought I would try making tubes by pouring into some test tubes. I had seen a youtube video of someone making huge tubes by pouring into a pvc pipe, but never thought to make bass tubes this way. Works well. I had difficulty dipping nice looking tubes as I work outside(cold) and they tend to harden a little misshapen rather quickly, but this way I got a much better proportion of keepers. A few I made too thin by pouring out too quickly, or too thick... 

[Travis]

I made a few this way just found it too slow of a method.   

You can also make a holder for test tube and over pour and then let cool.  You end up with a long solid tube and some very thin tails.     I did do some  solid  small tubes at one point also for split shotting  along weed lines for big gills.  Just split the plug/tube to make a tail (definitely not a "pretty" tube ) but teamed up with a 7ft light action spinning rod ended up with some nice gills and crappie.  

 

  

Edited November 14, 2017 by Travis

[Cami]

Perhaps this old thread could be useful

 http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/20756-tubes-thanks-guys-for-your-suggestions/

If correlated links inside posts don't work anymore, then try with this one

 http://www.bassmaster.it/a_tube.htm

There are two interesting videos, their main concepts are explicated in TU thread.

Bye

 

Cami

[mjs]

The video in Cami's post is the one I remember. Thanks for the links. 

Have you settled on dipping or injecting Travis? I agree that the test tubes are probably just good for a small scale guy like me making a  dozen. You have to oil the test tubes, and then wiggle the finished tube out...but I found some advantages. One  is not needing a lot of plastic.  It's  also inexpensive. For 6 test tubes , 2 different sizes, I think it was around 4 bucks at a local store.  However, the biggest advantage, for me anyways, is that this way doesn't take much skill. 

Haven't made any fully solid ones, but did make a few hard nosed ones  for mushroom jigs by pouring a little plastic into a finished tube,while it was still in the test tube.

[Roger Linnell]

http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/33692-tube-bait-mold-making/

I explain my method, it's so easy, I can do it

Edited November 15, 2017 by Roger Linnell

[Travis]

Nothing wrong with solid tubes.  I probably made a few hundred messing around. 

I  dip all my tubes.  Most of my fishing I prefer a Gitzit style thin walled smooth tube with thin tails.    I will make other variations but  just always liked that style of thin wall tube.    I would do the double or triple dipped flipping style tube at times also for guys. 

Dipping tubes really isn't that hard but we all have different learning curves.     I used a dip,  twirl, quick invert, then hang nose down motion and could dip out a 4 oz of plastic in one heating.    I use nail/spikes and round the points off on a grinding wheel.   The heads of the spike slid and hung into  a holder made of  egg crate. Definitely something you got into a groove and would knock out a bunch of tubes in short order.   No sags in the walls or "nipple" fronts.  Just a very simple no frills tube like those below.

Cutting the tails was really the slowest but didn't take a lot of time by any means once you get it worked out.  Slap the tube on the cutting mat and then I just pressed the stacked razor blade cutter down and done.  Every dozen or so tubes just pressed the blades onto a cloth soaked with worm oil and kept going.     

Edited November 15, 2017 by Travis

[Apdriver]

Nice looking tube, Travis.

[Driftwood]

Nice looking tubes. Looks like a clean cut on the tails.

[joelhains]

On 14/11/2017 at 8:35 PM, Travis said:

Nothing wrong with solid tubes.  I probably made a few hundred messing around. 

I  dip all my tubes.  Most of my fishing I prefer a Gitzit style thin walled smooth tube with thin tails.    I will make other variations but  just always liked that style of thin wall tube.    I would do the double or triple dipped flipping style tube at times also for guys. 

Dipping tubes really isn't that hard but we all have different learning curves.     I used a dip,  twirl, quick invert, then hang nose down motion and could dip out a 4 oz of plastic in one heating.    I use nail/spikes and round the points off on a grinding wheel.   The heads of the spike slid and hung into  a holder made of  egg crate. Definitely something you got into a groove and would knock out a bunch of tubes in short order.   No sags in the walls or "nipple" fronts.  Just a very simple no frills tube like those below.

Cutting the tails was really the slowest but didn't take a lot of time by any means once you get it worked out.  Slap the tube on the cutting mat and then I just pressed the stacked razor blade cutter down and done.  Every dozen or so tubes just pressed the blades onto a cloth soaked with worm oil and kept going.     

What size nails did you use?