Need Help with Cutting Lip Slot

[lm22]

I am new to making wooden lures. I have gotten decent at shaping the baits. But every time I try to cut a lip slot I end up ruining the bait. I know a band saw is usually used to cut lip slots. But I was trying to find something that works but is cheaper, while I am still figuring out how to make baits. 

[mark poulson]

Once you trace your bait's outline on a rectangular block of wood, including the lip slot, you can use a hand saw, or a hacksaw, to cut the slot before you shape it, so you can cut it straight and at the right angle.

I sometimes use a wooden miter box and a small dovetail saw.  I clamp the bait to one side of the miter box, with the lip slot aligned with one of the slots in the miter box.

Just go slow, and check both sides while you're cutting, to be sure they are even.

[The Guy]

I cut it while the bait is still square.  I clamp the block in a vice and use the edge of the vice to keep the hand saw straight.  

[RayburnGuy]

What Guy said...........After marking the lip slot on your blank before it's shaped just line the lip slot mark up with the top edge of the vice and make the cut using a hand saw. Just make sure to keep the saw blade touching the vice on both sides of the blank.

Ben

[benton B]

cut the lip slot first, then cut out the body

[johncaldwell]

sort of an unusual way to do it, i started cutting the lure out then putting it into a vise with the lip slot line parallel to the top of the vise.  I then take a small hacksaw and cut the lip slot on the very top edge of the vise, sliding it back and forth slowly to get it square.  This worked for me for a while until i was able to use a bandsaw. 

Edited December 5, 2019 by johncaldwell
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[mark poulson]

13 hours ago, johncaldwell said:

sort of an unusual way to do it, i started cutting the lure out then putting it into a vise with the lip slot line parallel to the top of the vise.  I then take a small hacksaw and cut the lip slot on the very top edge of the vise, sliding it back and forth slowly to get it square.  This worked for me for a while until i was able to use a bandsaw. 

I sometimes do this, too.  I cut the lure's profile, clamp the blank in a vise so that the pencil line for the lip slot is just clear of the jaws, and then use a fine hand saw to cut the slot.

[eastman03]

I prefer to cut my lip slots while the wood is in block form as well, but if you are making many lures at a time, it can help to build a table saw jig like this to make repeatable cuts.

 

[eastman03]

Never seen this one, a band saw jig looks pretty cool too.

 

[lm22]

3 hours ago, eastman03 said:

I prefer to cut my lip slots while the wood is in block form as well, but if you are making many lures at a time, it can help to build a table saw jig like this to make repeatable cuts.

 

 I actually ended up just getting a cheap bandsaw off Amazon and use it to cut the shape and lip slot out. It's worked good so far. If I ever try to start producing a lot of lures at a time I'll probably just make a mold of the bait and cast it in resin. 

[jcromerangler]

Michaels arts and crafts makes a balsa knife. If your using balsa. It's a very fine little saw blade that you can attach to an "exacto knife mount". This is what I used for a while until I got a band saw. 

[Chuck Young]

I cut mine in the square also. I made a small plywood miter box for this lip slots. But instead of the angles going at vertical angles, I do a horizontal cut. Just cut the slot(s) on a table saw. An alternative to the band saw is to glue some hacksaw blades together. It is just about right for 1/8' lexan.

http://www.tackleunderground.com/community/topic/31732-lip-slot-jig/

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Chuck Young
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